Pikler triangles are the perfect way to add some indoor fun for your active baby or young toddler. It’s a great way to get your toddler standing, walking, and climbing.
Kids can have so much fun with a Pikler triangle especially if they have some little friends over.
There are so many things to consider when buying a pikler. Everything from safety to size and age suggestions as well as how to use it.
Keep reading to find out everything there is to know about the best Pikler triangles for your toddler.
What is a Pikler Triangle?
A Pickler Triangle is a climbing triangle or frame designed for toddlers and very young children for the development of sensory and motor development. It can be considered a starting block for the skills a child needs in order to safely navigate traditional climbing equipment as he ages.
Pikler Triangles are a wooden triangle or a-frame climbing apparatus with ladder-like rungs upon which a child can climb. The equipment was developed in the early 20th century by Hungarian pediatrician Dr. Emmi Pikler and brought to the United States, where it grew in popularity.
While not developed by Maria Montessori, Pikler triangles may be categorized as a Montessori climber due to their popularity among parents who have adopted the Montessori home, or as a Waldorf toy.
The Best Pikler Triangles
Let’s take a look at some of the best Pikler Triangles on the market, so you can make the choice that is best for your family.
Woodandhearts Pikler Triangle for Kids
Dimensions | 34.4 inches x 31.5 inches x 32 inches |
Weight | 22.5 lbs |
Material/Wood type | Birch Hardwood |
Accessories | Pikler Arch, Pikler Ramp |
Why We Love It
This product, which is also available in a smaller size for parents of babies and smaller toddlers, is a great option for families that want to provide a multi-functional wooden climber set to their child. The combination of the Pikler Triangle, arch, and ramp can be configured in multiple ways to promote a variety of climbing activities for a growing child.
What Makes It Different
The upper age range for this particular set is 8 years of age, making it a worthwhile investment if you have multiple children or want to keep it a part of your playroom beyond the preschool years.
CASSARO Large Climbing Triangle
Dimensions | 31 inches x 35 inches x 30 inches |
Weight | 19 lbs |
Material/Wood type | Natural Birch EuroPly/Solid Beechwood |
Accessories | None |
Why We Love It
This sturdy climbing triangle has no frills and is sized well for families who do not need to move or store their triangle in between uses. Designed for children ages 3 to 8 years old, the 5/8 inch thick construction can support up to 100 pounds. While this triangle comes as a standalone product, the company offers ramps, mini triangles, and cubes that can be paired with the large triangle.
What Makes It Different
The sides of this triangle are set in such a way that the triangle can also be used as a tunnel for children to crawl through, opening up another aspect of motor skill development and potential for imaginative play.
Costzon Wooden Climbing Triangle Ladder
Dimensions | 36.5 inches x 18 inches x 32 inches |
Weight | 19 lbs |
Material/Wood type | Pine |
Accessories | None |
Why We Love It
This simple climbing triangle is a great option for indoor play, made with high-quality pine and solid connections that can support up to 135 pounds. With a slightly lower price tag, this may also be a good option for Montessori families on a budget.
What Makes It Different
Each side of this triangle has a different number of rungs, from 4 to 6 bars. Parents can flip the triangle to provide three different difficulty levels for their children based on age and developmental needs.
WEDANTA Toddler Slide Indoor Play Set
Dimensions | 21.25 inches x 33.5 inches x 32.5 inches |
Weight | 29.9 lbs |
Material/Wood type | Beech & Plywood |
Accessories | Removeable Slide/Ladder |
Why We Love It
This Pikler Triangle from WEDANTA is foldable for easy storage and easy to assemble. The included ramp can be used as either a slide or a climber, and the triangle itself is well-sized for smaller children up to 88 pounds.
What Makes it Different
Fully adjustable, WEDANTA’s climbing triangle can be set at four different angles. Set the triangle at a shallow angle for beginners, and when your child has become an expert climber, move the angle to the steepest setting to challenge him.
Ette Tete Modifiable Pikler Triangle
Dimensions | 24.2 inches x 31.5 inches x 23 inches |
Weight | N/A |
Material/Wood type | Birch plywood/Birch Rods |
Accessories | Removable ramp |
Why We Love It
Ette Tete’s version of a Pikler Triangle is made from sturdy materials and is fully adjustable to meet the developmental needs of children starting at the age of 12 months. The removeable ramp allows for additional elements of climbing and sliding, and all elements of this product are handmade.
What Makes It Different
When we say fully adjustable, we aren’t kidding. Besides the standard climbing triangle, this little climber can be reconfigured to take the shape of a house, an M-shape, a tabletop, or a low slide.
Costzon Foldable Wooden Climbing Triangle Ladder
Dimensions | 48 inches x 28 inches x 43.5 inches |
Weight | 35 lbs |
Material/Wood type | Wood |
Accessories | Adjustable ladder/slide |
Why We Love It
This triangle is sturdy and colorful. A 2-in-1 product, your child can climb and slide according to his readiness and developmental needs. The foldable design makes this triangle easy to move and store. The removeable and adjustable ladder that comes with it can be “hooked” onto the side of the triangle when it is folded for storage.
What Makes It Different
In addition to being a stable, well-constructed climbing triangle, this particular Pikler Triangle’s height can be adjusted to grow with your child.
What is the purpose of a Pikler Triangle?
The main purpose of a Pikler Triangle is to allow and encourage a child to navigate a climbing structure at his own speed while developing gross motor skills, strength and agility. This type of play also helps kids understand their own boundaries.
A child can climb and pull up on the rungs of the wooden triangle. There are also ramps and other play bars that can be attached to the Montessori climber to promote sensory play and alternative activities.
Despite its primary purpose as a climbing frame, a Pikler Triangle serves a variety of uses that promote a child’s confidence and the development of age-appropriate motor skills.
While traditional playground equipment and play structures are designed for older children, parents often introduce such climbing equipment by placing a very small toddler on them and then assisting him in navigating the equipment. While this may be a fun bonding experience, it doesn’t promote the independence and confidence a child learns when presented with a Pikler Triangle.
Where should I place my Pikler Triangle?
Pikler Triangles can be used indoors or out. Many parents who decide to invest in this climbing frame may prefer to place it in their main playroom, but anywhere that has an appropriate amount of clear floor space will do.
Some Pikler Triangles are designed to fold for easy storage or transport, allowing families to move the climbing triangle as needed.
It is important to place your Pikler Triangle in an area where your child has enough room to navigate the frame, the area around it, and any add-on features like a ramp.
The floor around the Pikler Triangle should be kept free of furniture and other toys when it is being used as a climbing toy. For optimum safety, it is best to place your climbing triangle on a soft surface, like a carpet or play mat.
The one place a Pikler Triangle does not belong in your child’s bedroom, as there are obvious instances when you would be unable to monitor its use at all times. Additionally, separating the play and rest areas can be a good idea.
Is a Pikler Triangle Safe?
The Pikler wooden climbing frame encourages and promotes independent play by letting a child explore their own space. It allows him to learn motor concepts like pulling up, navigating a ladder, and balancing.
Pikler Triangles come in a variety of sizes, but just about all the examples available on the market are sized with small children and their ability to explore independently in mind.
Compared to traditional playground equipment and outdoor play structures, this smaller size is a much safer option. Even if a child takes a tumble, the relative distance to the floor or ground is minimal.
Parents should always supervise their child’s play on any climbing frame. But just the very concept of allowing a toddler to climb on a Pikler Triangle sets him up for success and safety because he learns to properly navigate and build confidence in climbing equipment.
What age is a Pikler Triangle for?
Pikler Triangles can be used by babies as young as six months old, all the way up to age four or five years old. Babies in the second half of their first year can use the rungs to pull up to a standing position, and the addition of a play bar easily turns the climbing frame into a floor activity gym.
Toddlers’ use of a Pikler Triangle would include exploratory climbing partway up one side of the frame before coming back down again. Preschoolers, around the ages of 4 or 5 years old, are able to clime to the top of the triangle, navigate getting both legs over the apex, and climbing down the other side.
This type of wooden triangle is based more on a child’s developmental readiness than age, as all babies and toddlers grow and master skills at different rates and ages.
Is the Pikler Triangle worth it?
Parents considering the investment of a Pikler Triangle may wonder if it’s worth the money and whether it will be a beneficial addition to their child’s playroom. At the end of the day, you need to evaluate your budget, space, and the developmental needs of your child before deciding to invest in a Pikler Triangle.
Babies and toddlers naturally tend to climb, on furniture, stepstools, perhaps even the family dog. These climbing adventures aren’t always safe or appropriate. The wonderful thing about a Pikler Triangle is that it allows a child to safely learn to climb while also satisfying the natural desire to climb.
The Pikler triangle was a great addition to our home was 100% with the price given how much fun our kids got from it for so many years.
Is the Pikler Triangle a Montessori toy?
Families who adhere to the Montessori Method of learning and development often invest in a Pikler Triangle, even though it is not technically a Montessori climber. The Pikler triangle is certainly considered a Montessori “toy” by many parents.
There are several reasons why Pikler Triangles fit in well in a Montessori household.
- PIkler Triangles are made of high-quality wood, such as birch hardwood, which aligns with the Montessori principle of the use of natural materials.
- Children are free to explore the wooden triangle at their own speed and in whatever way strikes their interest.
- In addition to its primary use as a climbing triangle, Pikler Triangles also provide many options for children to engage in sensory and open-ended play by using the triangle as part of imaginative play.
What are the average dimensions of a Pikler Triangle?
The size of a Pikler Triangle will vary somewhat between manufacturers. Typically, this wooden triangle will be three to four feet in height at the apex. The footprint of a Pikler Triangle also varies based on width and adjustability. The average width of Pikler Triangles available for purchase is between two and three feeth.
Smaller versions are available that are intended for babies’ use at playgroups, daycares or at home
Vikki is the creator of Totsgo and the mother of two children. She is a passionate mother who enjoys assisting other parents.