The main viewpoint of cognitive development theory: the essence of wisdom is an adaptation, and the so-called adaptation is a special balance, a balance between assimilation and hue. Children's cognitive development is realized through the continuous construction and transformation of cognitive structure. Thinking originates from action, and action is the starting point of thinking. This intrinsic motivation of cognitive development is the most important and decisive factor among the factors affecting cognitive development. Piaget divides children into four stages according to their cognitive development.

Sensory motor stage

At this stage, children's main cognitive structure is perceptual movement schema. With the help of this schema, children can coordinate perceptual input and action response, thus relying on action to adapt to the environment.

Sensory motor stage

Children internalize perceptual actions into representations, establish symbolic functions, and think with psychological symbols (mainly representations), which makes a qualitative leap in thinking.

Specific operation stage

At this stage, children's cognitive structure has developed from the representation schema in the previous operation stage to the operation schema. The characteristics of concrete operational thinking are conservation, self-centeredness and reversibility.

Specific operation stage

During this period, children's thinking developed to the level of abstract logical reasoning.

Application in education

Teaching content should adapt to children's cognitive development level; Kindergarten education should constantly break the balance of children and help them establish a higher level of balance; Give full play to children's initiative in activities.