Sensorimotor Stage

The Sensorimotor Stage is Piaget's first stage of development. This stage is seen in children from birth to around two years. During this stage infants and children are experiencing the world around them, and trying to make sense of what they experience. Children in this stage of development have limited ways in which to understand the world that surrounds them. These children respond to stimuli from their environment. They are also able to use basic functions they are born with in order to further understand their environment. These abilities include sucking on objects, sight, and touch.

The Sensorimotor Stage is further divided down into smaller stages. In the Reflex Stage (birth to 1 month), children begin to discover the world around them by looking and sucking. The Primary Circular Reaction Stage (1-4 months) includes children who are starting to relate repetition to pleasurable experiences. During the Secondary Circular Reaction Stage (4-8 months), children become more aware of their surroundings and will begin repeating actions in order to get a response. While children are in the Coordination of Reactions Stage (8-12 months) they begin to make intended actions. In the Tertiary circular Reaction Stage (12-18 months) children begin experimenting with attention getting behaviors. Finally, in the Early Representational Thought Stage (18-24 months), children are able to use symbols to represent ideas and are beginning to have and understanding of what is happening in their environment through mental processing.