Children often assign human-like qualities to objects or natural phenomena. When asked why the sun goes down, Ria replies, “Because it gets tired and goes to sleep.” Such explanations:
1
Indicate that children engage in animistic thinking as a way to make sense of the world.
2
Show that children have mastered scientific reasoning.
3
Prove that children lack the ability to think symbolically.
4
Demonstrate that children rely solely on adult explanations for understanding nature.