Hi Parents and Coaches, Teachers and Districts! This article answers many questions about getting started with our site. But first, click below if you're still wondering whether ChessKid is right for you:
In addition to our comprehensive FAQ section, we've developed a series of articles detailing how to use our best features, how to manage your kids and clubs, and how to motivate your kids to keep using ChessKid and learning.
About the only thing we haven't included is the secret to chess. Well, here it is: Practice, then practice, then practice a lot more. How much is enough studying? Well, to borrow a famous quote about gathering firewood: "Practice as much as you think you need to, then practice five times as much as that!"
How To: Start and Manage a Club - Grouping your kids into an online Club is a vital way of giving them assignments and creating challenges via the leaderboard.
How To: Integrate ChessKid Into Your Clubs - You'll learn all the different ways coaches encourage the use of ChessKid.com via various challenges and contests. Why reinvent the wheel? Copy these proven techniques!
How To: Use the ChessKid Classroom Planner - Follow this 30-week guide to introduce chess to your club, math class or computer lab! Each mini lesson plan includes Educational Objectives, links to Lessons, Videos, and Extra Activities - all in one online, easy-to-follow checklist.
How To: Understand Levels- Levels show which skills a student has mastered. How do you move from one level to the next?
How To: Play Fast, Slow, Bots and Tournaments - This describes the four different kinds of games that can be played on ChessKid.com and how adults can organize a competition using our "Play" features.
How To: Join a Fast Chess Tournament - Step-by-Step, where do you look to join a Fast Chess Tournament? What are the technical recommendations for your device?
How To: Manage Guardianship - We've added multiple Guardianship options so coaches and parents can both track kids' progress. Learn how to set this up and the difference between Primary and Secondary Guardianship.
How To: Buy, Upgrade, and Manage Gold Memberships - Gold Memberships give students access to all the learning features of the site. Learn what Gold unlocks and how to distribute the Gold Memberships that you've purchased. Also learn about the proper way to buy more Golds when you already have some in your account.
How To: Understand ChessKid's Safety Features - Why ChessKid.com and not another chess web site? We're the safest, hands down! Safety will always be our primary objective. Learn about the safety mechanisms we use, and share them with parents.
How To: Clear your Browser's Cache - Keep your computer running smoothly! A little preventative maintenance for your computer browser will help the site function well - especially for any Kids playing Fast Chess.
For fun:
You've heard Cool Kids by Echosmith, now hear our version! Don't you wish that you could be like the Chess Kids?
We love our Chess Kids! Thanks to IM Danny Rensch, Erick Hasbun and Singer/Songwriter Tessa Karrys!
If these articles and the FAQ do not answer your questions, please send us a message here and we'll be happy to help!