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Chess Nuts is a laughing, dancing, any video, chess-tourney, clock-slapping show introduction to chess and being the smart kid in the room. Kids report Chess Nuts to be the favorite part of their week, because kids love our infectiously-fun thinking activities are developmentally-targeted to be compelling, exhilarating, and gratifying.

Guaranteed to delight, Chess Nuts is the perfect way to instill enthusiasm for chess and help your kindergartener gain academic confidence while learning the basics of the game and having a blast.

Unless noted otherwise, students must be enrolled at the host school to enroll in the Chess Class at that school. This is a policy set by schools, not TKS.

Upon enrollment, new students receive a TKS T-Shirt, chess set, chess bag, and all the colorful TactixBands they can earn!

Did you know that Kindergartners get four special privileges in their The Knight School Chess classes? Yep. In fact, our kindergarten division is so important to us that it is a completely different The Knight School division called “Chess Nuts.” While kindergartners and elementary kids enjoy the gags and movies and prizes and excitement of chess class together every week in order to maximize the fun for kindergartners and also to accelerate the chess learning for kindergartners, Chess Nuts kindergarten chess is wholly different from our purple-shirted The Knight School elementary program. Here are the four big differences:

1) Our Chess Nuts kindergartners wear an orange shirt; The Knight School Elementary kids wear purple. That way there is no mistaking who needs the extra attention!

2) Our Chess Nuts kindergartners are the “students” during our recurring activity, “Yes, Junior?” in which veteran kids teach newbies specific tactics.

3) Our Chess Nuts kindergartners always enjoy a beginner’s lesson on the floor with their School Coach until they are ready to enter the general population.

4) Our Chess Nuts kindergartners are generally mentored by the older kids, which we have learned after thirty years of experimenting is the fastest way for kindergarteners to learn chess and be assimilated with established elementary chess players. Our kindergartners have reported for decades that mixing with the big kids is far more fun than being separated from them in a different room. Our mixing/mentor program is how we get fledglings on their feet, and we invite your kindergartner to join us this fall!

Class meets weekly, typically for one hour and 15 minutes.

Chess Nuts Classes (click "Enroll" for more info)

Program Dates When Action

St. Pius X: Kindergarten Chess Nuts Class

Apr 28, 2025 - May 19, 2025 Chess Class meets immediately after school (3:15-4:30) on MONDAYS. We have different lessons all throughout the year! Enroll

Thales Flowers Plantation: Kindergarten Chess Nuts Class

Jul 22, 2024 - May 19, 2025 Chess Class meets immediately after school (3:15-4:45) on MONDAYS. You may enroll your child for the whole year or individual Tracks. We have different lessons each Track! Enroll

St. Mary Magdalene: Chess Nuts Kindergarten Chess

Sep 17, 2024 - May 20, 2025 Chess Class meets immediately after school (3:30-4:45) on TUESDAYS. We teach different lessons all throughout the year! Enroll

Thales Cary Kindergarten Chess Nuts Class

Jul 23, 2024 - May 20, 2025 Chess Class meets immediately after school (3:15-4:45) on TUESDAYS. You may enroll your child for the whole year or individual Tracks. We have different lessons each Track! Enroll

Thales Wake Forrest Kindergarten Chess Nuts Class

Jul 24, 2024 - May 21, 2025 Chess Class meets immediately after school (3:15-4:45) on WEDNESDAYS. You may enroll your child for the whole year or individual Tracks. We have different lessons each Track! Enroll

Thales Raleigh Kindergarten Chess Nuts Class

Jul 25, 2024 - May 22, 2025 Chess Class meets immediately after school (3:15-4:45) on THURSDAYS. You may enroll your child for the whole year or individual Tracks. We have different lessons each Track! Enroll

Thales Knightdale Kindergarten Chess Nuts Class

Jul 26, 2024 - May 23, 2025 Chess Class meets immediately after school (3:15-4:45) on FRIDAYS. You may enroll your child for the whole year or individual Tracks. We have different lessons each Track! Enroll