Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development - Essay Example

One might think that the solution to keeping these children occupied is to find something all three would be interested in, and that would certainly be the easiest solution, but because of the huge differences in their developmental levels, that may not be reasonable. The three-year-old is in the preoperational stage, Piaget’s second stage of cognitive development, which usually spans from ages 2 (about the time she began to talk) to 7. During this time, language use matures, intelligence is demonstrated through the use of symbols, and memory and imagination are developed.

According to Piaget, she is not able to understand concrete logic. She also assumes that others see situations from her viewpoint, and cannot see others’. Safely crossing the street is an example of the inability of children in this stage to see others’ viewpoints. Children in this stage do not understand that drivers are not always able to see them, so they need a great deal of assistance and supervision. The child in this babysitting situation, therefore, cannot see that the other children may not enjoy her activities, hence, there is a potential conflict that can arise if their babysitter does not choose the right activity.

The eight-year-old is in Piaget’s third stage, the concrete operational stage, which lasts from 7 to 11 years of age. He is just beginning to lose the egocentrism that is common in the previous stage, but he is in the early part of the stage, so it is not as strong as it will in a few years. He may be able to, though, participate in some of the activities chosen for the three-year-old, if he is able to understand that helping her stay interested is important. A child in this stage can think abstractly and make rational judgments about concrete or observable phenomena.

As a result, he may be able to reason that the three-year-old needs assistance in this situation, and would be willing to help keep her calm and make a blackout, with no electricity, into a fun adventure.