preoperational stage

psychology

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July 13, 2026

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The preoperational stage, a phase in Jean Piaget's theory of child development, typically spans from ages two to seven. During this period, children develop symbolic thinking, using language and mental imagery to represent and understand the world. They engage in imaginative play and begin to organize their experiences. However, their thinking is largely intuitive and egocentric, making it difficult for them to grasp perspectives different from their own. They have not yet developed consistent logical operations. This stage follows the sensorimotor stage and precedes the concrete-operational stage.12

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- Jean Piaget
  In the second, or preoperational, stage, roughly from age two to age six or seven, the child learns to manipulate his environment symbolically through inner representations, or thoughts, about the external world. During this stage he learns to represent objects by words and to manipulate the words mentally, just…
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  In the second, or preoperational, stage, roughly from age two to age six or seven, the child learns to manipulate his environment symbolically through inner representations, or thoughts, about the external world. During this stage he learns to represent objects by words and to manipulate the words mentally, just…
  Read More