Brian and I are not great at playing games with the kids.  We are not big “game night” type of people.  The only ones I really like are ones that make you think, like Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble and Chess (or “chest” as the kids like to call it).

A few weeks ago:

Kailan:  “When are we going to get to play a game of chest?” 

Me:  “Do you mean chess?”

Kailan: “Yes, chest!”

Me:  “Kailan, it is pronounced chesssssss.  Okay?  Did you see the board?  Is that why you want to play?”

Kailan:  “No, do we have one?”  *happy smile*

I thought he knew about the chess set we have had hidden away.  It is right up his alley.  I was mistaken, though, since he was merely playing a game on the computer.  Now he wanted to play on a real game board.

I unburied the set we have had stored away, up high, in our armoire.  I could just envision the look that he would have on his face when he saw the set, and I wasn’t to be disappointed.  He looked like I just showed him a huge box of candy, and told him he could sample all he wanted from it.

As you can see, this is no ordinary chess set.  We bought this from The Franklin Mint many years ago, and they no longer make it.  It took us over a year to acquire all the pieces and they “threw in” the board storage box for “free”.  They are cast pewter pieces and each has a crystal sphere in it.  You can tell who is on each side by the bottoms – one is a circle and one is a hexagon.  There is a “good side” with fairies and unicorns, and a “bad side” with ogres and goblins.  They definitely have some heft to them.  They are not toys, as we have vehemently explained to them.

It makes the kids want to play chess, having such interesting pieces.  They are starting to figure out the game, too.  We are helping them out, of course, but they are getting it.