The benefits of children playing chess

 

During the delicate years of growth, children need to keep active physically, through recreational and sports activities, but also mentally.

Cognitive skills are developed through the exercise of them at school, precisely in the years when the brain is more plastic and receptive.

The game is also of enormous importance in this crucial phase and strategy games, such as chess, can make a great contribution to the development of intelligence, logic and reasoning.

Here are some benefits that have been observed in children playing chess.

Chess empowers logical skills

Playing chess involves solving a problematic situation (or even more than one simultaneously).

It has been shown that the time a child is active in searching for a solution or an answer, without help or suggestions, new cells and new connections are born in his brain, literally the brain increases in volume!

Playing chess helps in learning mathematics

We often hear about the analogy between skills in chess and mathematics: it is not a cliché but a great truth.

Chess develops the skills of analysis, decoding, logic, rhythm, understanding and abstract thinking, all necessary and fundamental characteristics for success in mathematics.

Chess strengthens memory and concentration

It has been observed that children who learn to play chess and play regularly have a more developed visual memory, a longer attention span and better spatial intelligence.

These factors, along with many others, can significantly increase academic achievement.

Chess improves creativity and critical thinking

Developing critical thinking is essential in children, to help them become adults capable of "thinking for themselves".

Playing chess puts in front of many situations in which we have to imagine a possible situation, its change with our intervention, the consequences, the possible implications and scenarios.

In this way one learns to evaluate the impacts of one's own actions, of the actions of others, to foresee them: creativity is brought into play and with it the capacity for reflection.

Playing chess increases self-esteem and confidence in one's abilities

Children need to experience their own self-efficacy, to develop self-confidence and a positive self-perception.

Playing and winning, being able to solve complicated puzzles increases one's self-esteem, but at the same time also losing a game and understanding that it is something normal, that does not affect one's value, is important.

Given these enormous benefits, it is not surprising that the game of chess is increasingly loved by schools, families and children.

 In fact, more and more schools offer courses, the associations that promote this game are on the increase and also fans from all over the world.

You are never too young (or too old) to love chess and learning a game so rich in beauty, precious and ancient, with so many long-term benefits is a great gift that every family should give to their children.

If you want to teach your child or any other child the game of chess I suggest you start with this interactive tutorial.