The games kids play

Remember what it's like to read a book, do arts and crafts, or (gasp) play a game of chess?

For at least two local students, old-fashioned entertainment isn't so old fashioned after all. Dennis Neymit, 12, and Simone Liao, 7, have become champion chess players in Southern California and have given the rest of us hope that not all children of the future will be addicted to computers, video games and iPods.

We acknowledge that times have changed and that the lure of electronic entertainment is powerful, but it's nice to see that at least some of our local youth are stimulating their minds with games that require deep thought, not just quick thumbs and eyeballs.

Dennis is a student at Lindero Canyon Middle School who's strong proof that frequent chess playing-he's belonged to clubs, competed in tournaments and won myriad trophies- can help improve one's performance in the classroom. Simone is a gifted student at Willow Elementary who loves to play chess and, like Dennis, stimulate her mind.

Smart students play chess, others play video games.

Maybe that's oversimplifying things, but you have to admit that students who are able to sit quietly in front of a chess board for 45 minutes probably have much more on the ball than those who get their kicks by crunching opponents and blowing things up on the video screen. Stop the sensory overload; our children need to start developing certain inner strengths if they plan to go places.

Educators have long believed that students who participate in chess have better academic performance, maybe even a better track record in life. Isn't it time you weaned your child off the video games and introduced them to more thought-provoking endeavors?

To be fair, maybe your children don't have the same intelligence as a Dennis or a Simone, but at least give them other options. Encourage your kids to turn off the computer, turn off the PlayStation and open up the chess board. At least learn checkers. Remember those?

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