Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development

Piaget's theory explains how kids grow and learn through four main stages:

1. Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years)

   • In this stage, babies learn by using their senses and moving things around.
   • A big moment in this stage is when they understand that objects still exist, even when they can’t see them. This usually happens between 8 and 12 months old.

2. Preoperational Stage (2-7 years)

   • Here, kids start to think symbolically, meaning they can use one thing to represent another.
   • They love to pretend and play make-believe but often have a hard time seeing things from someone else's point of view.

3. Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years)

   • Kids begin to think logically, but mainly about things they can see or touch.
   • They can solve problems and understand important ideas like conservation, which means they know that the amount of something (like water) stays the same even if its shape changes.

4. Formal Operational Stage (12 years and up)

   • In this stage, teens develop the ability to think about ideas and possibilities, even if they aren’t real.
   • About half of teenagers reach this stage by the time they are 15 years old.

These stages show how children's thinking changes as they grow. This understanding helps teachers plan lessons that suit different ages and thinking abilities.