Which age group is typically associated with the Preoperational Stage?

The Preoperational Stage is typically associated with children aged 2 to 7 years. During this developmental stage, children begin to engage in symbolic play and learn to manipulate symbols, but they lack the ability to perform operations, meaning they cannot yet perform mental manipulations of physical things. Children in this age group demonstrate egocentrism, where they have difficulty seeing things from perspectives other than their own. They also experience animism, believing that inanimate objects have feelings and intentions.

This stage is instrumental in a child's cognitive development, as it lays the groundwork for later, more complex thought processes that occur in subsequent stages, such as the Concrete Operational Stage, which begins at around 7 years of age. The age range for the Preoperational Stage encompasses significant developmental milestones related to language acquisition and imaginative play, making it a crucial period for learning and understanding the world.

In contrast, the other age groups mentioned do not align with this stage of development: the group of 0-2 years corresponds to the Sensorimotor Stage, while ages 7-12 years represent the Concrete Operational Stage, and 12 years and older relates to the Formal Operational Stage. Each of these stages reflects different cognitive abilities and developmental characteristics that do not fit