What is the primary characteristic of the sensorimotor stage in cognitive development, according to Piaget?

The primary characteristic of the sensorimotor stage in cognitive development, according to Piaget, is that infants learn about the world through their senses and actions. During this stage, which lasts from birth to about two years old, children explore their environment by touching, seeing, hearing, and moving. They start to understand that their actions can have effects on the world around them, like shaking a rattle to make noise. For example, when a baby drops a toy and sees it fall, they begin to realize that objects exist even when they are not in sight, a concept known as object permanence. This stage is crucial for building the foundation of thinking and understanding in later development.