← Coach

Warm-ups

Five minutes to get the wiggles out and review an idea. Pick one in the planner, or just start one here.

Piece Statues

5 min · How each piece moves · You need: None

  1. Everyone stands up with room to move.
  2. Call out a piece. Kids freeze in its shape: rook = arms straight up, bishop = arms in an X, queen = arms up AND an X, king = hands on head like a crown, knight = one hand like a horse head, pawn = small and crouched.
  3. Then call 'Move!' and kids take one step the way that piece moves: straight, slanty, any way, one small step, an L-hop, or one step forward.
  4. Speed up. Call two pieces in a row.

Older or stronger kids: Call a square instead ('knight to f3!') and kids point which way their piece would go.

Knight Hopscotch

5 min · The knight's L-shaped jump · You need: Masking tape: a 4×4 grid of big squares on the floor (or chalk outside)

  1. Kids line up at one corner of the tape grid.
  2. Each kid hops the knight's L: two squares straight, then one to the side. Everyone counts out loud: 'One, two, turn!'
  3. Put a beanbag (or shoe) on a square. Can they hop to it in two jumps?

Older or stronger kids: Find a square the knight can't reach in two jumps from the corner.

Simon Says Squares

5 min · The board: rows, columns, diagonals, light and dark · You need: One board per pair

  1. Kids sit at their boards.
  2. 'Simon says touch a light square.' 'Simon says trace a straight line up the board.' 'Simon says trace a slanty line.'
  3. Leave out 'Simon says' now and then. Anyone who moves sits for one turn.

Older or stronger kids: Use square names: 'Simon says touch e4.'

Mystery Piece

5 min · Piece names and values · You need: A cloth bag or sock, One set of pieces

  1. Put one piece in the bag without anyone seeing.
  2. A kid reaches in, feels it without looking, and guesses. Everyone helps with clues: 'Does it have a crown? A horse head?'
  3. When it comes out, everyone shows how it moves with their arms.

Older or stronger kids: Before pulling it out, the kid says how many points it's worth.

Pawn Line Race

5 min · Pawns move forward and capture diagonally · You need: None (a hallway or open floor)

  1. Two lines of kids face each other across the room: they are pawns.
  2. On 'Go', each pawn takes one step forward. On their first move they may take two steps.
  3. If two pawns end up face to face, they're stuck! A pawn can only 'capture' by stepping diagonally next to someone.
  4. First pawn to reach the far wall becomes a queen and does a twirl.

CCA Freeze

5 min · The Checks, Captures, Attacks habit · You need: Demo board or projector

  1. Show a position. Everyone stands.
  2. Call 'Checks!': kids point to a piece that could give check, or shrug if none. 'Captures!': point to a capture. 'Attacks!': point to an attack.
  3. Anyone who points to a good one gets to sit down first.

Older or stronger kids: Do it for the opponent's side too.

Setup Race

5 min · Setting up the board · You need: One board and set per pair

  1. Pieces start in a pile beside the board.
  2. On 'Go', partners set up the board together. Sing it: 'Light on the right, queen on her color, tower, horse, bishop, queen, king…'
  3. First pair to finish (correctly!) raises hands. An adult checks the queens and the light corner.

Older or stronger kids: Race solo, then check your partner's board for mistakes.

King Tag

5 min · The king moves one step; kings can't stand next to each other · You need: Masking tape grid, or a carpet with squares

  1. Two kids are kings on the floor grid. Everyone else watches and counts.
  2. Kings take turns stepping one square in any direction.
  3. The rule: kings can never stand right next to each other. Kids shout 'Too close!' if they do.
  4. Swap in new kings every minute.

Older or stronger kids: Add a 'pawn' kid who walks forward; can a king catch it before it reaches the wall?

Check or Not?

5 min · Seeing check · You need: Demo board or projector

  1. Show a position with a king in it.
  2. Kids stand up if the king is in check, and sit down if it's safe.
  3. Ask one kid to show which piece gives the check.

Older or stronger kids: Then ask: what are the three ways out of this check?

Point Count

5 min · Piece values · You need: None

  1. Teach the hand signals: pawn = 1 finger, knight and bishop = 3, rook = 5, queen = 9 (two hands), king = hands on head (priceless!).
  2. Call a piece. Kids hold up its points.
  3. Then add: 'A rook and a pawn!' (6). 'Two knights!' (6).

Older or stronger kids: Call a trade: 'My knight for your rook: good or bad?' Thumbs up or down.

Mirror Moves

5 min · Moving pieces correctly, taking turns · You need: One board and set per pair

  1. Partners set up only kings and pawns.
  2. One kid makes a move. The partner must copy it exactly, like a mirror.
  3. After five moves each, swap who leads.

Freeze-Dance Board

5 min · Light and dark squares, energy release · You need: Music, Tape grid or a checkered rug (optional)

  1. Play music. Kids dance.
  2. Stop the music and call 'Light!' or 'Dark!'. Kids freeze on (or point to) a square of that color.
  3. Then call a piece: everyone freezes in its statue shape.