Young children think much differently than adults. They depend heavily on perception and action. Their thinking relies on what they see, hear, and touch.
Young children believe that if something sounds alive or looks alive, it is alive.
For example, if your child awakes in the dark and hears a sound, she may believe it is a monster. When you turn on the light and show her there is no monster, she calms down and appears to be fine. However, when the light is turned out again, she may hear the same noise and call for you again. In spite of your explanations, she still believes it must be a monster. Another feature of young children's thinking is focusing on one object or feature of a problem at a time.