Depth and Quality of Recommendations in Popular Sources About How to Play with Infants: Content Analysis

Abstract

Aim

Systematically evaluate the depth and quality of play recommendations provided in popular sources for parents of infants in the first year of life.

Methods

This represents the second stage of a larger analysis of educational content available to parents. Two coders (>90% agreement) extracted and coded play activities from popular websites, applications, and books screened from a systematic online search. Depth of instruction variables were extracted. Activity quality was rated based on opportunities for child-initiated movement, problem-solving with objects, and responsive communication.

Results

4370 play activities from 214 sources were analyzed. Activities were likely to suggest specific ages for infants and that a caregiver be present. Less than half of the activities incorporated toys or provided guidance about how to position or physically support infants. Activity quality was low; most activities did not explicitly encourage parents to provide opportunities for child-initiated movement, problem-solving with objects, or quality communication.

Conclusions

Parents may encounter a large number of play activities in popular sources, but the depth of instruction and quality of those activities could be improved. Provision of higher-quality education to parents may enhance parent-child play interactions to positively impact parent and child outcomes, especially for children at risk for delays.

Keywords:

• Content analysis
• infant development
• parent education
• play activities

Acknowledgments

The authors want to thank the research assistants for their invaluable assistance in supporting data coding.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The codebook and sources presented in this study are available in the Supplementary Materials. The data that support the findings are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Additional information

Funding

This manuscript is based upon work supported by the University of Delaware Graduate College through the Unidel Distinguished Graduate Scholar Award (Orlando).

Notes on contributors

Andrea B. Cunha

Andrea B. Cunha, PT, MSc, PhD, received her bachelor’s degree at the Methodist University of Piracicaba and her master’s degree and PhD in Physical Therapy at the Federal University of Sao Carlos. She conducted post-doctoral research in the Move 2 Learn Innovation Lab at the University of Delaware. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center. Her work is conducted with a user-centered, family-friendly focus and aims to improve the quality of life for children at risk for or with physical disabilities.

Julie M. Orlando

Julie M. Orlando, PT, DPT, is a board-certified clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy and postdoctoral research fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Julie earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Biomechanics and Movement Science at the University of Delaware in 2024 and her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Ithaca College in 2014. She completed the Pediatric Residency Program and Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in 2017. Her research interests include developing interventions to advance development for pediatric participants and incorporating wearable technologies to evaluate activity and movement in an ecological setting.

Zainab S. Alghamdi

Zainab S. Alghamdi, PT, MSPT, received her bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy from King Khalid University in Saudi Arabia and her master’s degree in Neuromuscular Rehabilitation from the University of Pittsburgh. She has experience practicing as a pediatric physical therapist in inpatient, outpatient, and home care settings. She is currently a PhD candidate in the Biomechanics and Movement Science program at the University of Delaware. Her research interests include the impact of the physical environment on infants’ development, early intervention, and advancing parent education to improve infants’ developmental outcomes.

Michele A. Lobo

Michele A. Lobo, PT, PhD, FAPTA received her master’s degree in physical therapy from the Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University and her PhD in Biomechanics and Movement Science from the University of Delaware. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Physical Therapy Department at the University of Delaware, where she leads an interdisciplinary research team focused on advancing developmental outcomes and function for children at-risk for or with physical or developmental disabilities.