Often times when we think of doing good and creating a long lasting impact in a person’s life, our line of thought gravitates towards an extravagant show of kindness such as sponsoring a child’s education, or feeding the homeless . While these are fantastic things that one could do, sometimes it really doesn’t take much to make a difference in a person’s life. Sometimes, your good deed could consist of a taste of thoughtful compassion, with the intent to find and fulfill some of the unheeded tools that are missing in a child’s life. Sometimes, it can be as simple as giving a child a chess set, and teaching them the importance of the game.
The game of chess has been in existence since the 15th century, back in Europe where it became popular. The game is played between two rivals on opposite sides of the chess board containing 64 squares of alternating black and white colors. Each player operates with 16 pieces; 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights and 8 pawns. Checkmating the other king is the objective of the game, and a checkmate happens when the king is in an unescapable position.
Chess has generally received the reputation that it is a game for nerds, but that stereotype is long outdated. Chess is simultaneously fun and educational. Moreover, chess has tools with exceptional benefits for kids in particular.
Many educators, parents and chess experts have attested to the fact that chess education improves the mental abilities of kids. Due to the nature of the objective of the game – to checkmate and become the winner, chess encourages the players to focus on this goal thereby improving concentration. Chess players are also conditioned to trace and recall patterns in the game which can develop ones memory.
Chess develops logical thinking which is especially great for kids whose brain capacities are rapidly expanding. Chess also improves a child’s ability to think rationally and it increases cognitive skills which usually translates to higher grades in school, especially in English and Math.
The game of chess teaches important life skills and lessons to children. For example, chess shows kids that success is rewarded for hard work because the more effort you put into practicing, the better you’ll become. Chess also helps to develop a kids ability to think and predict the possible consequences of an action before carrying out an action. That is, teaching the principles of cause and effect. Chess instills in kids a sense of self confidence.
Playing the game of chess provides an opportunity for kids to interact with other kids and learn the value of socializing and making friends at a young age. It is an avenue to meet amazing people and could potentially birth beautiful lifelong friendships. It also teaches kids to learn to work with others by building a sense of team spirit while still highlighting the strengths of the individual.
Finally, playing chess with your kids is a way to bond with your child. Playing together will strengthen the connection between you and your child as you both teach and learn from each other.
I think that you can agree that chess is an amazing game with mind boggling rewards. This is why we, at Fixing Fathers Inc. decided to create the Fixing Fathers Chess Set Giveaway Program. This program positively impacts the lives of disadvantaged children by giving children ages 6 – 16 a free chess set. We believe that this give will get them started on the road to greatness. If you are interested in donating to this program, you can visit our programs page at fixingfathers.org or you can contact Dr. David Asbery at [email protected]. Your contributions to this program will go a long way in supporting the positive development of a child. Hey, it’s all about making an impact, one chess set at a time! Oh yeah. One last thing. If you are interested in a chess set for your child, please reach out. We have plenty!
