{"id":266351,"date":"2026-09-04T12:44:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T19:44:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/?p=266351"},"modified":"2026-09-04T12:44:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T19:44:22","slug":"piagets-theory-of-cognitive-development-for-parents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/advice\/piagets-theory-of-cognitive-development-for-parents\/266351","title":{"rendered":"Piaget&#8217;s Theory of Cognitive Development Explained for Parents"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full has-custom-border\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"790\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-learning-with-abacus-piaget.jpeg\" alt=\"Girl with a yellow sweater playing with a wooden abacus, smiling as she counts beads in a bright room.\" class=\"wp-image-266456\" style=\"border-style:none;border-width:0px;border-radius:15px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-learning-with-abacus-piaget.jpeg 1500w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-learning-with-abacus-piaget-300x158.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-learning-with-abacus-piaget-1200x632.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-learning-with-abacus-piaget-768x404.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-3rem-padding aofl-waysToShare is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-361c45ab wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1 wp-block-paragraph\" 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c0.43,0.784,1.681,1.446,3.013,1.446c3.963,0,6.822-3.494,6.822-7.833C20.394,5.112,16.849,2,12.289,2\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Pinterest<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li style=\"color:#467ff7;background-color:#ffffff00\" class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-mail wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/%20\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M19,5H5c-1.1,0-2,.9-2,2v10c0,1.1.9,2,2,2h14c1.1,0,2-.9,2-2V7c0-1.1-.9-2-2-2zm.5,12c0,.3-.2.5-.5.5H5c-.3,0-.5-.2-.5-.5V9.8l7.5,5.6,7.5-5.6V17zm0-9.1L12,13.6,4.5,7.9V7c0-.3.2-.5.5-.5h14c.3,0,.5.2.5.5v.9z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Mail<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li style=\"color:#467ff7;background-color:#ffffff00\" class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-etsy wp-block-social-link\"><a 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d=\"M9.16033,4.038c0-.27174.02717-.43478.48913-.43478h6.22283c1.087,0,1.68478.92391,2.11957,2.663l.35326,1.38587h1.05978C19.59511,3.712,19.75815,2,19.75815,2s-2.663.29891-4.23913.29891h-7.962L3.29076,2.163v1.1413L4.731,3.57609c1.00543.19022,1.25.40761,1.33152,1.33152,0,0,.08152,2.71739.08152,7.20109s-.08152,7.17391-.08152,7.17391c0,.81522-.32609,1.11413-1.33152,1.30435l-1.44022.27174V22l4.2663-.13587h7.11957c1.60326,0,5.32609.13587,5.32609.13587.08152-.97826.625-5.40761.70652-5.89674H19.7038L18.644,18.52174c-.84239,1.90217-2.06522,2.038-3.42391,2.038H11.1712c-1.3587,0-2.01087-.54348-2.01087-1.712V12.65217s3.0163,0,3.99457.08152c.76087.05435,1.22283.27174,1.46739,1.33152l.32609,1.413h1.16848l-.08152-3.55978.163-3.587H15.02989l-.38043,1.57609c-.24457,1.03261-.40761,1.22283-1.46739,1.33152-1.38587.13587-4.02174.1087-4.02174.1087Z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Etsy<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li style=\"color:#467ff7;background-color:#ffffff00\" class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-chain wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/%20\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M15.6,7.2H14v1.5h1.6c2,0,3.7,1.7,3.7,3.7s-1.7,3.7-3.7,3.7H14v1.5h1.6c2.8,0,5.2-2.3,5.2-5.2,0-2.9-2.3-5.2-5.2-5.2zM4.7,12.4c0-2,1.7-3.7,3.7-3.7H10V7.2H8.4c-2.9,0-5.2,2.3-5.2,5.2,0,2.9,2.3,5.2,5.2,5.2H10v-1.5H8.4c-2,0-3.7-1.7-3.7-3.7zm4.6.9h5.3v-1.5H9.3v1.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Link<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#0515bd\"><strong><strong>Piaget&#8217;s Theory of Cognitive Development Explained for Parents<\/strong><\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color\" style=\"color:#767676;font-style:normal;font-weight:400\"><em>Discover how children think, learn, and solve problems through Piaget&#8217;s four stages of cognitive development, and find simple ways to support your child&#8217;s learning at every stage!<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-byline1 is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f\"><strong>By Vani Tankha<\/strong>, Psychology Graduate Student &amp; 2026 Age of Learning Intern<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-advice-table-ofcontents has-ivory-lace-background-color has-background\" style=\"border-radius:5px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-yellow-background-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"color:#01075f\">Table of Contents\u2013Jump to Each Section<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:70%\">\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"#piaget-theory\" title=\"\">Piaget&#8217;s Theory of Cognitive Development<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"#four-stages\" title=\"\">The Four Stages of Cognitive Development at a Glance<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"#sensorimotor\" title=\"\">Sensorimotor Stage (Birth\u20132 Years)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"#preoperational\" title=\"\">Preoperational Stage (Ages 2\u20137)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><a href=\"#concrete-operational\" title=\"\">Concrete Operational Stage (Ages 7\u201311)<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"#formal-operational\" title=\"\">Formal Operational Stage (Ages 12+)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-10 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"#modern-research\" title=\"\">What Modern Research Says About Piaget<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-11 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"#education\" title=\"\">Piaget&#8217;s Influence on Education<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-12 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"#home\">Bring Piaget-Inspired Learning into Your Home<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-13 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"#faq\" title=\"\">FAQs About Piaget\u2019s Theory of Cognitive Development<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:35%\">\n<div style=\"height:76px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer wp-block-hidden-mobile\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"532\" height=\"448\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/character-abc-letters-numbers-globe-books.png\" alt=\"Cheerful cartoon mouse with arms outstretched beside a globe, stack of books, ABC blocks, and colorful pencils and blocks for a kids' learning scene\" class=\"wp-image-221186\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;object-fit:cover;object-position:100% 50%;width:243px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/character-abc-letters-numbers-globe-books.png 532w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/character-abc-letters-numbers-globe-books-300x253.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 532px) 100vw, 532px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:2px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Children think and learn differently as they grow, and <strong>Jean Piaget\u2019s theory of cognitive development helped transform the way researchers and educators understand these changes.<\/strong> Piaget was an influential early theorist who described children as active learners, building knowledge through their experiences with the world around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Understanding Piaget\u2019s ideas can give parents and teachers <strong>another way to think about how children learn, reason, and make sense of their experiences<\/strong> and how adults can provide learning opportunities that support their developing thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Explore Piaget\u2019s four stages of cognitive development, see how modern research has expanded on his ideas, and examine his lasting influence on education. Then, put the research into practice with age-appropriate activities and tips that support your child\u2019s learning and cognitive development at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"piaget-theory\" class=\"wp-block-heading aofl-advice-subheading anchor-link-with-margin has-text-color\" style=\"color:#033eaa;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><strong>Piaget&#8217;s Theory of Cognitive Development<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Understanding Piaget&#8217;s Theory<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:7px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image aofl-advice-image-video\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full has-custom-border\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/boy-playing-with-coloring-blocks-piaget.jpeg\" alt=\"Young child sits cross-legged on a sunlit floor, smiling while playing with colorful wooden blocks scattered around.\" class=\"wp-image-266457\" style=\"border-style:none;border-width:0px;border-radius:15px;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/boy-playing-with-coloring-blocks-piaget.jpeg 1500w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/boy-playing-with-coloring-blocks-piaget-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/boy-playing-with-coloring-blocks-piaget-1200x800.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/boy-playing-with-coloring-blocks-piaget-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Before Piaget, children were often viewed as smaller versions of adults. In other words, it was commonly assumed that children thought much like adults but simply had less knowledge and experience. Piaget challenged this view by proposing that the way children think changes as they grow and interact with the world around them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-14 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Rather than being passive recipients of information, Piaget proposed that children actively construct knowledge through their experiences (<a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/PsycBOOKS\/toc\/11494\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1952<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/tea.3660020306\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1964<\/a>). As they develop, children\u2019s thinking increases in complexity, allowing them to understand and interact with the world in new ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Piaget organized these changes into four stages of cognitive development. However, these stages are best understood as a general framework for how thinking may develop rather than a set of rigid developmental milestones. Children develop at different rates, and modern research has continued to refine our understanding of when and how cognitive abilities emerge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Children Learn According to Piaget<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-15 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Before exploring Piaget\u2019s four stages of cognitive development, it helps to understand four concepts that drive his theory: schemas, assimilation, accommodation, and equilibration. In her 2022 book, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?hl=en&amp;lr=&amp;id=h8jVEAAAQBAJ&amp;oi=fnd&amp;pg=PP1&amp;dq=Berk+(2022)&amp;ots=MPgjzoB75L&amp;sig=smc6Z4XkArZfvt5gr7-wRPZRMh8#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Development Through the Lifespan<\/a><\/em>, professor of psychology Laura Berk explains how these processes help children build on what they already know, make sense of new experiences, and develop new ways of thinking as they grow<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-mb-3rem-margin aofl-desktop-margin has-border-color has-yellow-border-color has-ivory-lace-background-color has-background\" style=\"border-width:2px;border-radius:15px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:5px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Schemas<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A schema is a mental framework children use to organize and understand information about the world. You can think of schemas as categories or patterns that help children know what to expect and how to respond to different experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>For example, a young child may develop a schema for a dog based on the dogs they have seen: four legs, fur, and a tail. As the child encounters more animals and experiences, that schema can grow and become more detailed.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Schema-graphic-for-piaget-1200x682.png\" alt=\"Child thinking about a dog, with a thought bubble containing a dog illustration above his head.\" class=\"wp-image-266458\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.7595802076789475;width:454px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Schema-graphic-for-piaget-1200x682.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Schema-graphic-for-piaget-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Schema-graphic-for-piaget-768x436.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Schema-graphic-for-piaget.png 1413w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Assimilation<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Assimilation happens when children encounter something new and make sense of it using a schema they already have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><em>Imagine a child who knows what a dog is and then sees a cow for the first time. Because the cow has four legs and a tail, the child might call it a \u2018dog,\u2019 fitting this unfamiliar animal into an existing schema.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Assimilation-graphic-for-piaget-1200x682.png\" alt=\"Cartoon child points at a cow while saying 'Dog!'\" class=\"wp-image-266459\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.7595802076789475;width:507px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Assimilation-graphic-for-piaget-1200x682.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Assimilation-graphic-for-piaget-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Assimilation-graphic-for-piaget-768x436.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Assimilation-graphic-for-piaget.png 1413w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Accommodation<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Accommodation occurs when new information does not fit an existing schema, so the child adjusts an old schema or develops a new one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>When a parent explains that the animal is actually a cow, not a very large dog, the child begins to recognize the differences between the two. Over time, they may develop separate schemas for dogs and cows and change their understanding to account for the new information.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"746\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Accomodation-graphic-for-piaget-1200x746.png\" alt=\"Teacher explaining animals to a boy, pointing up; speech bubble shows a cow, with dog and cow cards beside.\" class=\"wp-image-266519\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.7595802076789475;width:482px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Accomodation-graphic-for-piaget-1200x746.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Accomodation-graphic-for-piaget-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Accomodation-graphic-for-piaget-768x478.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Accomodation-graphic-for-piaget-1536x955.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Accomodation-graphic-for-piaget.png 1590w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Equilibration<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Equilibration is the process of balancing what a child already understands with new information that challenges that understanding. According to Piaget, this ongoing process helps drive cognitive development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>In the dog-and-cow example, calling the cow a \u201cdog\u201d works until the child realizes that the new animal does not completely match what they know about dogs. Assimilation and accommodation help the child resolve that mismatch and arrive at a more accurate understanding of both animals.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Equilibration-graphic-for-piaget-1200x682.png\" alt=\"Child thinking about a dog and a cow, then picking matching animal cards and smiling.\" class=\"wp-image-266461\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.7595802076789475;width:533px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Equilibration-graphic-for-piaget-1200x682.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Equilibration-graphic-for-piaget-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Equilibration-graphic-for-piaget-768x436.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Equilibration-graphic-for-piaget.png 1413w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:5px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"four-stages\" class=\"wp-block-heading aofl-advice-subheading anchor-link-with-margin has-text-color\" style=\"color:#033eaa;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><strong><strong>The Four Stages of Cognitive Development<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-16 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Piaget\u2019s (<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/11494-000\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1952<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/tea.3660020306\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1964<\/a>) theory of cognitive development describes four stages of cognitive development, each reflecting new ways children tend to think and make sense of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Piaget\u2019s Four Stages of Cognitive Development<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure style=\"line-height:1.5\" class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Stage<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Age<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>What Children Are Learning<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"#sensorimotor\" title=\"\">Sensorimotor<\/a><\/td><td>Birth\u20132 years<\/td><td>Learning through senses, movement, and exploration<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"#preoperational\" title=\"\">Preoperational<\/a><\/td><td>2\u20137 years<\/td><td>Developing language, imagination, and symbolic thinking<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"#concrete-operational\" title=\"\">Concrete Operational<\/a><\/td><td>7\u201311 years<\/td><td>Using logical thinking to solve concrete problems<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"#formal-operational\" title=\"\">Formal Operational<\/a><\/td><td>12+ years<\/td><td>Thinking abstractly and reasoning hypothetically<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:31px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-image u-m-hide\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/abc\/create-account\/?src_tag=wp:cta:0015\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"924\" height=\"501\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Mobile.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-89753\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Mobile.png 924w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Mobile-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Mobile-768x416.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image u-d-hide aofl-mb-3rem-margin \">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/abc\/create-account\/?src_tag=wp:cta:0026\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"393\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Desktop.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-89754\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Desktop.png 393w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Learning-Made-Easy-CTA-Desktop-211x300.png 211w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 393px) 100vw, 393px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"sensorimotor\" class=\"wp-block-heading aofl-advice-subheading anchor-link-with-margin has-text-color\" style=\"color:#033eaa;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><strong><strong><strong>Sensorimotor Stage (Birth\u20132 Years)<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-17 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">The sensorimotor stage is the first of Piaget\u2019s four stages of cognitive development, beginning at birth and continuing until around age 2. During this stage, babies and toddlers learn primarily through their senses, movements, and physical interactions with the world around them (Piaget, <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/PsycBOOKS\/toc\/11494\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1952<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/tea.3660020306\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1964<\/a>).<strong> <\/strong>Everyday actions like touching a new object, putting a toy in their mouth, or repeatedly dropping something from a high chair all provide opportunities to explore how the world works.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-18 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Over these first two years, simple reflexes and actions gradually develop into more intentional behaviors. As researchers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK448206\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Scott and Cogburn summarize in their 2023 study<\/a>, children begin to connect their actions with outcomes, form mental representations of people and objects, and understand that things can continue to exist even when they can no longer see them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-mb-3rem-margin aofl-desktop-margin has-border-color has-yellow-border-color has-ivory-lace-background-color has-background\" style=\"border-width:2px;border-radius:15px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:13px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Characteristics &amp; Everyday Examples<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Key Characteristics<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>What It Means<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>What Babies May Do<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udc63 <strong>Learning Through Senses and Movement<\/strong><\/td><td>Babies learn by seeing, touching, hearing, tasting, and physically interacting with their surroundings.<\/td><td>Grasp, shake, bang, or mouth a new toy.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udd01 <strong>Understanding Cause and Effect<\/strong><\/td><td>Babies gradually learn that their actions can cause something to happen.<\/td><td>Repeatedly drop a toy from the high chair and watch what happens each time.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\ude48 <strong>Developing Object Permanence<\/strong><\/td><td>Babies gradually begin to understand that people and objects still exist even when they cannot see them.<\/td><td>Search for a toy hidden under a blanket or anticipate that a parent will reappear during peekaboo.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udce6 <strong>The A-Not-B Error<\/strong><\/td><td>Early in the development of object permanence, babies may search for an object where they previously found it rather than where they just watched it being moved.<\/td><td>After repeatedly finding a toy under Box A, a baby may still reach for Box A even after watching an adult move the toy to Box B.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong><strong>How Parents Can Support Learning During the Sensorimotor Stage<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Parents can support this period of rapid learning by giving babies and toddlers plenty of safe opportunities to explore, experiment, and interact with their surroundings. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-19\" style=\"line-height:1.5\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/advice\/sensory-play\/68242\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Offer sensory play<\/a>.<\/strong> Explore safe textures, sounds, shapes, and objects together.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-20\" style=\"line-height:1.5\"><strong>Play interactive games.<\/strong> Try peekaboo or hiding toys to encourage exploration and object permanence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-21\" style=\"line-height:1.5\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/advice\/shared-reading\/33100\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Read and talk together<\/a>.<\/strong> Name pictures and objects and respond to your baby\u2019s sounds and gestures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-22\" style=\"line-height:1.5\"><strong>Encourage safe exploration.<\/strong> Provide opportunities to reach, crawl, grasp, stack, and experiment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-23\" style=\"line-height:1.5\"><strong>Embrace repetition.<\/strong> Repeating actions, like dropping a toy, helps babies explore cause and effect.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large has-custom-border\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/toddler-playing-with-toys-sensorimotor-piaget-1200x800.jpeg\" alt=\"Toddler kneels on the floor, playing with bright, interlocking foam blocks in a colorful playroom.\" class=\"wp-image-266462\" style=\"border-style:none;border-width:0px;border-top-left-radius:15px;border-top-right-radius:15px;border-bottom-left-radius:15px;border-bottom-right-radius:15px;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover;object-position:49% 6%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/toddler-playing-with-toys-sensorimotor-piaget-1200x800.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/toddler-playing-with-toys-sensorimotor-piaget-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/toddler-playing-with-toys-sensorimotor-piaget-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/toddler-playing-with-toys-sensorimotor-piaget.jpeg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:14px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"preoperational\" class=\"wp-block-heading aofl-advice-subheading anchor-link-with-margin has-text-color\" style=\"color:#033eaa;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><strong><strong><strong><strong>Preoperational Stage (Ages 2\u20137)<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-24 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">The preoperational stage is Piaget\u2019s (<a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/PsycBOOKS\/toc\/11494\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1952<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/tea.3660020306\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1964<\/a>) second stage of cognitive development and typically occurs from around ages 2 to 7. During this stage, children make major advances in language, imagination, and their ability to use symbols to represent objects and ideas. For example, when playing, children may turn a cardboard box into a spaceship, use a&nbsp; block as a phone, and give their favorite stuffed animal a personality of its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Although children\u2019s thinking becomes more complex during these years, they do not yet consistently use logical reasoning in the way older children do. Instead, thinking is often shaped by what they can immediately see and experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-mb-3rem-margin aofl-desktop-margin has-border-color has-yellow-border-color has-ivory-lace-background-color has-background\" style=\"border-width:2px;border-radius:15px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:13px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Characteristics &amp; Everyday Examples<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Key Characteristics<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>What It Means<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>What&nbsp;Children May Do<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83c\udfad <strong>Mental Representation &amp; Pretend Play<\/strong><\/td><td>Children increasingly use words, images, and objects to represent things that are not physically present.<\/td><td>Pretend to cook dinner or play pretend family with dolls.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udcac <strong>Growing Language &amp; Symbolic Thinking<\/strong><\/td><td>Rapid language growth helps children represent and communicate their thoughts, even though their reasoning is not yet consistently logical.<\/td><td>Ask a lot of questions, tell stories, or use words and drawings to represent ideas.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udc64 <strong>Egocentrism<\/strong><\/td><td>Children may have difficulty understanding that another person can see or experience a situation differently than they do.<\/td><td>Assume you know what they know or expect you to see something from the same perspective as they do.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udd0e <strong>Centration<\/strong><\/td><td>Children tend to focus on one feature of a situation and overlook other relevant information.<\/td><td>Think a taller, thinner glass contains more juice than a shorter, wider glass, even when both contain the same amount.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong><strong>How Parents Can Support Learning During the Preoperational Stage<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-25\" style=\"line-height:1.5\"><strong>Encourage pretend play.<\/strong> Use simple props for dress-up, make-believe, and role-playing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-26\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/advice\/shared-reading\/33100\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Tell stories together<\/a>.<\/strong> Read and retell familiar stories, or create your own.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-27\"><strong>Ask open-ended questions.<\/strong> Try asking, \u201cWhat do you think will happen next?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-28\" style=\"line-height:1.5\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/program\/preschool-math-learning-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Explore early math concepts<\/a>.<\/strong> Count everyday objects or sort toys by shape, size, or color.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:9px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1079\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad-1079x1200.png\" alt=\"ABC mouse with his arms wide open and a big smile on his face!\" class=\"wp-image-73815\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.8991875500629363;width:182px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad-1079x1200.png 1079w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad-270x300.png 270w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad-768x854.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1079px) 100vw, 1079px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:90%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-29 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\"><strong>Extend learning with ABCmouse.<\/strong>&nbsp; The age range of the preoperational stage includes most ABCmouse learners! Using quality, educational apps during this stage can help reinforce early language, literacy, math, and problem-solving skills through games, stories, and activities.. Learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">the ABCmouse curriculum<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-custom-border\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Child-playing-tea-screen-free-activities.jpg\" alt=\"Toddler sits on a rug, pouring pretend tea for a brown teddy bear and a gray plush elephant with a small tea set.\" class=\"wp-image-264259\" style=\"border-style:none;border-width:0px;border-top-left-radius:15px;border-top-right-radius:15px;border-bottom-left-radius:15px;border-bottom-right-radius:15px;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Child-playing-tea-screen-free-activities.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Child-playing-tea-screen-free-activities-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Child-playing-tea-screen-free-activities-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:14px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:23px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"concrete-operational\" class=\"wp-block-heading aofl-advice-subheading anchor-link-with-margin has-text-color\" style=\"color:#033eaa;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Concrete Operational Stage (Ages 7\u201311)<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-30 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Piaget\u2019s third stage of cognitive development, the concrete operational stage, typically occurs from around ages 7 to 11. During these years, children develop a great ability to think logically, organize information, and solve problems (Piaget, <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/PsycBOOKS\/toc\/11494\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1952<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/tea.3660020306\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1964<\/a>). However, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK448206\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Scott and Cogburn (2023)<\/a> also emphasize, they often find it easier to apply these skills to concrete situations and things they can see or experience rather than purely abstract ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">For parents, this growing ability may show up in everyday activities like following the steps of a recipe, organizing a collection, understanding that the amount of water stays the same when poured into a differently shaped glass, or considering more than one part of a problem at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-mb-3rem-margin aofl-desktop-margin has-border-color has-yellow-border-color has-ivory-lace-background-color has-background\" style=\"border-width:2px;border-radius:15px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:13px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Characteristics &amp; Everyday Examples<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Key Characteristics<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>What It Means<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>What Children May Do&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83e\udd5b <strong>Conservation<\/strong><\/td><td>Children understand that certain properties, such as amount or number, can remain the same even when appearance changes.<\/td><td>Recognize that the same amount of water remains in a glass even after it is poured into a taller container.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udcc2 <strong>Classification<\/strong><\/td><td>Children become better at grouping and organizing objects according to shared characteristics.<\/td><td>Organize a collection by type, size, color, or other features.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udccf <strong>Seriation<\/strong><\/td><td>Children can arrange objects or information according to measurable qualities.<\/td><td>Put objects in order from shortest to tallest or lightest to heaviest.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u21a9\ufe0f <strong>Reversibility<\/strong><\/td><td>Children begin to understand that some actions or mental processes can be reversed.<\/td><td>Understand that if 8 + 4 = 12, then 12 \u2212 4 = 8.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong><strong>How Parents Can Support Learning During the Concrete Operational Stage<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-31\" style=\"line-height:1.5\"><strong>Cook together.<\/strong> Practice measuring, fractions, sequencing, and following directions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-32\"><strong>Try <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/activities\/stem-activities-for-kids\/40979\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>STEM projects<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong> Encourage hands-on experiments and problem-solving.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-33\"><strong>Play strategy games.<\/strong> Practice planning, reasoning, and considering different outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-34\"><strong>Ask children to explain their thinking.<\/strong> Encourage them to describe how they reached an answer or solved a problem.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-35\" style=\"line-height:1.5\"><strong>Extend learning with <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/abcmouse\/abcmouse-vs-other-early-education-apps\/16885\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>educational apps<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/category-printables-worksheets\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>printable worksheets<\/strong><\/a><strong>, more reading time, or other <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/category-activities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>learning activities<\/strong><\/a><strong> and <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/games\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>age-appropriate games<\/strong><\/a><strong>.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large has-custom-border\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kids-sorting-items-recycling-concrete-operational-piaget-1200x800.jpeg\" alt=\"Man and two boys sorting recyclables into labeled bins in a bright room.\" class=\"wp-image-266463\" style=\"border-style:none;border-width:0px;border-top-left-radius:15px;border-top-right-radius:15px;border-bottom-left-radius:15px;border-bottom-right-radius:15px;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover;object-position:48% 100%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kids-sorting-items-recycling-concrete-operational-piaget-1200x800.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kids-sorting-items-recycling-concrete-operational-piaget-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kids-sorting-items-recycling-concrete-operational-piaget-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kids-sorting-items-recycling-concrete-operational-piaget.jpeg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:14px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:23px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"formal-operational\" class=\"wp-block-heading aofl-advice-subheading anchor-link-with-margin has-text-color\" style=\"color:#033eaa;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Formal Operational Stage (Ages 12+)<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-36 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">The formal operational stage is the fourth and final stage in Piaget\u2019s theory (<a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/PsycBOOKS\/toc\/11494\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1952<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/tea.3660020306\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1964<\/a>), beginning around age 12 and potentially continuing into adulthood. Piaget proposed that during this stage, children become increasingly capable of thinking beyond concrete experiences to consider abstract ideas, hypothetical situations, and multiple possible outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Keep in mind that these age ranges are not rigid milestones. Children develop at different rates, and the ability to use abstract reasoning can vary depending on the task, experience, and context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-mb-3rem-margin aofl-desktop-margin has-border-color has-yellow-border-color has-ivory-lace-background-color has-background\" style=\"border-width:2px;border-radius:15px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:13px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Characteristics &amp; Everyday Examples<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Key Characteristics<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>What It Means<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>What Children May Do<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udcad <strong>Abstract Thinking<\/strong><\/td><td>Children begin to think more about concepts that are not tied to physical objects or immediate experiences.<\/td><td>Discuss ideas such as fairness, justice, morality, or hypothetical possibilities.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2753 <strong>Hypothetical Reasoning<\/strong><\/td><td>Children can consider \u201cwhat if\u201d scenarios and reason through possible outcomes.<\/td><td>Think through what might happen under different circumstances before making a decision.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udd2c <strong>Scientific Thinking<\/strong><\/td><td>Children become better able to form hypotheses and systematically test possible explanations.<\/td><td>Design an experiment or consider different explanations for a problem.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83e\udde0 <strong>Metacognition<\/strong><\/td><td>Children become increasingly aware of their own thinking and learning processes.<\/td><td>Recognize which study strategies work best for them or reflect on how they solved a problem.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83c\udfaf <strong>Future Planning<\/strong><\/td><td>Children can think beyond immediate circumstances and consider longer-term possibilities.<\/td><td>Set goals, consider future careers, or plan the steps needed to accomplish something.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong><strong>How Parents Can Support Learning During the Formal Operational Stage<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-37\"><strong>Discuss complex ideas.<\/strong> Talk about current issues, books, or situations with more than one perspective.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-38\"><strong>Explore \u201cwhat if\u201d questions.<\/strong> Encourage children to predict outcomes and explain their reasoning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-39\"><strong>Support goal setting.<\/strong> Help break long-term goals into realistic steps.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-40\"><strong>Encourage reflection.<\/strong> Journaling or talking through decisions can help children examine their own thinking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large has-custom-border\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"674\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-reflecting-goal-setting-formal-operational-piaget-1200x674.jpeg\" alt=\"Young girl in a white duvet, leaning in bed and writing in a notebook with a pen, illuminated by a warm bedside lamp.\" class=\"wp-image-266464\" style=\"border-style:none;border-width:0px;border-top-left-radius:15px;border-top-right-radius:15px;border-bottom-left-radius:15px;border-bottom-right-radius:15px;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-reflecting-goal-setting-formal-operational-piaget-1200x674.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-reflecting-goal-setting-formal-operational-piaget-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-reflecting-goal-setting-formal-operational-piaget-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-reflecting-goal-setting-formal-operational-piaget.jpeg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:14px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:8px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"modern-research\" class=\"wp-block-heading aofl-advice-subheading anchor-link-with-margin has-text-color\" style=\"color:#033eaa;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>What Modern Research Says About Piaget<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-41 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Piaget&#8217;s work remains an important foundation in developmental psychology. However, decades of research have also expanded and challenged parts of his original theory. Today, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0732118X04000327?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">researchers generally view cognitive development as more flexible and complex <\/a>than Piaget\u2019s four distinct stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Piaget\u2019s Theory Still Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:14px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized has-custom-border\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"798\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kids-hands-on-learning-outside-piaget-1200x798.jpeg\" alt=\"Three kids outdoors, one boy holds a magnifying glass to inspect a tree while two girls look on.\" class=\"wp-image-266465\" style=\"border-radius:15px;aspect-ratio:1.7777777777777777;object-fit:cover;object-position:22% 60%;width:793px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kids-hands-on-learning-outside-piaget-1200x798.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kids-hands-on-learning-outside-piaget-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kids-hands-on-learning-outside-piaget-768x511.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kids-hands-on-learning-outside-piaget.jpeg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:28px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-42 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">One of Piaget\u2019s most lasting contributions is the idea that children are active participants in their own learning. As <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/cdpers\/article\/10\/2\/128\/8231641?login=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">cognitive development specialist Robert Siegler examines in his research (2016)<\/a>, instead of simply absorbing information from adults, children build and revise their understanding through experience and interaction with their environment.<strong> <\/strong>Piaget\u2019s work also encouraged researchers and educators to consider how children\u2019s ways of thinking change with development and whether learning experiences are appropriate for how a child currently understands the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Our Understanding Has Evolved<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-43 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Modern research has shown that cognitive development does not always follow the clear, step-by-step progression Piaget originally proposed. Some abilities can emerge earlier than Piaget predicted, while others may depend on the particular task, a child\u2019s previous experiences, or the context in which a skill is tested (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0732118X04000327?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Feldman, 2004<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-44 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Researchers have also placed greater emphasis on the role of social interaction and culture in cognitive development. Rather than developing through independent exploration alone, children also learn through conversations, relationships, instruction, and experiences shaped by their families and communities. In their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.asianinstituteofresearch.org\/EQRarchives\/piaget%E2%80%99s-cognitive-developmental-theory%3A-critical-review-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">2019 review of Piaget&#8217;s cognitive developmental theory<\/a>, Zana Babakr and colleagues highlight how modern research in memory, attention, executive function, and information processing has further expanded our understanding of how children think and learn.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"876\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Evolving-research-graphic-cognitive-development-piaget.png\" alt=\"Infographic showing evolving perspectives on cognitive development: Piaget's theory, information processing, cultural influence, social interaction, and modern research around a central brain icon.\" class=\"wp-image-266466\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.6404641179581299;width:717px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Evolving-research-graphic-cognitive-development-piaget.png 876w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Evolving-research-graphic-cognitive-development-piaget-300x183.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Evolving-research-graphic-cognitive-development-piaget-768x468.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:9px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Common Misconceptions About Piaget\u2019s Stages<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Misconception<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>What to Keep in Mind<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Children suddenly \u201cswitch\u201d stages.<\/td><td>Cognitive development is gradual, and characteristics of different stages can overlap.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Every child reaches each stage at the same age.<\/td><td>Piaget\u2019s age ranges are approximate, and development varies from child to child.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>The stages are developmental milestones.<\/td><td>They are a theoretical framework for understanding changes in thinking, not a milestone checklist.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>A child always thinks at one stage.<\/td><td>A child\u2019s reasoning may vary depending on the task, experience, and context.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong><strong><strong>Key Takeaways for Parents<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">For parents, Piaget\u2019s stages can provide a helpful way to understand why a child\u2019s approach to learning and problem-solving changes as they grow. However, it\u2019s important to view them&nbsp; as a general framework rather than a developmental checklist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-mb-3rem-margin aofl-desktop-margin has-border-color has-yellow-border-color has-ivory-lace-background-color has-background\" style=\"border-style:dashed;border-width:3px;border-radius:15px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:7px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer wp-block-hidden-mobile\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1079\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad-1079x1200.png\" alt=\"ABC mouse with his arms wide open and a big smile on his face!\" class=\"wp-image-73815\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.8991875500629363;width:171px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad-1079x1200.png 1079w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad-270x300.png 270w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad-768x854.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1079px) 100vw, 1079px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:90%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\"><strong>Keep in mind:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-45 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. <\/strong>Every child develops differently<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-46 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. <\/strong>The ages of each stage are approximate<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-47 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. <\/strong>Developmental stages can overlap<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-48 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4.<\/strong> Children develop within their environment \u2013 Interactions with family, peers, culture, and learning experiences can all shape cognitive development.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:6px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"education\" class=\"wp-block-heading aofl-advice-subheading anchor-link-with-margin has-text-color\" style=\"color:#033eaa;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><strong>Piaget\u2019s Influence on Education<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:5px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-custom-border aofl-advice-image-video\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/teacher-and-kids-classroom-hands-on-learning-piaget.jpeg\" alt=\"Teacher guides several children as they study a globe during a geography lesson in a bright classroom.\" class=\"wp-image-266467\" style=\"border-style:none;border-width:0px;border-radius:15px;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/teacher-and-kids-classroom-hands-on-learning-piaget.jpeg 1500w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/teacher-and-kids-classroom-hands-on-learning-piaget-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/teacher-and-kids-classroom-hands-on-learning-piaget-1200x800.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/teacher-and-kids-classroom-hands-on-learning-piaget-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:28px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Piaget\u2019s work also influences how educators think about learning. If children actively build knowledge through experience, then learning opportunities should give them chances to explore and ask questions, rather than simply receive information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Piaget Influenced the Classroom<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-49 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Piaget\u2019s theory helped support educational approaches that emphasize learning by doing. Hands-on activities allow children to interact with a concept and build their understanding through experience. Piaget\u2019s developmental perspective encouraged educators to consider whether lessons and activities align with how children think and reason at different ages. For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/376646424_Elementary_Math_Learning_Through_Piaget%27s_Cognitive_Development_Stages\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">researcher and school principal Annabelle Rabillas and colleagues (2023)<\/a> explored how Piaget\u2019s stages of cognitive development can be applied specifically to elementary math learning and instruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Piaget-Inspired Principle<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>What It Can Look Like in the Classroom<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Active Learning<\/strong><\/td><td>Exploring a question or problem by testing different possible solutions.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Concrete experiences<\/strong><\/td><td>Using blocks or counters to visualize a new concept.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Developmentally appropriate learning<\/strong><\/td><td>Introducing concepts through activities that match children\u2019s current ways of thinking and understanding.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"home\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to <strong>Bring Piaget-Inspired Learning to Your Home<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Learning through exploration doesn\u2019t have to stop when the school day ends. Parents, grandparents, and homeschool families can provide opportunities for children to practice skills through hands-on activities, questions, games, and everyday problem-solving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Here are a few free ideas to try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-50\">Practice the alphabet with these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/activities\/alphabet-crafts-for-preschoolers\/63737\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A-Z letter crafts<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-51\">Build critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/activities\/stem-activities-for-kids\/40979\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">STEM activities for preschool through first grade<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-52\">Explore shapes with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/activities\/shape-activities-for-preschoolers-and-kindergarteners\/16061\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">engaging shape activities for young children<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-53\">Encourage hands-on discovery with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/activities\/science-activities-experiments-for-preschooler-kindergarten\/36450\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">25+ science activities and experiments for preschoolers and kindergarteners.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-mb-3rem-margin aofl-desktop-margin has-border-color has-yellow-border-color has-ivory-lace-background-color has-background\" style=\"border-style:dashed;border-width:3px;border-radius:15px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:7px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer wp-block-hidden-mobile\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1079\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad-1079x1200.png\" alt=\"ABC mouse with his arms wide open and a big smile on his face!\" class=\"wp-image-73815\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.8991875500629363;width:182px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad-1079x1200.png 1079w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad-270x300.png 270w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad-768x854.png 768w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2D_ABCmouse_Character_Arms_Out_Looking_At_Soft_Shad.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1079px) 100vw, 1079px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:90%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">ABCmouse can also help extend these learning experiences for younger children with interactive lessons, educational games, stories, and activities that encourage children to engage with concepts in areas such as reading, math, science, and art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#01075f;line-height:1.5\">Pairing digital learning with real-world opportunities to explore, play, talk, and practice can give children different ways to engage with new ideas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:4px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/abc\/create-account\/?src_tag=wp:cta:0011\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"924\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Over-1-Milion-Reviews-CTA-Desktop.png\" alt=\"ABCmouse banner: left cartoon mouse, blue background, 'Over 1,000,000 Reviews (Average)' with red 'Try FREE for 30 Days!' button\" class=\"wp-image-97431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Over-1-Milion-Reviews-CTA-Desktop.png 924w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Over-1-Milion-Reviews-CTA-Desktop-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ABCmouse-Over-1-Milion-Reviews-CTA-Desktop-768x465.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"faq\" class=\"wp-block-heading aofl-advice-subheading anchor-link-with-margin has-text-color\" style=\"color:#033eaa;font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>FAQs About Piaget\u2019s Theory of Cognitive Development<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\" data-schema-only=\"false\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\"><strong><strong>What are Piaget\u2019s four stages of cognitive development?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-54 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Piaget\u2019s four stages of cognitive development are the <strong>sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational stages<\/strong>. Each stage describes general changes in how children tend to think, learn, and understand the world as they grow.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\" data-schema-only=\"false\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\"><strong><strong>Are online learning games good for early childhood development?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-55 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Online game-based learning is very effective for young children. At this age, learning through play feels natural since play is how young children explore and understand the world around them. Games provide a safe space for kids to try new concepts, make mistakes, and try again. Engaging game features also help hold kids&#8217; attention and provide multiple paths to learning. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\" data-schema-only=\"false\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>At what ages do Piaget\u2019s stages of cognitive development occur?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-56 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Piaget proposed that the sensorimotor stage occurs from birth to age 2, the preoperational stage from ages 2 to 7, the concrete operational stage from ages 7 to 11, and the formal operational stage begins around age 12. These ages are approximate, and children may develop particular cognitive abilities at different times.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\" data-schema-only=\"false\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\"><strong><strong><strong>Are Piaget\u2019s stages of cognitive development still accepted today?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-57 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Piaget\u2019s theory remains influential, but modern research suggests that cognitive development is more gradual and flexible than a strict four-stage model may suggest. Researchers have also found that some abilities can emerge earlier than Piaget originally proposed and that a child\u2019s social environment can play an important role in shaping how they learn and develop.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\" data-schema-only=\"false\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>What is an example of Piaget\u2019s theory in everyday life?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-58 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">A baby searching for a toy that has been hidden under a blanket is one example of developing <strong>object permanence<\/strong>, an important development Piaget associated with the sensorimotor stage. An older child understanding that the same amount of water remains after it is poured into a differently shaped glass demonstrates <strong>conservation<\/strong>, which Piaget associated with concrete operational thinking.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\" data-schema-only=\"false\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>How can parents use Piaget\u2019s theory to support their child\u2019s learning?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-59 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Parents can use Piaget\u2019s theory as a general guide for choosing learning experiences that fit how their child currently thinks and interacts with the world. Hands-on exploration, pretend play, problem-solving, conversations, and age-appropriate learning activities can all provide opportunities for children to actively build their understanding.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\" data-schema-only=\"false\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>How does Piaget\u2019s theory relate to learning with ABCmouse?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-60 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Piaget\u2019s theory emphasizes that children actively build knowledge through exploration, practice, and experiences that match their developing ways of thinking. ABCmouse can complement these principles with age-appropriate games, stories, and interactive activities that give young learners opportunities to engage with concepts in reading, math, science, and art.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-61 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:12px\"><em><strong><em>Legal disclaimer:<\/em><\/strong><em>&nbsp;Any information, materials, or links to third-party resources are provided for informational purposes only. We are not affiliated with and do not sponsor\/endorse these third parties and bear no responsibility for the accuracy of content on any external site. All information provided in this article is current as of September 2026.&nbsp;<\/em>&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group aofl-mb-3rem-margin aofl-desktop-margin has-border-color has-yellow-border-color has-ivory-lace-background-color has-background\" style=\"border-width:2px;border-radius:15px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center aofl-pull-quote-option2 has-text-color\" style=\"border-radius:15px;color:#01075f;line-height:3\">References:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Babakr, Z. H., Mohamedamin, P., &amp; Kakamad, K. (2019). Piaget&#8217;s cognitive developmental theory: Critical review. <em>Education Quarterly Reviews, 2<\/em>(3), 517\u2013524.<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.31014\/aior.1993.02.03.84\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> https:\/\/doi.org\/10.31014\/aior.1993.02.03.84<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Berk, L. E. (2022). <em>Development through the lifespan<\/em>. Sage Publications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Feldman, D. H. (2004). Piaget&#8217;s stages: The unfinished symphony of cognitive development. <em>New Ideas in Psychology, 22<\/em>(3), 175\u2013231.<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.newideapsych.2004.11.005\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.newideapsych.2004.11.005<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Piaget, J. (1952). <em>The origins of intelligence in children<\/em> (M. Cook, Trans.). W. W. Norton &amp; Company.<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/11494-000\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/11494-000<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Piaget, J. (1964). Part I: Cognitive development in children: Piaget development and learning. <em>Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 2<\/em>, 176\u2013186.<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/tea.3660020306\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/tea.3660020306<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Rabillas, A., Kilag, O. K., Canete, N., Trazona, M., Calope, M. L., &amp; Kilag, J. (2023). Elementary math learning through Piaget&#8217;s cognitive development stages. <em>Excellencia: International Multi-disciplinary Journal of Education, 1<\/em>(4), 128\u2013142. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Osias-Kit-Kilag\/publication\/376646424_Elementary_Math_Learning_Through_Piaget's_Cognitive_Development_Stages\/links\/687d52e6b3294610e9b8aed1\/Elementary-Math-Learning-Through-Piagets-Cognitive-Development-Stages.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Osias-Kit-Kilag\/publication\/376646424_Elementary_Math_Learning_Through_Piaget&#8217;s_Cognitive<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Osias-Kit-Kilag\/publication\/376646424_Elementary_Math_Learning_Through_Piaget's_Cognitive_Development_Stages\/links\/687d52e6b3294610e9b8aed1\/Elementary-Math-Learning-Through-Piagets-Cognitive-Development-Stages.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">_Development_Stages\/links\/687d52e6b3294610e9b8aed1\/Elementary-Math-Learning-Through-Piagets-Cognitive-Development-Stages.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Scott, H. K., &amp; Cogburn, M. (2023). Piaget. In <em>StatPearls<\/em>. StatPearls Publishing.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK448206\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK448206\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-midnight-blue-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"line-height:1.5\">Siegler, R. S. (2016). Continuity and change in the field of cognitive development and in the perspectives of one cognitive developmentalist. <em>Child Development Perspectives, 10<\/em>(2), 128\u2013133.<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/cdep.12173\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/cdep.12173<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:5px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide is-vertical is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fac2cdea wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<printables-email-registration style=\"width:fit-content;display:flex;margin:auto\" class=\"wp-block-abcmouse-printables-email-registration\"><\/printables-email-registration>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" 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stage.","og:url":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/advice\/piagets-theory-of-cognitive-development-for-parents\/266351","og:image":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-learning-with-abacus-piaget.jpeg","og:image:secure_url":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-learning-with-abacus-piaget.jpeg","og:image:width":1500,"og:image:height":790,"article:published_time":"2026-09-04T19:44:16+00:00","article:modified_time":"2026-09-04T19:44:22+00:00","article:publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ABCmouse\/","twitter:card":"summary_large_image","twitter:site":"@abcmouse","twitter:title":"Piaget\u2019s Theory of Cognitive Development Explained for Parents | ABCmouse","twitter:description":"Explore Piaget\u2019s four stages of cognitive development and see how children\u2019s thinking changes as they grow, plus simple ways to support learning at every stage.","twitter:creator":"@abcmouse","twitter:image":"https:\/\/www.abcmouse.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/girl-learning-with-abacus-piaget.jpeg"},"aioseo_meta_data":{"post_id":"266351","title":null,"description":null,"keywords":null,"keyphrases":{"focus":{"keyphrase":"","score":0,"analysis":{"keyphraseInTitle":{"score":0,"maxScore":9,"error":1}}},"additional":[]},"primary_term":null,"canonical_url":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"og_object_type":"default","og_image_type":"default","og_image_url":null,"og_image_width":null,"og_image_height":null,"og_image_custom_url":null,"og_image_custom_fields":null,"og_video":"","og_custom_url":null,"og_article_section":null,"og_article_tags":null,"twitter_use_og":false,"twitter_card":"default","twitter_image_type":"default","twitter_image_url":null,"twitter_image_custom_url":null,"twitter_image_custom_fields":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"schema":{"blockGraphs":[{"hidden":false,"question":"What are Piaget\u2019s four stages of cognitive development?","schemaBlockId":"aioseo-md62r0q7","tagName":"h3","openPopupId":"","answer":"Piaget\u2019s four stages of cognitive development are the sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational stages. Each stage describes general changes in how children tend to think, learn, and understand the world as they grow.","type":"aioseo\/faq"},{"hidden":false,"question":"Are online learning games good for early childhood development?","schemaBlockId":"aioseo-md62rrog","tagName":"h3","openPopupId":"","answer":"Online game-based learning is very effective for young children. At this age, learning through play feels natural since play is how young children explore and understand the world around them. Games provide a safe space for kids to try new concepts, make mistakes, and try again. Engaging game features also help hold kids' attention and provide multiple paths to learning.","type":"aioseo\/faq"},{"hidden":false,"question":"At what ages do Piaget\u2019s stages of cognitive development occur?","schemaBlockId":"aioseo-md62sfdv","tagName":"h3","openPopupId":"","answer":"Piaget proposed that the sensorimotor stage occurs from birth to age 2, the preoperational stage from ages 2 to 7, the concrete operational stage from ages 7 to 11, and the formal operational stage begins around age 12. These ages are approximate, and children may develop particular cognitive abilities at different times.","type":"aioseo\/faq"},{"hidden":false,"question":"Are Piaget\u2019s stages of cognitive development still accepted today?","schemaBlockId":"aioseo-md62t3hx","tagName":"h3","openPopupId":"","answer":"Piaget\u2019s theory remains influential, but modern research suggests that cognitive development is more gradual and flexible than a strict four-stage model may suggest. Researchers have also found that some abilities can emerge earlier than Piaget originally proposed and that a child\u2019s social environment can play an important role in shaping how they learn and develop.","type":"aioseo\/faq"},{"hidden":false,"question":"What is an example of Piaget\u2019s theory in everyday life?","schemaBlockId":"aioseo-md62trqf","tagName":"h3","openPopupId":"","answer":"A baby searching for a toy that has been hidden under a blanket is one example of developing object permanence, an important development Piaget associated with the sensorimotor stage. 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Hands-on exploration, pretend play, problem-solving, conversations, and age-appropriate learning activities can all provide opportunities for children to actively build their understanding.","type":"aioseo\/faq"},{"hidden":false,"question":"How does Piaget\u2019s theory relate to learning with ABCmouse?","schemaBlockId":"aioseo-msxvbei6cm425","tagName":"h3","openPopupId":"","answer":"Piaget\u2019s theory emphasizes that children actively build knowledge through exploration, practice, and experiences that match their developing ways of thinking. 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