Which stage allows children to use symbols and develop better reasoning skills, although they remain focused on tangible experiences?

The preoperational stage is characterized by children's growing ability to use symbols, such as words and images, to represent objects and experiences. This stage, which typically occurs between the ages of 2 and 7, allows children to engage in imaginative play and utilize language more effectively, fostering their reasoning skills. However, children's thinking during this stage remains centered on their immediate experiences and the physical world around them, making their reasoning somewhat intuitive and egocentric.

In this stage, children might struggle with understanding perspectives that differ from their own, leading to a focus on what they can see or touch rather than abstract or hypothetical situations. This concrete focus illustrates the limitations of their reasoning abilities, despite the symbolic thinking they are beginning to develop. The ability to use symbols is foundational for later cognitive development, but during the preoperational stage, it is still closely tied to the child's direct experiences.