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Home Environment Opportunities Impact Gross Motor Skills in Infants With Low Biological Risk: A Cross-Sectional and

Raissa Wanderley Ferraz de Abreu1, Camila Resende Gâmbaro Lima1, Nelci Adriana Cicuto Ferreira Rocha1

  • 1Infant Development Analysis Laboratory (LADI), Departament of Physiotherapy, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, SP, Brazil.

Perceptual and Motor Skills
|May 7, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Infants aged 6-11 months had more toys and greater gross motor skills than younger infants. Environmental stimulation and toys significantly impact motor development in older infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric developmental science
  • Infant motor development research
  • Environmental influences on child development

Background:

  • Home environment opportunities, including space, stimuli, and toys, are crucial for infant motor skill development.
  • Adapting the environment to maximize action possibilities is vital, particularly for infants with biological risk.
  • Limited research exists on the presence and impact of these opportunities in at-risk infants across different developmental stages.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare home environment opportunities between infants with low biological risk at different developmental stages (2-6 months vs. 6-11 months).
  • To determine the impact of these home environment opportunities on the motor skills of these infants.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional, remote study involving 54 infants divided into two groups: 2-6 months and 6-11 months.
  • Motor skills were assessed using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS).
  • Home environment opportunities were evaluated using the Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development - Infant Scale (AHEMD-IS), with statistical analyses including intergroup comparisons and multiple linear regression.

Main Results:

  • Infants aged 6-11 months (Group 2) possessed a greater number of toys compared to infants aged 2-6 months (Group 1).
  • In Group 2, a significant association was found between the variety of stimulation and gross motor skills (p=0.007).
  • Furthermore, in Group 2, gross motor toys showed a significant association with gross motor skills (p=0.015).

Conclusions:

  • Significant differences in the availability of toys exist between infants aged 2-6 months and 6-11 months.
  • Environmental factors, specifically the variety of stimulation and availability of gross motor toys, significantly influence gross motor skills in older infants (6-11 months).
  • Findings highlight the necessity for family-centered interventions promoting early environmental enrichment to support infant motor development.

Keywords:
AHEMD-ISaffordancesgross motor skillshome environmentinfantrisk factors

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