Final answer:
Preschool is an early childhood stage typically for children between the ages of three to five years, where they progress significantly in physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development, and learn through play and social interactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The preschool period is part of early childhood education and development, bridging the gap between infancy and more structured learning environments like primary school. This stage typically lasts from about ages three to five years. During this time, children experience rapid growth in their physical, cognitive, and psychosocial abilities. They transition from learning to walk and beginning to speak, to becoming able to ride a bike and use a vast vocabulary of approximately 1,500 words by the age of five.
Preschool-aged children develop greater independence compared to when they were toddlers and begin to socialize more with their peers. Their cognitive skills also advance, as they can count, name colors, and engage in pretend play with elaborate characters and stories. Important developmental tasks during this period include the resolution of initiative versus guilt, as described by Erik Erikson, where children learn to plan and achieve goals through social interactions.