At this age children are good abstract thinkers. They express their feelings and ideas in complex ways, both in everyday interactions and through pretend play. If you hand them the wrong toy, they may say "No want that!" or they might express mixed feelings about a new sibling by sending a baby doll back to the "hospital." Children at this age start to create stories that make logical sense. Their imaginations are so developed at this point that they can substitute symbols for real objects. A block can become a telephone, a scarf can become a kite, and a playground can become a fairyland.

Becoming a logical thinker is essential for high-level intellectual functioning and for all future development. Children are now rational beings who are beginning to understand the "why" of things. They know that they need to brush their teeth to keep them healthy and clean-but that doesn't necessarily mean they won't put up a fight. As they grow, their understanding of symbols becomes essential for reading and mathematics. Even more crucial, logical thinking helps them tell right from wrong so they can make good choices.