Furniture has the ability to encourage a child to move about more freely. Many children spend significant amounts of time physically confined in a stroller, crib, highchair, playpen, or car seat. But allowing a child to explore in a safe environment will provide many learning advantages. Although unorthodox, there are many viable alternatives to cribs and highchairs. In a Montessori home, for example, infants sleep on mats on the floor rather than in cribs. Many of these children crawl and walk months earlier than the average child because they have more opportunities to practice. Children as young as seven months sit in weaning chairs with their feet on the floor rather than in highchairs. Although this method requires meticulous child-proofing and patience in getting the child to focus on the task at hand, it encourages a child to move, explore, and learn.

It is important to be flexible and willing to make adjustments when things don't work. An adult sized dresser that is too tall or has excessively heavy drawers - while fine in a newborn's room - discourages an older child from learning how to dress himself. Books stored on high shelves with spines out are hard for children to see, access and put away.

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