Early Motor Interventions in Infants and Young Children: A Comprehensive Scoping Review

Background: Early motor milestones play a critical role in shaping developmental trajectories across motor, cognitive, social, and functional domains. Increasing evidence indicates that motor competence facilitates environmental exploration, learning opportunities, and social engagement during infancy and early childhood. Methods: The present scoping review mapped the literature on early motor interventions, describing the respective characteristics and outcomes across pediatric populations. The review followed PRISMA‑ScR reporting guidelines and included thirty peer‑reviewed publications published between 2005 and 2025. Studies were identified through searches in major electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Results: Evidence across populations—including preterm infants, children at risk of cerebral palsy, developmental coordination disorder, autism spectrum disorder, congenital conditions, and typically developing children—supports early, intensive, task‑specific, and family‑centered interventions. Benefits extend beyond motor development to cognitive and social outcomes. Conclusions: Early motor intervention should be considered a multidimensional developmental strategy. Future research should prioritize standardized intervention protocols, rigorous study designs, and long‑term follow‑up.