Benefits of the game of chess for children
The first thoughts that the word chess invokes in our mind are strategy, careful planning and perseverance. No other game challenges your brain quite like chess does. It is the most powerful brain trainer. You decide your fate with every move you make. Every move takes you either closer to winning or losing the game. Studies suggest that playing chess helps in boosting a lot of mental and behavioral changes in us; changes that last a lifetime, and contribute to our overall development. It is for this reason, that we teach chess to our kids as early as possible. Here we list down the 5 major benefits of chess for children. This list will help you understand and appreciate the vital role that chess can play in shaping up your children as smart and successful adults.
The power of concentration
While we may all want our little ones to be carefree and enjoy their life as they want to, the reality is not so. Kids these days are quite busy with their academics and extracurricular activities. Children have a wide variety of choices and multitude of options to explore in their lives. This adds on to the pressure of trying out everything and somewhere leads to a lack of focus in a child. This is where chess comes in as a saviour in disguise. Chess is the most powerful tool to train the brain to focus. Since each move matters, a child is only concentrated on game at all times. All the other distractions fade away in background. Continuous practice of chess goes a long way in enhancing the power of focus in children.
Planning
Chess is a game of careful planning. Even before your first move, you have to have an idea of where you want your game to go. A well thought out strategy of the beginning, the middle and the end of the game is needed in order to have a chance at winning. As your children start learning and playing the game, they will get into a habit of planning their moves beforehand. Their mind will be trained to plan and strategize, and it will soon become a habit. This planning attitude will definitely shape them into the thought leaders of tomorrow. Thus, chess helps build and nurture the crucial skill of being able to look ahead and map your decisions and influence the outcome in your favour.
Handling Defeat
It was well said in one of the Indian movies, that everyone seems to have a plan after winning. But no one tells you what to do in case of a failure. Without doubt, truer words were never spoken. We all teach our children to strive for success, to work hard to win. However, we seem to lack the foresight of familiarising them with failure and how to handle it. Losing is devastating, for all of us. Additionally, every individual’s response to losing is different. It takes a great deal of humility to accept a loss and learn from it. This is where chess works wonders. Children who play chess, will know and understand how to handle failures at a fairly young age. They will know that no matter how hard we work; the outcome may not be favourable to us always. Chess can teach them to dissect their mistakes, and the reason of their failures. It becomes imperative for chess players not to have emotional reactions to their losses. Instead they for a habit of analysing their game and learn from their mistakes. This is one of the most crucial life benefits that chess offers to our children.
Problem Solving
Chess is a great tool for overall development of children, but it is also just a game. By nature, all kids love playing games. When taught in a playful manner, chess can open up a world of possibilities for your child. It is one of the greatest games that teaches problem solving skills to children. It is true that some basic strategies can be memorized and used for all games of chess. However, the uniqueness of chess is that every game brings in a new set of problems and positions to analyse and conquer. Hence, it is for this very reason that chess should be taught to kids of all ages. The earlier you start, the better it is.
Changes to the brain
Just like physical exercise strengthens and shapes your body, exercising your brain has its benefits too. Children who play chess regularly, use both sides of their brain. Chess is one of the few rare activities that achieves this feat. Imagine the possibilities of mastering and developing your children’s brains in this manner. This means that, the children’s brains get a unified and holistic development.
Conclusion
Learning the game of chess is definitely one of the must have skills in today’s competitive world. When you give your children a chance to learn chess, you ensure a brighter future for them. They grow up to be confident individuals who are proficient at problem solving and moving ahead in life. They take success in their stride and never falter in the face of failure.