Core Objective
Hello everyone, I am Teacher Xiao Yu. However, today’s content will not follow trends or be overly emotional; it will only speak the truth—specifically written for parents of children below the second grade who want their kids to learn programming or are just starting out, filled with practical experience and key pitfalls to avoid!
Learning Objectives
Many parents blindly follow trends and enroll their children in classes without understanding the essence of programming learning: it is not like academic subjects with monthly tests and rankings that can visually show results; the return on investment is actually very low. The reason institutions dare to “harvest at high prices” is that they grasp the parents’ psychology of “not understanding but feeling it is impressive”—after all, most parents do not understand programming, only knowing that “this is the trend of the future”.
But why, knowing this, does no one dare to easily give up?The core reasons are two:
- 1Information Olympiad Pathway: Among the five major Olympiads for middle school students (Mathematics, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Information), the Information Olympiad is the only one that can legally start from elementary school, and winning can lead directly to prestigious schools;
- 2Foundation Reserve: Even if one cannot reach the Information Olympiad, it can still cultivate logical thinking, which is the “safety net mentality” of many parents.
Here is the first key conclusion: the Information Olympiad only recognizes C++, Scratch, Python, robots, drones, etc. do not count—however, there has been a recent change that has significantly increased the value of Python, which will be discussed in detail later.
Information Olympiad Pathway
If you want to pursue the Information Olympiad route, first recognize an authoritative organization: CCF (China Computer Federation), all reliable programming competitions and certifications in the country are organized by it, with no substitutes.
The “promotion path” of the Information Olympiad from low to high is: CSP-J → CSP-S → NOIP → NOI → IOI
- Children aged 12 and above can register for CSP-J, and only those who win second place can advance to CSP-S;
- Winning first place in CSP-S that year is required to qualify for NOI (National Competition);
- Winning first place in NOI can basically guarantee special admission to Tsinghua and Peking University, and subsequently, one can be selected for the national team to participate in IOI (International Competition), with global prestigious schools eager to recruit.
There is a hidden advantage here: CCF stipulates that NOI must reserve 10% of the spots for female contestants, giving girls a natural advantage in the Information Olympiad pathway.
But it must be reminded:the difficulty and investment of the Information Olympiad far exceed expectations! In elementary school, at least 2 hours of extracurricular investment per week is required, even if one wins first place in CSP-J/S, it is just the “battle of Xiangjiang” that has just ended, and there will be a long bottleneck period ahead.
The more realistic aspect is: programming requires a high level of mathematical foundation and intelligence, and most institutions basically “free-range” their students—high IQ coaches will not waste time on children who are “not talented and not proactive”; those who keep urging you to enroll in classes are mostly doing it for commissions.
Python Opportunities
If your child is not a “chosen one for the Information Olympiad”, or if they find C++ too difficult to keep up in the fourth or fifth grade, don’t panic—CCF has just launched the LMC certification system, making Python suddenly a “new path for children from ordinary families”.
LMC is a certification for large models (core applications of AI), which is closer to practical applications and more forward-looking than the Information Olympiad. In simple terms: the Information Olympiad is an “intellectual selection competition”, while AI is the core of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and Python is the “main language” in the field of AI.
For children who cannot reach the provincial team of the Information Olympiad, Python is no longer an “interest course”, but a “hard currency” that can obtain authoritative certification and possess practical skills. I will separately publish a detailed article on the LMC certification and the learning path for Python; interested parents can follow the latest content.
Entry Steps
If you plan a route for the Information Olympiad for your child, regardless of whether you choose C++ or Python, you cannot avoid two prerequisites: mathematical foundation + a large amount of time investment; parents need to set their psychological expectations first. If it is only treated as an interest, it is good enough for the child to have the enthusiasm to learn, just like art and calligraphy.
For children below the second grade, I recommend the following entry:
- 1Pre-school to Second Grade: Prioritize Mathematical EnlightenmentThe core of programming is algorithms, and the foundation of algorithms is mathematical thinking. There is no need to rush to learn code; first learn “shallow Olympiad”; I recommend “East China Normal University Olympiad Tutorial” (divided by grade, the preschool version can be viewed for first grade), to slowly build a foundation.
- 2Before Third Grade: Programming Literacy + Interest CultivationNo need to enroll in expensive institutions; if parents have time, they can tutor themselves:
- I recommend “Creative Programming in C++ for Elementary Students” (Tsinghua University Press): it has accompanying videos and explains basic concepts with real-life examples; parents who can make PPT can teach;
- Along with “Fun Programming and Introduction to Algorithms in C++” (Peking University Press): it has a strong sense of immersion, suitable for younger children to “learn while playing”. The goal is to familiarize with computer operations and understand basic programming concepts, paving the way for future institutional learning (to avoid falling behind due to fast progress).
Recommended Reading List
- Enlightenment and Literacy: “Creative Programming in C++ for Elementary Students” (Tsinghua) + “Fun Programming and Introduction to Algorithms in C++” (Peking University)
- Foundation Consolidation/Review: “Easy Programming” (Tsinghua): suitable for children who have studied for about a year and have an unstable foundation, it organizes core knowledge points + accompanying exercises; I relied on it to prepare for the CSP-J preliminary round, mastering it can aim for GESP level 6.
Pitfall Avoidance Points
Finally, a reminder: three key pitfalls to avoid
- 1Do not spend too much time on Scratch and robots: these are more like popular science and are less practical than learning an instrument; most medals are “placebo”;
- 2Institution Selection:Prioritize choosing coaches with authoritative certifications rather than institutions that are good at marketing;
- 3Time investment should start early: programming requires long-term accumulation; starting enlightenment before third grade will reduce pressure significantly, avoiding starting in sixth grade and “falling behind”.
If your child is already learning programming, or if you are still struggling to choose between C++ and Python, feel free to leave a comment to discuss, and you can also leave a message about your child’s current GESP level; what level has your child reached?
