In which cognitive stage do children begin to manipulate objects in their environment?

The sensorimotor stage is characterized by children actively engaging with their environment through their senses and motor actions. During this developmental phase, which occurs from birth to approximately 2 years of age, children learn about the world by manipulating objects, exploring their properties, and discovering cause-and-effect relationships. This hands-on interaction is fundamental as it lays the groundwork for later cognitive development.

Children in the sensorimotor stage demonstrate behaviors like reaching for toys, grasping objects, and even experimenting with the effects of their actions—such as dropping items to see what happens. This exploration helps them form foundational concepts, including object permanence, the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

The other stages mentioned—preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational—occur later in development. The preoperational stage involves the development of symbolic thought but is characterized by egocentrism and a lack of logical reasoning. The concrete operational stage introduces logical thinking and mastery of various operations related to concrete objects but does not focus on exploration as the primary means of learning. The formal operational stage, which emerges in adolescence, emphasizes abstract and hypothetical reasoning. Therefore, it is clear that the manipulation of objects primarily occurs in the sensorimotor stage.