Piaget's Stages of Development

Connects that sounds can be used as symbols (language)

Enjoys lining up small toys like blocks or staking nesting cups

Competition against others becomes a motivating factor

Uses objects in new imaginary ways, like blocks being food and stuffed animals being babies

Uses arms to imitate airplane wings as they run around the room

Draws stick figures to represent family

Interested in asking curiosity-driven questions based on their observations of the world

Can engage in games with a series of rules and people playing different roles, like sports

Interested in moral “gray area” questions bout life, science, and society

Enjoys hearing longer chapter-book-type stories

Reaches for, touches, and puts in mouth all sorts of things to better understand them

Can set long-term goals and work towards them step-by-step

Enjoys brain teasers and riddles, understanding play on words, and using logic

Enjoys the game peek-a-boo

Interested in historical or science fiction books in which the society is made up of different rules

Develops empathy for others, like feeling sad for a book character or friend