Why Children Should Learn C++ Programming

We are now familiar with the fact that in children’s programming education, there are mainly three programming languages suitable for children to learn: C++ aimed at the Informatics Olympiad, Scratch for beginners with no background, and Python which combines hands-on skills with thinking. Generally speaking, C++ is learned after Scratch and Python in children’s programming.

Typically, C++ is perceived as a relatively complex computer programming language. So why should children learn C++ at this stage?

What is C++?

First, we need to clarify what C++ really is.

“C++” is a widely used computer programming language. It is developed from the C language, retaining all the advantages of C while adding an object-oriented mechanism.

C++ can be used for both procedural programming and object-oriented programming, making it a powerful hybrid programming language.

Looking across various programming languages, whether it be C, C++, Java, or C#, if we talk about a technical ideology that covers the broadest scope, it can only be C++. C++ is the culmination of technical ideologies, encompassing all technical points of the C language.

C++ is More Suitable for Competitions

C++ is an inheritance of C language, further expanding and perfecting it.C++ not only is compatible with C but also adds two major features: the Standard Template Library and object-oriented programming.

In other words, the C++ used in informatics competitions is equivalent to C language plus the Standard Template Library.

Moreover, using only C++ in competitions does not require participants to learn all of C++, as some more complex content is not necessary, making it suitable for young students.

Informatics Competitions Will Use Only C++ in the Future

According to the latest resolutions of the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), the CCF has made the following decisions:

① Currently, the languages supported by NOIP are PASCAL/C/C++, and from 2020 onwards, NOIP will no longer support PASCAL.

② Starting from 2022, NOIP competitions will no longer support C language, as C and C++ are quite similar, and C++ also has the convenient Standard Template Library, so only C++ will be retained.

In the absence of any new programming languages, the NOI series of competitions will only support C++ starting from 2022.

How Can Children Understand and Master C++?

At the beginning of learning, it is essential to plan when to start learning and what to begin with.

Students around the fourth grade can start with introductory courses or Python courses to get an initial exposure to programming and cultivate an interest in computers and programming;

Fifth and sixth graders can start learning C++, cultivating programming thinking and hands-on abilities through learning C++, and gaining a basic understanding of C++ code.

Through systematic learning, establish a basic programming thought process, mastering basic instructions (including input and output statements, operators, variable usage, sequential structures, pagination structures, and basic usage of loop structures), which at this point can lead to a better understanding of complex mathematical and logical problems.

Once children have a preliminary programming foundation, they can proceed to advanced studies in data structures, algorithms, and other topics.

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