This study aimed at comparing the relationships between motor development and the characteristics in the home environment (physical space, daily activities, toys) of infants in two Brazilian regions, North (Marabá, PA) and Southeast (Piracicaba, SP). Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) was used to analyze motor development, and Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development - Infant Scale (AHEMD-IS) was used in order to analyze the family environments of eight breastfeed babies of 3 to 18 months of age. The groups in the two municipalities were not different in regards to motor development (p<0.05); however, significant differences were found among groups concerning day care frequency, fatherly schooling, and number of rooms in households. The results also indicated significant differences for opportunities at home, with the group from Marabá receiving significantly lower scores for the most part of the AHEMD-IS: external space (p=0.021), toys for fine motor skills (p<0.001), and total AHEMD-IS score (p=0.002). No differences were found among groups in daily activities and the internal space of homes. Motor development and opportunities in the home environment (total AHEMD-IS) were found to have weaker correlations for both the group from Marabá (r=0.33; p=0.03) and the group from Piracicaba (r=0.45; p<0.001). In summary, although both groups had similar motor development levels, the group of infants from Marabá was found to have fewer affordances (opportunities for action) as compared to the ones living in Piracicaba, which may result in differences in the motor development of the groups in the future.
Infant; Environment; Child Development