Piaget's substage from 18-24 months involves representing objects and events with symbols. Which substage is this?

• A. Primary circular reactions
• B. Secondary circular reactions
• C. Coordination of Reactions
• D. Tertiary circular reactions

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that during this period children begin to use symbols to stand for objects and events, marking a shift from learning through action to thinking in pictures and ideas. This is the sixth substage of the sensorimotor period, often called invention of new means through mental combinations. In this stage, toddlers start pretend play, use words or gestures to represent things, and mentally plan or imagine outcomes before acting. It’s the move from purely physical actions to symbolic thought, which lays the groundwork for language and more complex thinking. Earlier substages focus on repeating actions or coordinating actions to achieve goals with objects, without the same level of symbolic representation.