According to psychologist Jean Piaget, such skills emerge during the preoperational stage. This is the second stage in his ...

The stage from 18-24 months to 7 years Piaget called preoperational, where children can think about things in symbolic terms. They can pretend, verbalize, and understand past and future.

Jean Piaget's ideas about child development continue to influence pedagogical practices around the world. His pioneering work revolutionized our understanding of how children learn and think.