“Chess is the gymnasium of the mind.” – Blaise Pascal
Chess is a highly cerebral game that requires a lot of adaptability and concentration. As such, it takes a specialized tutor to teach the techniques properly.
Unlike a subject like maths, chess doesn’t necessarily consist of right and wrong answers. Sure, anyone can teach a child the basics of how each piece moves and what the rules of the game are, but to help them understand the heart of the game, it’s necessary to have a master teacher. If your child is serious about chess or shows great aptitude for the game, If your child is beating you consistently, and shows great interest and aptitude, then they may have outgrown your tutorship! Time to look for a new master!
So, where are the best places to look for a chess tutor?
- There are plenty of chess clubs available for students of all ages. | Image source: Michal Vrba on Unsplash
Game or Hobby Shops
Many game shops hold their own game nights or leagues for community involvement. While you’re also likely to find groups playing card games like Magic: The Gathering, you’ll also find people who are interested in games of logic, like chess.
If you have a game store in your community that doesn’t currently facilitate leagues, perhaps you can talk to the owner about creating one yourself! Whether it be a community chess class for beginners or a weekly meet-up for players, there is likely a niche that can be filled by having these services available.
The best tutor of chess is exposure: simply playing the game as much as possible, against people of all skill levels. Each game and each opponent present unique learning opportunities, at least until the learner becomes very adept. Getting exposure to playing chess with people whose playing styles are unfamiliar is a great way to become more experienced.
Clubs or Societies
Chess for kids can be a social activity as much as it is a cerebral, intellectually challenging game. Chess lessons for kids will of course revolve around the specifics of the game, such as the various roles of the pieces and the myriad moves available to them. But aside from the technical elements of the game, what else can your child stand to gain? Playing chess as part of a club or society can be an excellent way to introduce your child to other like-minded kids, while at the same time they learn chess for kids.
While it is very much a solitary game that requires lots of thinking and not a lot of talking, kids' chess can be an opportunity for conversation and social growth. To find a chess club or society, first ask at your child’s school to see if they or any nearby educational institutions run a kids chess games club. If you don’t have any luck, you can take your search online and look for online chess for kids or for local chess coaching classes, depending on your preferences.
In all areas where you are able to intermingle with other chess players, it's possible that you might organically find a great tutor for your child!
- Since chess is such a popular game worldwide, there are many clubs and societies dedicated to it. | Source: Chess.com
Superprof
If you want guaranteed one-on-one chess tuition for your child, one of your best bets is to give Superprof a go. Superprof is one of the best websites for chess learning. With Superprof, you can search for private chess tutors in your area and filter the search according to their rate, level of experience, and feedback from past students. Better still, if you haven’t yet invested in a kids chess set or you prefer the convenience of online tutoring, you can set up online classes for your child through Superprof.
You could save a lot of money and effort by hiring an online chess tutor, and you won’t even have to usher your child out of the door on time. Simply set them up with a chess set and a webcam, and the tutor will take care of the rest. With a Superprof tutor, your child will have lessons tailored to their level of experience, which should be rewarding for them as they can see the progress they make. Unlike at a club or society, your child will have 100% of the tutor’s attention for the duration of the class, which means they should in theory improve at a faster rate.
YouTube
If you want chess tuition for your child, the best option is to hire a private tutor who knows exactly how to teach the game. However, if you can’t find the perfect tutor for whatever reason, you can look to websites like YouTube for an alternative option. While it might sound like a strange place to find a chess teacher for your kid, it’s becoming increasingly common for teachers and tutors to post instructional videos and tutorials on video streaming platforms.
You can find video series about various elements of the game that your child can work through at their own pace. Some channels will also invite questions from viewers or analyze real chess games so your child can get excited about the whole competitive scene around it.
The best part about this method is that your child can work at their own pace which should keep their motivation up, and it’s absolutely free. Plus, they can rewatch videos as many times as they need to until the information sinks in. The downside with this approach, of course, is that your child won’t have the benefit of being able to talk to the teacher. This could slow down their progress and they might end up with several blind spots that they won’t be able to address until they work with a tutor.
Supplementary Online Resources For Chess
With or without a tutor, utilizing online resources is a smart idea to become familiar with new concepts and strategies. Just like other forms of learning, it also allows your child to build a community with peers.
Chess Academy for Kids
Chess Academy for Kids is an app designed for iPad users which contains more than 30 tutorials and challenges for young chess learners. Through the engaging app, children will learn all of the basics of the board game and can challenge their friends and family to a game when they feel like they’re ready to play.
Chess Kid
Chess Kid is widely acknowledged to be one of the most popular websites to turn to if you want your kids to learn chess. On the website, you’ll find just about everything you need to teach your child how to play the game, and with minimal effort on your part. There are so many ways of learning through the website, too, so whatever your child’s current skill or experience level they’ll be able to find something for them.
- There are many resources for learning chess. | Source: Pexels.com
So what is the best way to help your child grow and improve their chess game? Hands-down, finding a proficient chess teacher is the best way to guarantee that they are able to make progress consistently and improve their level over time. Tutors are invaluable resources when it comes to making chess enjoyable for kids.
Chess-related apps, games, and activities are all excellent supplementary materials for a young chess learner, but they are usually just that: supplementary to the main source of teaching. Unless you put down some money in a comprehensive online course, you’re going to need to find a chess tutor either locally or online to help your child develop their chess abilities.
With dedication, practice, and reinforcement, your child can become a wonderful chess player and well-rounded individual.
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