Home learning environment in Latin America and the Caribbean: Associations with young children’s cognitive and socioemotional development

Abstract

The home learning environment (HLE) plays a crucial role in children’s early development. Mostresearch on the associations between the quantity and quality of the HLE and infant and toddlerdevelopment has been conducted with North American and Western European samples. This is asynthesis of studies on HLE that examine associations with cognitive and socioemotional skillsacross the first 3 years of life in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Studies reviewed werepublished between 2000 and 2025 and involved ethnically diverse samples. The article identifieskey findings and discusses methodological and conceptual limitations in the studies. The articleconcludes by offering five recommendations and directions for research specifically in the LACregion: 1) emphasize more culturally relevant operationalizations; 2) investigate the interactiveeffects of the HLE components on young child development; 3) move beyond the frequency ofhome literacy activities; 4) incorporate the caregiver’s cognition and behavior measures; and 5)explore bidirectional associations between HLE and young children’s development. Expandingresearch efforts in this area beyond North America and Western Europe will contribute to a moreinclusive, diverse, and globally representative infant developmental science.