A gift of chess for your child

For a lasting gift, learn to play chess with your child
Monday, November 26, 2007
by Gene McIntyre

Let’s say you’re into active parenting and want to build a stronger relationship, some call it bonding, with a son, a daughter or both. Also, you may be searching for just the right Christmas present or a gift for any special occasion. How about learning the game of chess yourself, if you’re not already knowledgeable about how to play it, and teaching it to your offspring.

This information may insult the experienced player, but I’ll explain a bit about it anyway. Chess is a game of skill in which two players move objects called “men” on a board divided into squares. Players try to “checkmate” (trap) the opponent’s principal man, the king, while protecting their own king.

…So, in the world today, where intellect and skill often make the difference between a young person achieving his or her goals and objectives, parents who play chess with their children can help greatly with preparing them for life’s challenges. It’s also a game that can build relationships and enhance them. Furthermore, it’s a game that can be played for a lifetime, often with a participant’s satisfaction of getting better and better at it.

Remember too that the game can be inexpensive to purchase; it depends on how fancy you want to get. There’s no age limit on when to start a child playing chess; whenever he or she is so disposed, as readiness for anything after all depends on individual development at every level of a child’s growing up years.

Here is the full story.