At what stage do children primarily develop gestures, eye contact, and cooing sounds?

The pre-linguistic stage is essential for early communication development in children. During this stage, which typically occurs from birth to around 12 months, infants primarily express themselves through non-verbal means. This includes the use of gestures, eye contact, and early vocalizations such as cooing. These early forms of communication are crucial as they help establish a foundation for later verbal skills.

Gestures, like pointing or waving, facilitate interaction and signify a child's intentions or needs. Eye contact is a significant social cue that promotes bonding and attention, allowing infants to engage with caregivers and the environment around them. Cooing sounds, which begin as simple, pleasurable vocalizations, serve not only as an expression of joy but also lay the groundwork for the understanding of sound and speech patterns.

In contrast, the other stages listed focus on different aspects of language and social development. The verbal stage involves the emergence of actual spoken words and more structured use of language, whereas the early social interactions stage emphasizes reciprocal communication and social responsiveness beyond the pre-linguistic features. The symbolic play stage is characterized by the use of objects to represent other things in imaginative play, typically developing after initial non-verbal communication has been established. Thus, the pre-linguistic stage