Are you looking for meaningful child development activities and are wondering if Chess is a good option? Well, the short answer is YES. Chess is one of the BEST ways to equip your child to grow up to be a balanced and intelligent adult. As a parent, you want to give your child the best start in life. You want them prepared to face and cope with the ebbs and flows of life. In this article, you will find the benefits of exposing your kids to Chess and how Chess can increase your child’s IQ.
Why Are Chess Players Said to Have a High IQ?
Most say that it is people (including children) with a high IQ who tend to appreciate and love playing Chess than people with an average or low IQ. Such is said to counter the belief that Chess can improve a person’s IQ.
Still, research shows that kids and adults who play Chess regularly are likely to increase their IQ. A Venezuelan study showed that after four months of chess classes, 4000 children were found to have a higher IQ compared to those who did not play. A similar study was also undertaken in Australia that showed kids who played Chess at a competitive level had higher IQ than those who did not play.
Do You Know Who Is Magnus Carlsen, and What Is His IQ?
Magna Carlsen has an IQ of 190. He is one of the most celebrated chess players with the highest IQ.
The chess player is an acclaimed chess genius of our time. Carlsen’s achievements as a player are quite remarkable. He has, in total, won over 7 Chess Oscars.
Carlsen is the youngest person ever to be ranked number one since, in 2004, he received his grandmaster title at an impressive age of 13. In 2009 he claimed an ELO rating of over 2800, which in 2010 ranked him as the world’s No. 1 in the FIDE rankings.
In 2013, he became the new World Chess Champion after defeating Vishy Anand and successfully defended his title in 2016 against the renowned Sergey Karjakin. The renowned Garry Kasparov was his coached until 2010.
What Are the Benefits of Kids Playing Chess?
Again, you can find several studies documenting the benefits Chess has on children. There is a lot of evidence that makes us conclude that Chess will increase your child’s IQ.
Here are other benefits:
- You, Child Will, Learn How to Use Both Sides of the Brain
Research shows that chess players have an enhanced ability to use both sides of the brain compared to a novice. When elite chess players are thinking about their next move, they use both sides of the brain. With the left brain, they contemplate and plan the move, and with the right brain, they recall/ visualize past moves. Whereas we all use both sides of the brain, some people have either left or right-brain dominance. Your child will learn how to use both sides of the brain, which enhances neuroplasticity, increases attention, gives an internal sense of peace, and boosts focus. Notable philosophers and innovators are known to have an increased capacity to use both sides of the brain. Jogging and meditation are the other activities capable of helping one attain a right-left brain balance. - Chess Enhance the Creativity of Your Child
The right and left sides of the brain, undertake complementary functions with the right side as the creative one. As your child becomes an expert in Chess, he/she will have an enhanced capacity to be original. A four-year study had students from 7 – 9 grades either play Chess, use computers, or carry out other extra-curricular activities weekly for 32 weeks. The chess-playing group demonstrated the most growth in terms of creative thinking as compared to the other groups. They scored higher on all measures of creativity, especially originality. - Chess Improves Readings Skills
Dr. Stuart Margulies undertook a study on the reading performance of 53 elementary school children. The study revealed that the kids who attended an optional chess program performed better than those who did not participate in the program.
So, if you want your child to improve their reading skills without necessarily compelling him/her to spend more time reading, Chess is probably the best of your options. - Chess Boosts the Concentration of Regular Players
Mastery in Chess enhances concentration. Every chess game will exercise the concentration of your child.In the game, especially competitive Chess, players cannot afford to focus on anything other than Chess. Players must follow their opponent’s moves, as they anticipate and think through their counter moves.The intensity of the game and the demands on the players’ mental faculty, trains them to have high levels of concentration.
- You Child Will Grow Dendrites
Dendrites look like a tree with branches. Like branches, the dendrites are interconnected, and they relay signals from neural cells into the neurons.
Taking time to learn new skills like Chess makes dendrites to grow. Learning and playing Chess, interacting with new people, and the game’s challenges every so often will increase the dendrites of your child’s brain. - Chess Helps Develop Foresight and the Ability to Plan
The prefrontal cortex is one of the last areas of the brain to develop. It is the part of the brain responsible for planning, behavior, emotional regulation, and judgment. Maturity is a sign of well-developed prefrontal cortex, and most children and adults with ADHD have a smaller prefrontal cortex.
Games like Chess that require strategy, planning, and foresight are excellent ways to support the development of the prefrontal cortex. A child at the age of 7, playing Chess, is well poised to make sound life-choices in his/her teens than a child who was never exposed to the game.
Premier Chess Academy Corporation, USA has designed its curriculum options to suit your child’s learning goals. Contact Us today to schedule a call with one of our instructors for more information.
Recent Comments