What is the first stage of Piaget's cognitive development?

The first stage of Piaget's cognitive development is the sensorimotor stage. This stage occurs from birth to approximately two years of age. During this period, infants learn about the world primarily through their sensory experiences and motor actions. They explore their surroundings by touching, grasping, and manipulating objects.

In the sensorimotor stage, infants develop critical cognitive skills, including object permanence—the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen. This understanding is foundational for later cognitive developments. As infants interact with their environment, they gradually begin to form mental representations of the world around them, setting the stage for more complex thinking in subsequent stages.

Piaget’s theory emphasizes the significance of active engagement in learning, as children learn through doing, allowing them to develop key cognitive abilities that serve as a foundation for future stages.