gets stuck in the cube. They understand that they have to go into this hole because that's where it fits, but they don't understand why the shape fits or remember how to put it back when you start again. o Around 6 months they begin to pick up objects with their thumb and forefinger. They begin to use their motor skills to pick up food (a goal-directed activity), such as cheerios, and put it in their mouth using their thumb and forefinger (a reflex action). 2. Preoperational: During this stage, children between the ages of 2 and 7 begin to learn and use language. They begin to understand the meaning behind words and their mental actions, but are unable to think “backwards” or truly understand why others do what they do; they cannot process other people's points of view. Furthermore, they begin to “pretend to play”. • Side note: Piaget also felt that at this stage children were “egocentric” and that everything was about them. For example, when my three-year-old daughter builds a tent and asks her one-year-old sister to play. If her sister doesn't join her fun, she will get angry and yell at her saying, “Mommy Anika, come to my tent! Do it!” • Examples: o My three year old will pretend to be a mother with her dolls or play house with her