Communicative skills development in children with mental retardation and other disabilities is a great chal-lenge, requiring the application of a wide range of pedagogical tools and techniques. This group is character-ized primarily by the pace lag of development. Directing animated films makes it possible to achieve significant results in the child’s natural environment without serious stress on his psyche. The article gives an outline of this approach, characterizes methods and tools for carrying out cartoon therapy in children’s preschool educa-tional organizations and speech centers. The peculiarities of the cartoon therapy classes organization are ana-lyzed, and various materials and techniques of creating cartoons are discussed. Conclusion dwells upon the fact that the developmental potential of this methodology, which combines reliance on the child's multiple senses, is enormous, which determines the broad prospects for its usage in preschool childhood, including for corrective purposes.