Getting your son or daughter into anything of your choosing can be a challenge. When it comes to the things that children want to do, chess doesn’t always make the Top 3. It’s important that we introduce chess to children in the right way to inspire a love for the game. We have a ton of experience helping children not only excel at chess, but enjoy it just as much.
1. Request a School Chess Club
If your child’s school doesn’t have a running chess club, it’s time to suggest it. There is a significant amount of scientific study that supports greater academic success when children play chess in schools. When chess is a part of the curriculum, student grades across reading-based and STEM subjects see an improvement. But let’s talk about how your child’s experience with chess might change if it’s taught in school. Children thrive in social environments. When chess is introduced as a group activity in school, your child gets the opportunity to play chess with their peers. This is an invaluable step in introducing chess to children in an enjoyable way.
2. Try Group Chess Lessons with Friends
Group chess lessons outside of school are a powerful tool. It not only gives them a constructive extracurricular activity, but it can give them a reason to see one or more friends outside of school. Connecting that excitement with the game of chess can change the way they perceive the game. We emphasize group lessons here because children love to be social. Offering your child a new place to make friends, or another opportunity to spend time with existing friends is something you can use to your advantage. We often see children thrive in our group chess lessons and have found this to be one of the most effective ways to introduce children to chess.
3. Pick the Right Coach
Regardless of whether you pick in school lessons or extracurricular group lessons for your child, the right coach or teacher is paramount. When it comes to introducing chess to children, the rating of the coach is much less important. What’s key is that the coach or teacher can connect with your son or daughter on their level. Being a passionate coach with an understanding of both chess and child education is what it boils down to. Choose a coach that has experience teaching chess to the same age group your child belongs to. The right coach will be able to connect with your son or daughter, and can even turn an aversion to chess into a passion with time.
Getting your little ones into chess can be difficult, but the benefits are tremendous. Let our coaches help guide you through this process. We have amazing coaches that lead group lessons, and in-school chess clubs as well. Let’s talk about getting your son or daughter into chess today.