We live in an age in which all of us have an extended hand. Yes, you guessed it right. It’s our smartphones. They have significantly reduced our attention span, particularly that of our children. Parents have been googling ways to improve their kids’ focus and attention. In such a scenario, witnessing a child engrossed in a particular activity, oblivious to all the distractions around her is quite a sight to the eyes. Isn’t it? Playing chess is one such productive activity that holds the potential to captivate our kids’ attention and focus like nothing else. Recognising the benefits of chess for kids, countries like Armenia have made chess a mandatory part of their primary school curriculum. Let’s talk about some of the remarkable benefits of chess for kids.

 Benefits of Chess for Kids You Need to Know

#1.Increases IQ

 It turns out that chess has the potential to enhance the IQ of players As per the findings of a Venezuelan study, children who play chess tend to have higher IQs than kids who do not venture into the realm of chess. Chess involves a combination of cognitive activities that aid in IQ development. Chess nurtures memory, critical thinking, logical reasoning, analytical skills, pattern recognition, etc. All these cognitive activities contribute to improving overall IQ development.

 #2.Enhances concentration

Introducing kids to chess means you are opening the doors of concentration and focus for them. Playing chess demands kids’ intense focus. From the moves and patterns to strategic thinking and decision-making, the player has to display unwavering concentration. Over time, kids develop the ability to concentrate on a given task without giving in to distractions. Ultimately, it translates into better academic performance as well.

#3.Makes the memory sharp

Memory is an important player in the list of benefits of chess for kids. Chess requires players to memorize various building blocks of chess such as moves, sequences, openings, strategies, patterns, etc. Kids have to recall and retain all this information while playing chess. Therefore, chess is a mental exercise that sharpens the memory muscles. This strengthened memory equips kids to perform well in other areas of their lives.

#4.Fosters strategic planning capacity.

  Strategic planning in chess means crafting a long-term game plan that aligns with the goals of the game. It is a crucial aspect of chess where every move counts. Thus, it has the potential to dictate the outcome of the game. Therefore, the player has to take into consideration a multitude of factors. Strategic planning stimulates the frontal lobe of the brain which is the center of skills like decision-making and problem solving. As kids play chess regularly, their ability to think strategically improves. Eventually, it gets reflected in better academic performance. Thus, strategic thinking is one of the key benefits of chess for kids.

#5.Nurtures sportsmanship

Even if it is a loss, the one who lost the game maintains a calm demeanor and handles the loss with grace. Then the player analyses the game to identify the mistakes and plans strategies to improve the game in the future. Thus, through chess, kids learn that setback is just a part of the game. This attitude nurtures sportsmanship in children and it will help them beyond the chess board.

#6.Improves logical reasoning

 Chess is inherently a game that involves logical principles. Players need to analyse positions, assess options, and foresee consequences to derive conclusions. These activities call for logical reasoning that involves many ‘if-then’ and ‘what-if’ scenarios.

Furthermore, based on the player’s move, they can deduce in advance if the opponent’s piece is in danger or not. Likewise, a player can weave strategies based on the repetitive patterns of the opponent’s move. All these aspects of chess benefit kids. They imbibe the ideas of deductive and inductive reasoning and hone their logical thinking.

 #7.Enhances creativity

One of the key benefits of chess for kids is that it enhances their creative capacities. As the game unfolds, the player has to come up with innovative ideas.  These out-of-the-box approaches break the expectations of the opponent. Further, each game is different and distinct. Hence, the game necessitates originality and uniqueness in approaches and moves. This demand for ingenious strategies forces kids to approach the game from various unique angles. Subsequently, it nurtures the ability to think creatively as per the demand of the situation.

#8.An antidote to negative screen addition

Children are not immune to the allure of internet distractions, particularly that of smartphones. Once introduced to them, they get caught up in the intricate web of content that hooks and ensnares kids in the world of instant gratification. This holds true for cartoon consumption as well. Eventually, kids fall prey to addictive behaviors. One of the proven ways to take them off screens is to channel their energy into something productive. It can be a productive screen time activity as well. Chess for kids does this exactly. Furthermore, it increases their attention span which tends to get lost in the fast-paced world of distractions.   Increased attention span is also one of the key benefits of chess for kids.

  Let’s wrap up

It is no doubt that chess is called the gymnasium of the mind. Mental tasks and challenges involved in chess aid in the cognitive development of kids. Chess sharpens their intellectual growth. It has numerous other benefits as well. Thus benefits of chess are countless. Therefore, beyond making moves on the board,  kids learn to take giant leaps in life.