Tracing the Cognitive–Motor Connection: Prospective-Longitudinal Associations Between Early Parent–Toddler Literacy Activities and Subsequent Gross Motor Skills at School Entry

TL;DR

Early literacy activities with toddlers are linked to better motor skills in girls by age 6, suggesting a connection between cognitive and motor development.

Contribution

This study reveals a novel link between early literacy stimulation and later gross motor development, particularly in girls.

Findings

Early literacy stimulation in toddlerhood is associated with higher gross motor scores in girls by age 6.

No significant associations were found between early literacy stimulation and motor skills in boys.

Promoting literacy-rich environments in toddlerhood may support healthy youth development.

Abstract

This study examines the long-term relationship between early literacy stimulation and later motor development, highlighting how early parent–child reading and writing experiences influence motor outcomes.

What are the main findings?
This study found longitudinal associations between toddler literacy stimulation and higher gross motor skills scores by age 6 among girls.No significant associations were found for boys.

This study found longitudinal associations between toddler literacy stimulation and higher gross motor skills scores by age 6 among girls.

No significant associations were found for boys.

What are the implications of the main findings?
Biological and environmental factors may account for the variation in motor outcomes between girls and boys.Early childhood policies should expand equitable access to books, and guide parents to enhance literacy routines (reading stories, tracing words, acting out narratives) to support both cognitive and motor development.

Biological and environmental factors may account for the variation in motor outcomes between girls and boys.

Early childhood policies should expand equitable access to books, and guide parents to enhance literacy routines (reading stories, tracing words, acting out narratives) to support both cognitive and motor development.

Background/objectives: Early literacy is widely promoted, yet its broader developmental benefits remain underexamined regarding key indicators of brain development. This study examines whether early literacy exposure in toddlerhood predicts motor skill development at the end of kindergarten. Methods: Participants comprised 1006 boys and 991 girls from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD) birth cohort. Early literacy stimulation was measured at age 2 years using parent reports of frequency of shared reading, looking at books or comics, and pre-writing activities such as scribbling and tracing. At age 6 years, child motor development was assessed by trained examiners. Sex-stratified multiple regression models were examined, adjusting for pre-existing and concurrent child and family characteristics. Results: Early literacy stimulation was significantly associated with better motor control skills among girls (β = 0.10, p < 0.05). For boys, a non-significant positive trend was observed for both motor and locomotion skills. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the lasting influence of early literacy stimulation and subsequent motor skills—particularly for girls who may receive less gross motor encouragement than boys. As such, promoting literacy-rich environments in toddlerhood is a family strategy to support healthy, confident, and active youth development.