The Preoperational Stage is the second phase in Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, typically occurring between ages 2 and 7. During this stage, children begin to engage in symbolic play and learn to manipulate symbols, but they do not yet understand concrete logic. Their thinking is intuitive and egocentric, meaning they have difficulty seeing things from perspectives other than their own. Children in the Preoperational Stage often exhibit magical thinking and may believe that inanimate objects have feelings or intentions. They also struggle with the concept of conservation, which is the understanding that quantity does not change even when its shape does. This stage is crucial for developing language and imagination.