Our first concepts develop from birth to three years old, when they recognize regularities in the world around them and can identify language labels or symbols for these regularities

• Discovery learning process: where the attributes of concepts are identified autonomously by the learner
• Reception learning process: where the attributes of concepts are described using language and transmitted to the learner (after age 3)

This acquisition is mediated in a very important way when concrete experiences or props are available; hence the importance of “hands-on” activity for science learning with young children, but is also true with learners of any age and in any subject matter domain.