Human Chess with Elementary School Students

February 4, 2009
Tags: Teaching Chess Articles

Human Chess Board

Kelly Wyatt may not be a chess player herself – but she knows the value of the game of chess and what a chess club can do for the students at her school. “I really wanted this chess club at our school for our kids,” says Kelly, the chess club organizer at Flatirons Elementary School in Boulder, Colorado.

Kelly’s hope for the students at her school is something I’ve seen in hundreds of chess club volunteers across the United States while working at Wholesale Chess. Chess club organizers call in every week looking for chess equipment, resources, and help for their chess clubs. What’s wonderful is seeing the community pitch in to make a difference for young chess players. “I’ve learned that having more adults at each club session is huge. They come and play games with a child and really help them. I also was able to find a college student from the area university that volunteers to come and play chess with the kids,” adds Kelly.

Human Chess Set

The students at Flatirons Elementary School have found that chess can be fun in a number of different ways. Recently, the chess club had fun creating a human chess board out of dark and light colored 2′ X 2′ carpet tiles for a game of human chess. Each of the students became chess pieces by using printed t-shirts with a chess piece name on them. Who would have thought you could have so much fun with a human chess set?

You can see the Flatirons Elementary School Chess Club listing, along with other chess club listings, by checking out our Chess Club Directory in the Chess Club Corner.

Human Chess!