What term describes the cognitive development stage where children begin to engage in logical thought?

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The term that describes the cognitive development stage where children begin to engage in logical thought is indeed the Concrete Operational Stage. This stage, according to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 11 years. During this period, children start to develop the ability to think logically about concrete events. They gain skills such as understanding the concept of conservation (the idea that quantity does not change even when its shape does), organizing objects into categories, and understanding the reversibility of actions.

In contrast, during the Preoperational Stage, which occurs prior to the Concrete Operational Stage (ages 2 to 7), children are not yet able to perform logical operations and often think in a more egocentric manner. The Formal Operational Stage, which follows the Concrete Operational Stage (commencing around age 12), involves the development of abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking. The term "Developmental Stage" is not specific to cognitive development and does not refer to a recognized stage in Piaget’s framework. Thus, the Concrete Operational Stage is the correct and precise term for the stage where logical thought begins to emerge.

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