During which stage of Piaget's cognitive development do children begin to use symbols to represent objects?

The stage of cognitive development in which children begin to use symbols to represent objects is the preoperational stage. This developmental phase typically occurs between the ages of 2 and 7 years. During this period, children start to engage in symbolic play and develop language skills, allowing them to think about objects and events in their absence. This ability to use symbols marks a significant advancement from the sensorimotor stage, where children primarily interact with their environment through direct sensory and motor contact without symbolic thought.

In the preoperational stage, children create mental representations of their experiences, which is evident in their imaginative play and the use of words, images, and drawings to express thoughts. This symbolic functioning is crucial for later stages of cognitive development, during which more complex logical thinking and problem-solving skills are developed. Thus, this stage represents an essential transition where language and internal thought begin to take form, fostering more sophisticated cognitive processes in the developing mind.