What is it?
Cognitive Development is the process of constructing intelligence and knowledge through problem solving skills, decision making and remembering. This process begins at infancy and develops all the way into adulthood. Generally can be divided into 4 stages as defined by Jean Piaget. (Link to Bio - http://www.piaget.org/aboutPiaget.html)
The 4 Stages
Stage 1 - Sensory Motor- At this stage children want to see, taste, and touch everything. They are interested and curious about the world around them. It is a new place with so much for them to discover. Syntax and grammar is not well developed but children generalize object such as animals as all "doggies". Children do not create full sentences and are only beginning to understand object permanence.
Stage 2 - Pre-Operational- This stage begins at about age 2. At this stage their imagination begins to run wild. They are able to play dress up and create imaginary worlds in their heads. It is very common for children to have imaginary friends at this stage. Although they have a vivid imagination children are still very visual and cannot always transfer information.
Stage 3 - Concrete Operational - This stage begins at about the age of 7 years old. They are beginning to understand abstract concepts and rules.
Stage 4 - Formal Operational - This stage begins at about 11 years olf and the child has now become a more abstract or critical thinker. This is the stage we want all our children to get to. Introducing critical thinking at an early age strengthens this ability.They can participate in more hypothetical thinking and conceptualize ideas.
Cognitive Development is the process of constructing intelligence and knowledge through problem solving skills, decision making and remembering. This process begins at infancy and develops all the way into adulthood. Generally can be divided into 4 stages as defined by Jean Piaget. (Link to Bio - http://www.piaget.org/aboutPiaget.html)
The 4 Stages
Stage 1 - Sensory Motor- At this stage children want to see, taste, and touch everything. They are interested and curious about the world around them. It is a new place with so much for them to discover. Syntax and grammar is not well developed but children generalize object such as animals as all "doggies". Children do not create full sentences and are only beginning to understand object permanence.
Stage 2 - Pre-Operational- This stage begins at about age 2. At this stage their imagination begins to run wild. They are able to play dress up and create imaginary worlds in their heads. It is very common for children to have imaginary friends at this stage. Although they have a vivid imagination children are still very visual and cannot always transfer information.
Stage 3 - Concrete Operational - This stage begins at about the age of 7 years old. They are beginning to understand abstract concepts and rules.
Stage 4 - Formal Operational - This stage begins at about 11 years olf and the child has now become a more abstract or critical thinker. This is the stage we want all our children to get to. Introducing critical thinking at an early age strengthens this ability.They can participate in more hypothetical thinking and conceptualize ideas.