You wouldn’t know it from my rating, but I’ve been playing chess for 30 years, and I’ve been passing on my love for the game to my kids since they were four. They took to it very quickly, and two years later, they can play semi-competent games against me, one another, and online AI programs. Once your kids have a basic understanding of the game on the starter board, you can introduce the Strategy Storybook, which features another batch of stories, this time focused on openings, pawn play, learning how to make plans, and understanding your opponent’s. This second level also includes more exercises and activities to help reinforce each concept. But beyond that, small kids should learn how to play chess because it’s fun. There are a number of tools and programs on- and offline to help children of almost any age learn how to play chess. And if you don’t know how to play either, any of these resources will help you learn right alongside them. On the website or app, kids can play each other online, try their skills against leveled AI bots, or practice using one of the many learning tools available, no matter how much or how little they know about the game. The site also features video lessons for all levels, follow-up exercises to reinforce concepts, tens of thousands of chess puzzles, and analysis boards for kids to assess their own games and identify areas for improvement. StoryTime Chess is for kids three years old and up, and it starts at $49.99. Letting the little ones interact with online platforms can be scary for a parent, but Klein says safety is priority one, two, and three at ChessKid.com. Personal information is completely private, usernames are either randomized or approved by the site’s team to ensure they contain no objectionable content, and chat features are restricted so kids can’t engage in toxic or unsafe behavior. In addition, parents, coaches, and teachers can also link their own accounts to the kids’ so that they can keep track of what they’re doing online, and even play against them. Basic accounts with access to limited content are free, but for a monthly or annual subscription, your child can unlock the site’s entire educational library. Rather than focusing on winning, Klein recommends helping your kids aim for small, achievable goals each game. For example, my kids’ objective might be getting all of their knights and bishops out of their starting square in the first eight to 10 moves, or maybe only survive 20 moves while playing against me at my hardest. Setting these milestones can help them understand that chess should be more about the process than the actual outcome. ChessKid.com is available on your browser and it’s free to download for iOS and Android. Annual subscriptions start at $49.99. Another tactic is to spend time practicing specific parts of the game, rather than playing full matches. These days, for example, we’re learning checkmating patterns—I’ll set myself up with just a king, give one of my boys two rooks, and have them work on the ladder checkmate. Later, when we get into a full game, I’ll focus on putting myself or them into one of the scenarios we’ve practiced, which not only gives them the opportunity to execute the moves but also to learn how to recognize patterns when they appear in-game. Ultimately, finding a good local club can be a great way to level up, but it can also take what is only a fun hobby and turn it into an entire community for you and your kids.
