You might be asking some of the same questions I was asking a few months ago about the Pikler Triangle, such as What the heck is it? Should I get one? How is it beneficial for my child? How much is it? Is it worth it?
If so, you came to the right place! I did the research and I’m going to share with you all about the Pikler Triangle!
What’s a Pikler Triangle?
accessories and pricing
Different ways to use one
Needless to say, a lot of us parents (and children!) were thrown into the deep end when Covid-19 hit. We had to learn how to adapt to a new way of living, not only for ourselves but for our children as well. A lot of us were concerned about their health and safety first and foremost, followed by the concern for their social wellbeing and their physical and mental development.
While being confined in the house you can only come up with so many ideas to keep your kids active and entertained. I broke down and brought Bruin to the park a few times but I thought me chasing him around with hand sanitizer and wet wipes was taking a lot of the fun out of it for him. I wanted to find a safer alternative that contributed to his development at home, both mentally and physically. So I turned to Google, and thankfully I stumbled across the Pikler Triangle.
So, What is a Pickler Triangle, Anyway?
The Pikler Triangle, similar to Montessori (a method of education that allows for self-directed and hands-on learning) is an indoor climbing structure that was designed by a Pediatrician named Dr. Emmi Pikler around 100 years ago when she introduced her theories on infant and toddler education and development. It offers endless benefits for your children, including gross motor skills development, open-ended and independent play, physical strength, agility, confidence, spatial awareness, boundaries, and so many more. Luckily for us, the Pikler Triangle stuck around and the concept hasn’t changed much, however, the available accessories and endless ideas on how to use them keep growing.
Accessories and Pricing
You can purchase accessories to convert a Pikler Triangle into a larger playset including arches, slides, ramps, rock climbers, etc. The triangles themselves come in different sizes and while it may be better to purchase a smaller one if you introduce them at a young age, getting a bigger one might be a better investment so your children can grow with them. I recommend getting the tallest one you can find (around 30 inches in height, at least) that has different angle settings for adjustment. You can get them in all different wood finishes and colors, ones that transform to different positions, and if they fold up that’s a bonus!
Pikler Triangles vary with pricing, and that of course depends on the quality, where it’s manufactured and shipped from, if you get a whole set or just the triangle, their functionality, size, etc. They typically run anywhere from $200 to $700. Many of them are available on Etsy and even Amazon. Make sure when researching you take shipping costs into consideration, a lot of them are from Europe and look less expensive than they are before shipping. The one I have is from Ukraine and the shipping alone was $150, however, they always have huge sales when you purchase a larger set.
I researched many different brands and I’ll share my top picks for the most popular triangles and sets available. These are all in the natural wood finishes at their standard sizes, have great reviews, and are best sellers. Lily & River is a very popular brand in the U.S., however, I read they run smaller (around 24in. in height). Wiwiurka is another popular choice, but I see a lot of complaints about the delivery time (around 4 weeks, however, the site claims 3 days to 6 weeks). Cassaro Kids has great reviews but their triangles are not foldable, so make sure you have enough room in your house first! Woodandhearts (more on them soon) is the brand we have and I recommend them above all the others.
| Company | Location | Price of Triangle* | Price of 3 in 1 Set* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lily & River | U.S. | $215 | $500 |
| Wiwiurka | Mexico | $300 | $680 |
| Cassaro Kids | U.S. | $250 | $550 |
| Woodandhearts | Europe | $295 | $540 |
You may even consider the option of DIY here if you’re handy with woodwork and have the necessary tools. There’s definitely an option to make your own at a lower cost, keep in mind though, the reason they are expensive is that they need to be made with safety in mind and SHOULD NOT be cheaply made. You can find step-by-step instructions here if you’re up for it!
Different ways to use a Pikler Triangle
Depending on your child’s age, you can come up with countless ways to use the Pikler Triangle. I’ll include a few below:
6-12 months
You can use the triangle to get your child to practice grabbing the rungs and pulling themselves up. You can also use it for endless sensory activities! Add velcro stickers to the triangle and attach objects from around your house for them to play with, you can also tape or even hang them at different levels for them to reach. You can attach different fabrics to the rungs for them to pull up on, I’ve seen a lot of people use differently textured and colored scarves. You can use the ramp to roll balls to them, play peek-a-boo, I mean it’s really up to your imagination here, there are endless possibilities.
12-36 months
I’ll use Bruin here as an example since he was 18 months when we got his. He uses the ramp to slide him and his cars down, he uses the rock climber which you can also adjust to different inclines, we even use it as a table for him to eat at or lounge his feet on when he’s watching a movie. We also use it as a tent/fort, (which is one of Bruin’s favorites) because he likes his privacy when he poops LOL. He will point to a blanket for me to cover the triangle and he’ll crawl in there to hide and do his business. So I guess it also makes for a good bathroom too if you have a shy pooper!
Of course, Bruin still uses it for its main purpose which is to climb on, and that comes with so many other benefits in itself; watching Bruin get so proud of himself each time he climbs a little higher is the greatest. He hasn’t quite gotten down the task of climbing over the top from one side to the next, but he’s so close I’m sure he’ll have it down in no time. I usually just sit by and let him experiment, it can be risky play but I know it’s good for him overall. Watching his little mind and muscles work in ways they don’t usually is enough for me to love having this in our home.
3-8 years
If you invest in a larger triangle, it will likely still interest your child beyond their toddler years. Let their imaginations run wild here, they can set up a garage for their cars, set up a puppet show, add a ball pit at the bottom of the ramp to slide into, you can even assist them in setting up different educational activities like math, for example, it’s as simple as adding shower rings or colored construction paper to the bars for having them count when moving from one end to the next. You can come up with many different ways to use these things, can you already tell I love them?
The exact one we have
First off, I did get ours at a reduced cost with the promise of writing a review for Instagram, but as always, I give my 100% honest opinion on anything I recommend! We got ours on Etsy from an amazing company called Woodandhearts. They’re based in Europe and deliver extremely high-quality pieces, their customer service is amazing and their shipping was super fast (I placed my order on a Monday and received it the following Monday.) We got the 3 in 1 set, which includes the foldable and adjustable triangle, the ramp, and the arch. You can get a small size or standard size, where they advertise the small being suitable for kids 8 months to 4 years, and the standard size for kids 2-8 years, with a maximum load of 132 pounds.
For reference, here are the dimensions for the standard size that we have:
| Standard Size | Height | Width | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triangle | 81cm/32in. | 87.5cm/34.4in | 80cm/31.5in |
| Arch | 47cm/18.5in | 97cm/38in. | 52cm/20.5in |
| Ramp | 99cm/38.78in | 38cm/15in. |
You can use our unique code for an additional discount at Woodandhearts: BRUIN44
So, do you need one?
My answer here is no you do not “need” one, as they are definitely on the pricier side and I understand it may not fit in your budget or you may not have the space in your home for it. However, if it DOES fit in your budget, I would 100% recommend getting one. They are a great investment that will last a long time. Whether you find a friend or family member to make one for you, you DIY yourself, you find a great deal on one, or you pay a lot for one, the benefits will still be the same, and I’m certain it would be worth it. Bruin LOVES his!
Recap of some of benefits of the Pikler Triangle…
- Grows with your child
- Builds their confidence
- Coordination
- Balance
- Boundaries
- Self-awareness
- Concentration
- Independence
- Fine and gross motor skills
- Gives children a place inside your home to explore and move their bodies
- Encourages use of imagination and open-ended play
There is plenty more, but you get my point here! These are an incredible addition for any family! If you have questions about them please reach out to me here and I’ll try my best to help!
