Chess is a great game of critical thinking, strategy, and creativity. It's also a game that many parents have forgotten how to play! (Horse goes up and over, right?) One way to brush up on the rules, and give kids a tireless opponent, is to play online chess games or chess game apps!

Whether they are just getting started playing, looking to learn new skills, or needing a new online game to play with friends, online chess games are a great way to explore this stimulating game. Not only does chess help with strategic thinking and problem-solving, but it also builds confidence and is loads of fun!

For more at-home activities that challenge your kids, check out our roundup of brainy games and jigsaw puzzles, at-home science experiments, and the best board games for family game night.

The Best Websites for Teaching Kids Chess

Chess4Life

Give your child the opportunity to learn essential skills while having fun—the chess curriculum at Chess4Life teaches critical thinking, patience, and focus while building confidence on and off the board. Experienced coaches welcome beginners through advanced players ages 5 to 16. There are small-group online premium chess classes for rapid progress and individual progress tracking, as well as online chess clubs for daily lessons and tournament practice. Our partner for this article, Chess4Life, also offers immersive online chess camps during school breaks.

Chess games and chess-related puzzles for beginners help kids learn to love the game. Image courtesy of ChessKid.com

ChessKid.com

When you sign up for a free account, your child gets to play online chess games and sample up to three puzzles a day—plus there is plenty of other beginner content you can access. With a paid Gold Membership, kids have full, unlimited access to the entire site. Gold Memberships can be taken for a test drive for a month, or sign up for a year at a steep discount.

Chess for Kids

This is a free app from Chess.com, the parent company of ChessKid.com, that you can download. It features an excellent explanation of how pieces move and other game playing tips.

The ChessMatec website offers online chess games, tutorials, and much more. Image courtesy of ChessMatec 

ChessMatec

This website is geared toward teaching the game of chess to kids ages 4 to 9. It offers all things chess, from basic chess rules to video tutorials to printable worksheets. There is also an app to download, so kids can play online chess games and practice what they learned. The company recently launched the ChessMatec Portal, a great tool for parents who are teaching their kids the game. Kids can try a free version of the game on the website, while an all-access premium subscription is just a few dollars a month.

Kid Chess® Online

With Kid Chess® Online, parents can register kids for customized weekly lessons online. You can sign up for one to 10 lessons at a time, for private lessons from top coaches. This is a great website for kids who really love chess and want to take their game to the next level.

When local chess clubs are canceled, kids can play online. Photo by Jody Mercier

Free Online Chess Games For Kids

Chess Universe

Kids can play free online chess games with this app that focuses on presenting chess in a fun environment. Players of all abilities can play against other players and learn new skills. This website is good for beginners as well as more advanced players.

Ducksters

Before getting started playing on Ducksters, kids can choose a level of difficulty by clicking on the stars: one for “easy,” two for “medium,” and three for “difficult.” Then they choose between playing against another player or the computer. There is lots of helpful information on the site, including a review of chess rules. (These rules are a great reminder for parents reteaching themselves to play!) Everything on the website is free.

Don't let Einstein fool you—Playpager.com is for beginners. Image courtesy of Playpager

Toy Theater

Similar to Ducksters, this free website offers three playing levels and the choice to play against another player or the computer.

Playpager.com

Strictly for beginners, this free online mini chess game can be played against the computer or a friend. No login or sign up is necessary, just jump right in and start playing. The website has a basic overview of how the game works, as well as links to lots of other online games like backgammon and checkers. Free apps are available for download on Google Play or the Apple App Store.