From which age does the preoperational stage of Piaget's theory begin?

The preoperational stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development begins around 2 years of age and continues until approximately 7 years of age. This stage is characterized by the development of language, symbolic thought, and imaginative play, but children in this stage still struggle with understanding concrete logic and the perspectives of others.

Selecting 18 to 24 months as the onset of this stage reflects an understanding that it generally starts shortly after the first year of life, as children begin to engage in more complex forms of play and use language to express their thoughts and needs. This foundation is crucial for developing further cognitive skills in the later stages of development.

Other choices, such as birth, 7 years, and adolescence, do not align with the established framework of Piaget's stages, where birth marks the sensorimotor stage, and adolescence pertains to the formal operational stage, indicating progression beyond the preoperational phase.