... equilibrium between an individual's thought processes and the environment. He termed this cognitive equilibrium (Piaget, 1950). Piaget believed that children are active explorers or little scientists as they are continually challenged by stimuli within their environment. He suggested that this stimuli that the child does not initially understand, causes an imbalance within this cognitive equilibrium and the child therefore makes mental adjustments in order for them to cope with their new environment and consequently restore equilibrium. An important assumption that must be taken into account with Piaget's theory is the fact that children are capable of constructing their own knowledge from their environment, and their ability to do so depends on the maturity or 'stage' of their cognitive development. Piaget's 'Staged Theory of Development' defined a number of crucial periods or trigger points that influence the development of cognitive skills throughout childhood. Piaget's understanding was that a transition through each stage ...

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