An Occupational Therapist’s Take on Musical Chess: What It Builds + Easy Home Tips
- Adrienne
- Jul 22
- 3 min read
As parents, we’re always on the lookout for activities that are both enriching and engaging. But beyond just keeping kids busy, the best programs support the whole child—building skills that matter both in and out of the classroom.
Alexis Davis, MS OTR/L and a pediatric occupational therapist, recently shared her perspective on Musical Chess, and her insights shed light on why this kind of learning experience is so powerful.
"What doesn’t Musical Chess address? As a pediatric occupational therapist, I enjoyed observing all the skills this class has to offer. In this class your child is in good hands! They will practice attending, vestibular processing, body awareness, body schema, executive functioning skills and more! During the class, music is paired with movement activities that will challenge coordination skills and executive functioning skills. The musical and movement activities will also aide in regulating your child’s nervous system in order to help maintain attention for learning to play chess! A calm, regulated body is a foundation needed in order to practice their higher level skills during chess such as executive functioning, coordination, visual perceptual and ocular motor skills. I believe this program is designed to address all the skills mentioned above, which will not only allow them to become chess players but grow in other areas of their daily activities. I am happy to endorse this program!"
-Alexis Davis MS OTR/L
R&R Therapies Owner
Understanding the Building Blocks of Learning
According to Alexis, a truly effective early childhood program doesn’t just teach content—it strengthens the brain and body systems that make learning possible. Here are just a few areas she highlights:
Vestibular Processing
Your child’s internal sense of balance and motion. Activities like jumping, spinning, and swaying help build the brain’s ability to process movement and stay regulated.
Body Awareness & Body Schema
This is how children understand where their body is in space. It’s the mental map their brain uses to coordinate movement, avoid obstacles, and engage confidently in physical play.
Executive Functioning Skills
These include attention, memory, impulse control, and the ability to plan and follow steps—skills essential for school and everyday life.
Visual Perception & Eye Tracking
These skills help children recognize patterns, follow visual input, and respond accordingly—critical for reading, writing, and, yes, playing chess.
Easy Ways to Support These Skills at Home
You don’t need fancy tools or long routines. Try these simple ideas with what you already have:
Vestibular & Regulation: Put on music and let your child spin, sway, or dance with scarves. Gentle swinging, rolling, rocking, and forward rolls across the floor helps too.
Body Awareness: Play games like Simon Says or kids’ yoga. Encourage crawling, stretching, reaching, and other big movements that bend their joints.
Executive Function: Give your child multi-step instructions (“Put your shoes by the door and grab your backpack”), or play turn-taking games that require waiting and remembering.
Visual Skills: Do puzzles, matching games, word searches, or simple mazes. Even hide-and-seek helps with tracking and spatial awareness.
Where Musical Chess Fits In
Musical Chess is designed with all of this in mind. By combining music, movement, and strategy, the program helps kids build these foundational skills in a way that’s joyful and developmentally rich.
As Alexis puts it, “Musical Chess checks every box.” Whether children are jumping like knights, singing about pawns, or focusing during quiet gameplay, they’re strengthening the very skills they’ll carry with them for life.
It might look like play, but it’s powerful learning in action.
Chess is just the beginning—what they take with them goes well beyond the board.
Want to Learn More?
If you’re looking for a program that supports your child’s development while keeping things playful and fun, we’d love to welcome you to Musical Chess.
Greenville, SC | Ages 2½–7 | No experience needed
