Treadmills and tummy time: Research helps boost baby motor skills

March 1, 2018

In the Department of Kinesiology, babies are learning how to walk. This is thanks to ongoing research from Assistant Professor Janet Hauck‘s Physical Activity in Youth with Disabilities (PLAY’d) Lab.

Hauck is studying infants with and without disabilities and their motor skills, such as learning to walk, to examine how these skills affect infants’ growth and development. And she’s using a unique tool to help with her research.

“We know how to speed up motor development, and one of those methods is with a baby treadmill, believe it or not,” Hauck said in a recent video.

Her research has recently been highlighted by WKAR:


Hauck discusses what types of research she is doing in her lab, including insight into baby treadmills.


“Tummy time” is discussed in this video, covering its benefits, various positions and how it connects to Hauck’s ongoing research.


How can treadmills help babies with Down syndrome learn to walk sooner? Combat obesity as they grow? This, and more, are covered in the above video.


Curious to learning more about Hauck’s research, and what it means to study child development? The Curious Crew stopped by the PLAY’d Lab to learn more.