{"id":3965,"date":"2020-04-18T18:13:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-18T23:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/?p=3965"},"modified":"2021-02-09T22:06:02","modified_gmt":"2021-02-10T06:06:02","slug":"9-reasons-chess-classes-are-a-smart-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahblog.activityhero.com\/9-reasons-chess-classes-are-a-smart-move\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Reasons Chess Classes Are a Smart Move"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n

Sure, chess is a great brain-booster for type-A kids, but did you know it\u2019s also perfect for children who struggle to focus in school or organize their homework? Here, a seasoned chess coach explains why every child can enjoy many brain-boosting, skill-enhancing benefits when learning this \u201cGame of Kings.\u201d<\/h2>\n

By Rachel Stamper<\/h4>\n

Chess camps, chess clubs and chess classes are the perfect way to introduce your child to the \u201cGame of Kings.\u201d While experts disagree on the optimal age to begin chess — some say as early as kindergarten, while others recommend starting at second grade — all concur that chess offers incredible benefits to boost the developing brains of children of all ages.<\/p>\n

My son, now nearly 13 and in 7th grade, participated in after-school chess club throughout elementary school, and the skills he learned in chess continue to benefit him both socially and academically. \u201cI don\u2019t like sports, but do like competition,\u201d he says. A variation called \u201cbughouse chess\u201d was his favorite, because it\u2019s a team chess game. \u201cPlus I\u2019ve got a shelf full of chess trophies!\u201d<\/p>\n

I chatted with Coach Brett Ramirez of The Chess Club<\/a> about these and other benefits of enrolling a child in a chess program. He offers the following insight, gained from his more than 20 years\u2019 experience coaching chess for elementary through high school kids.<\/p>\n

#1 Chess Encourages Focus<\/h3>\n

Learning and playing chess teaches children the benefits of careful observation and concentration If the student doesn\u2019t watch what\u2019s happening, they can\u2019t respond to it, no matter how smart they are.<\/p>\n

#2 Chess Teaches Visualization<\/h3>\n

We prompt children to imagine a sequence of actions before it happens. This strengthens their ability to visualize by training them to shift the pieces in their mind several moves ahead to predict outcomes.<\/p>\n

#3 Chess Trains Thoughtfulness<\/h3>\n

Children are taught to think, then act. We teach them to ask, \u201cIf I do this, what might happen as a result and how can I respond?\u201d Over time, chess helps kids develop patience and learn to think ahead.<\/p>\n

#4 Chess Inspires Critical Thinking<\/h3>\n

We teach students that they don\u2019t have to do the first thing that pops into their mind. They learn to identify and weigh options and consider the pros and cons of various alternatives before they act.<\/p>\n

#5 Chess Instills Analysis and Logic<\/h3>\n

Children learn to evaluate results of a series of actions and outcomes. They ask themselves, \u201cDoes this sequence help me or hurt me?\u201d This way, they see that better decisions come from logic, rather than impulse.<\/p>\n

#6 Chess Guides Abstract Thinking<\/h3>\n

We teach kids how to step back from details periodically and consider the bigger picture. They also learn to transfer patterns used in one context and apply them to different, but related situations.<\/p>\n

#7 Chess Supports Planning<\/h3>\n

Children are shown how to develop longer-range goals and take steps towards accomplishing these goals. They are also taught how to reevaluate their plans on the fly as new developments change the scenario.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Photo Credit: The Chess Club – San Jose, CA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

#8 Chess Inspires Multiple Lines of Thought<\/h3>\n

We encourage students not to become overly absorbed in any one consideration, but to try to weigh various factors all at once. Simultaneous juggling of multiple considerations is a skill that can be learned early.<\/p>\n

#9 Chess Spurs Socialization<\/h3>\n

In schools, chess serves as a bridge, bringing together children of different ages, races and genders. Chess helps build individual friendships, camaraderie, healthy competition and sportsmanship.<\/p>\n

Coach Brett adds, \u201cThe beauty of chess as a teaching tool is that it stimulates children\u2019s minds and helps them to build these skills while enjoying themselves. As a result, children become more critical thinkers, better problem solvers and more independent decision makers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now It\u2019s Your Move!<\/h3>\n

Find an online chess class or club <\/a> and introduce your kids to the great game of chess.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Considering enrolling your child in chess classes? We’ve put together a list of 9 benefits that prove chess for kids is a smart move.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":3968,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"templates\/template-cover.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[751],"tags":[774,906,894,900],"class_list":["post-3965","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chess","tag-chess","tag-online-camps","tag-online-classes","tag-online-learning"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3965","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3965"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3965\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8405,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3965\/revisions\/8405"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3965"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3965"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3965"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}