Dana Lazarof
- Aug 27, 2020
- 2 min read

Benefits of Teaching Chess to Young Kids

Updated: Sep 8, 2020

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) conducted a research that outlines all the advantages of investing in high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC).

In their study, they explain that the human Brain’s ability to develop is at it’s highest in the earliest years of life – meaning that there’s a short period in the early development years of a child where the more they learn, the more they will benefit out of it later in life.

Moreover, the OECD has found that investing in high-quality early childhood education and care has many social merits to the kids – they

end up having better health, a reduced chance of participating in risky behaviors (including drugs and alcohol use) and a stronger “civic and social engagement” in their societies

So, Why Chess?

We at ChessMatec believe that teaching Chess to young kids in their early-development years has many important values and merits – and that is why our program is set to start teaching kids Chess from as early as 3-years old! ChessMatec is a unique chess education program for young children, based on trade-marked methodology and battle-tested by over 750 schools worldwide. The ChessMatec program has been taught to kids for over two decades, starting from the age of three and up, establishing it as the most comprehensive and successful kids’ chess program today.

Many of the skills children learn through the ChessMatec program extend far beyond

School and include sportsmanship, respect, fairness, patience, leadership, confidence and healthy self-perception. At ChessMatec, our students develop key cognitive skills, including strategy, creativity, problem solving, and analytical & critical thinking. Children learn to concentrate, to think ahead, to solve complex problems, and to make difficult decisions – both over the board and in real life. ChessMatec also provides inter-curricular ties to math, reading and STEM projects. In accordance to the OECD research, we believe that teaching Chess to kids in their early-childhood years will benefit them greatly later in life.

How Can Learning Chess Benefit Kids?

Numerous studies from around the world have proven a direct link between chess study

and academic performance—particularly mathematical and linguistic achievement. Psychological and medical research into the effects of chess play have found that the

game improves cognitive function and intellect in children and adolescents. Chess also

helps improve self-control, develop self-esteem, decrease violence, promotes situational awareness, analysis, and planning, and improves concentration. Chess has been found to be particularly helpful to kids with ADD/ADHD. Through chess, students improve their general learning skills, learn important social/interactive skills, and an important array of intellectual skills. Considering several studies, the European Parliament elected to introduce chess into its standard academic program.

What Can You Do To Help Your Child Learn Chess?

Many countries have officially recognized the value of learning chess and have

integrated chess into the curricula. Join us at ChessMatec now to start teaching Chess to your kids today and make their future brighter tomorrow.