Learning chess to a 3.5 years old boy (General)

by Fausto Alava-Moreno , Oviedo, Spain, Thursday, April 24, 2008, 09:44 (6204 days ago)

Dear chessfriends,

Any advice on learning chess to a three and a half years old boy.

I am playing Correspondence Chess at Master Class, so my chess skills are good enough in this stage.

I am the proud father of that boy, and I would like to introduce him on our world.

Obviously, not in a competitive way, I just want to use chess as a tool to improve some of his skills.

My first lesson, a couple of days ago was dedicated to have a look to the chess board and to the pieces.

We spent some time counting clear and dark squares. Looking the size of the board and using different paths to join two different squares.

We also Identify pieces, in a fantasy set of pieces (not in a Staunton one)

To my surprise, he was able to identify the King, Queen, Knights (he calls it horses) and Rocket (he call it castles).

But have problems to identify Bishops and Pawns. He identify them sometimes as "Princes" and sometime as Pawns when I told him the name.

He enjoy his first lesson, and the next day he ask me for the chess board and pieces.

And he spent sometime playing (in his own way) with the chess set.

Any advice, experiences, books, ...

Sorry for my not enought-good english, but I am spaniard

Looking forward to your reply,

---
--

Yours Sincerely,

Fausto Alava-Moreno