Pre-linguistic skills are essential building blocks for talking and understanding language. These skills start before kids use words. They are important for kids with special needs, too. Babies first learn by watching, listening, and reacting to their world. They smile, coo, and make noises to show what they feel. They also use their eyes, faces, and bodies to communicate. As they grow, they understand more words and start using simple gestures, like pointing or clapping. Pre-linguistic skills help kids get ready to talk and understand others. Parents, teachers, and speech-language pathologists can help kids with these skills. They can do things like talk, sing, and read to kids. They can also play with kids and help them learn to take turns. By supporting pre-linguistic skills, we help kids with special needs grow in their ability to communicate and connect with others.