In which stage of cognitive development do children begin to use symbols?

The stage of cognitive development where children begin to use symbols is the PreOperational stage. This stage, according to Jean Piaget, ranges approximately from ages 2 to 7 years and is characterized by the development of language and the ability to engage in symbolic play. During this stage, children start to represent objects and experiences with words, images, and other symbols, which reflects their growing ability to think about things that are not immediately present.

Children in the PreOperational stage can engage in imaginative play and understand that symbols can represent real-world objects (for example, a stick might represent a sword). However, their thinking is still very much influenced by intuition and personal experiences, and they often struggle with understanding the perspectives of others due to their egocentric view of the world.

In contrast, the Sensorimotor stage focuses on physical interactions with the environment rather than symbolic thinking. The Concrete Operational stage introduces logical thinking about concrete objects but doesn't center on the use of symbols. The Formal Operations stage involves higher-level abstract reasoning and problem-solving skills but comes later in development, after the ability to use symbols has already been established.