Fun Family Chess

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Today's review is a fun one! My oldest child has been playing chess since he was around 6-year-old. My dad is very skilled at the game and plays whenever he can. I have many memories growing up watching my dad and uncles focused on a match. I was pleased not only when my father started teaching my son, but even more so when my boy grasped the concepts quickly. He fell in love with the strategy and soon started playing with anyone who would agree to it.

Seven years have passed, and though he has helped his younger siblings learn the art of chess, none of them can match his skill. Every now and then he can convince one to play with him, but most of the time the others get discouraged because of their lack of expertise. They need something to level the playing field. That's why I knew that Fun Family Chess from Brain Blox would be the perfect tool to help them gain confidence in playing their big brother.

The chess set comes with all of the following:

• 15-inch wooden chess board
• 32 solid wood chess pieces
• 1 wooden chess cube
• 2 reference cards
• full-color instruction book

The chess board folds in half for easy storage and latches on the outside to keep it closed. The inside is lined with soft velvet and has enough space to hold all of the other materials. Since this set was specifically designed to teach kids how to play the game, the board has icons on the edges to show where each piece starts.

The chess pieces come in white and brown. The pieces are well-made, lightweight, and the perfect size for little hands. They each have a thin felt bottom to protect the board. Two velvet bags are included to hold and protect the pieces inside the board box. They are not the fanciest chess pieces I have ever seen--and they could be a bit heavier as they fall over easily--but they are nice, especially considering the price of the set.

Of course, you can use the set for traditional chess, but Fun Family Chess is a great way to teach kids (or anyone, really) how to play the game. Trying to remember how the pieces move and attempt strategy at the same time can be overwhelming. Not to mention, chess is a mind game that requires you to think ahead. The wooden cube eliminates all those issues for the new learner. The lightweight, nearly 1-inch cube has a symbol for each piece (other than the king) on a side with the sixth side showing a star. A player rolls the die and moves a matching piece on the board. If he cannot move that piece, he can roll again. The star means that the player can choose any piece to move. This is a gentle introduction to the game as it teaches the movements and basic concept but makes it fun. A person might be an amazing chess player, but if he doesn't roll what he needs, it won't matter. There is a little decision making involved, but for the most part, the game levels the playing field for all participants.

The heavy duty reference cards are colorful 8.5" x 5.75" cards on cardboard. Each card lists the rules of Fun Family Chess along with descriptions and visuals of each piece's movement. It's color-coded to match the colors of the wooden cube (though the colors are slightly off) to make it easy to find the coordinating movements. There is one card for each player. 

The full-color instruction book is just over 10 glossy pages. Along with many graphics and images, it contains information on setting up the game, how to play Fun Family Chess, an introduction to standard chess, and tips and strategies. It includes moves such as pawn promotion, en passant, and castling. Those are all things I learned from my son because my dad had taught him years ago, but otherwise I would have had no idea until now. This little booklet is filled with helpful information.

My kids were thrilled to receive their first wooden chess set! They love everything about it from the folding board to the variation of game-play to the bags for the pieces. My oldest (13 yr) hasn't been too interested in playing Fun Family Chess as he rather enjoys the strategy of the traditional game, but he has used the set to play multiple games against his siblings and friends.

The younger kids (11, 9, 7, 4 yr), however, have spent hours playing this new version--together and even by themselves! I have enjoyed watching them play and laugh. The littlest one is learning how each piece moves and loves playing with the others. It's pretty special not only to watch how patient they are with him, but also how quickly he's picking up the concepts because of this teaching method. I'm sure it won't be long until he's beating me at the game!

Brain Blox has done a fantastic job creating a way to teach little ones the basic concepts and giving them a love of the game. Fun Family Chess truly is "chess made fun for everyone."

Make sure to read our review of Brain Blox Wooden Building Planks! These simple planks are so much more than a toy. Engineering, critical thinking, problem-solving, and spatial awareness are just a few of the skills your kids will learn with these. They're a favorite in our home!

You can connect with Brain Blox on the following social media sites:m
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You can read more reviews of this chess set on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.


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Chess House Review

Growing up, I watched my dad play chess often. My uncle would come over on Sundays and they'd watch the football game and then play chess. I have memories of them sitting at the table, intently playing a game I didn't understand. Oh, I'd play on that board sometimes too. Only my playing was more childish pretend play. Instead of rooks and pawns, they were simply girls and boys, and instead of being on opposite teams, they were friends. The big pressed leather board and metal pieces sat out in the living room permanently. The set saw regular use.   

I did learn to play by the rules eventually, but never really took to the game. While on vacation last year, our resort had a life-sized chess game. It was on that trip that Jake, our oldest, fell in love with the game at 6 years of age. He couldn't get enough of it. He played with his dad. He played with my dad. He played on the iPad. He did not, however, play with me. Nope, not unless I could make the kings and queens get together for tea and crumpets while the babies (obviously the bald-headed pawns) played at their feet. Kidding. Sort of. We didn't even own a real set and his obsession with the game wore off over the course of the year. So, when we had the opportunity to review a real, hold-it-in-your-hands starter chess learning kit from Chess House, I knew his love of the game would be rekindled.

Start Chess Learning Kit:

• Elliot's Chess School DVD1 Pawn Level 
• vinyl chess board, 20" x 20", 2 1/4" squares
• solid plastic pieces with regulation size king
• chess bag to hold all 32 pieces, board, and DVD

To say that his love was rekindled is an understatement. He was ecstatic when the box came. I was surprised how big and strong the board is. The odor-free vinyl works perfectly as a mat and then rolls back up to fit in the bag. The plastic pieces are heavy enough to stand firmly, but light enough for kids to use. Our carrying bag is a green camo (also comes in black, green, navy, tan camo), so that is even more exciting. Jake took the set with him when he went hunting a few weeks ago. The bag makes it easy to transport the set while keeping the pieces separated.  

He immediately set up the board. He played with his little sister. He played with his little brother. He played by himself.  And eventually . . . he played with me! I have to admit, I even enjoyed it. (Shh, don't tell!) I actually played 3 games with him that first day alone. It all started because he was showing the 3-year-old no mercy. I had to intercede and help out . . . and it sucked me in. 

After playing about 10 games that day, we watched the DVD. The Pawn Level is the first of 6 training DVDs. It introduces chess essential fundamentals in a clear, accurate, and enjoyable way. Elliot is very experienced, easy to understand, and enjoyable to watch. (Did I really just say a chess DVD was enjoyable?) The 49-minute video is broken into sections:

• Intro to Chess (board, names of pieces, values)
• Pawns
• Rooks
• Bishops
• The Queen
• The King
• Knight
• Castling
• Pawn shields and when to break it
• Development 

 Even though it's designed so that you can watch the topics one at a time if you so choose, we sat and watched the entire thing all the way through. Elliot's passion of the game is contagious. I found myself wanting to watch the other levels in the series. Not only is his desire to teach kids and adults alike the foundations of chess, he wants to teach "lessons that must be learned if one is to become successful in life, such as the value of perseverance through adversity and the priceless experience of achievement after putting in consistent effort."

We have loved using this set. Ever since learning about castling from the DVD, Jake uses the move as much as possible. (I hadn't even heard of it before watching!) He takes the bag with him all over the house and has played in every room. I wasn't sure at first what I'd think about a roll-up board, but it is perfect. I like that chess is helping the kids learn sportsmanship, to strategize, think ahead, and focus. It's even made me appreciate and enjoy the game. We've watched the video multiple times and played the game even more.   

The set and DVD are good for all ages and can be purchased for $39.99. Chess House offers some pretty cool sets like a giant set, pirates, Civil War, Tang Dynasty, and more! I would love to order one of these, but I'm sure I would revert back to my pretend play days and make the pirates sail a ship on the open seas. If you're looking to order a new set and get overwhelmed by all the great choices, they offer a free chess sets guide to ensure that you make the best choice to meet your needs.      

If you're looking for a new set, to better understand the game, or just want to be able to win against any opponent, Chess House can meet your need.

If you'd like to research some more, you can read additional reviews on the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog.