What is the Pikler Triangle?

Learning to 'drive' the human body

Asked why he wanted to climb Mt. Everest, George Mallory famously answered, "Because it's there." It’s quite likely that if you ask your toddler why she's climbing on the furniture, her answer wouldn't be very different!

It certainly can be a little unnerving for parents to watch their little ones struggle and clamber up things that were clearly not meant for such superhuman feats. However, anyone who’s been around a toddler long enough knows that if they set their adventurous minds on climbing something, you bet that eventually they will do just that. Toddler instincts will keep driving our little ones to push themselves, to see how much they can do with this amazing instrument they’re learning to drive -- the human body!

The Pikler Approach - Development at its own pace

As babies go through the different stages of development, it’s important to let them develop at their own pace. Their innate ability to know what they are capable of doing next holds them in good stead as they rapidly progress from lying on their backs to running and climbing. As caregivers we need to make sure we provide them with safe, enriching environments that help their innate abilities thrive. A core principle of the Pikler-Approach is to create a relationship with a baby where things are done “with the baby” not “to the baby”, and an interactive, free, and nurturing environment is essential for this.

The Pikler Triangle, as the name suggests, is perfectly aligned with the idea of free and adventurous play, built around the Pikler Principles. Here, the baby becomes the leader, in a safe, nurturing environment. The pikler triangle itself is a simple idea: a frame with wooden bars, which allows endless variations on activities and ways to play. Essentially, the pikler triangle becomes whatever it needs to become based on the age and developmental level of the child. All of this while under the safe supervision (without needing much intervention after set-up) of a parent or caregiver.

Pikler Triangle - Benefits and Considerations while Choosing

With its open-ended nature and thrust on independence, the Pikler Triangle creates a perfect setting for helping develop physical and gross motor skills at appropriate times. Beyond these essential aspects, there is also a huge boost to the confidence of toddlers as they master their spatial world independently, with parents looking on. It’s endearing (and very common) to see a little toothy grin from babies as they realise they’ve just learnt a new skill or accomplished a new feat with the help of the triangle.

Even as your little six-month old starts gaining the ability to sit up, the bars on the triangle are perfect props for him to start supporting himself into a sitting position, and encouraging  him to slowly pull himself up. Within a few months you’ll notice how standing up came naturally to him, as it should. Don’t be surprised to see your little one go off on (low incline) climbing adventures soon enough!

For older children the Pikler Triangle becomes a mini-gym in the safety of the house. As children grow older, they can scale new heights and become mini-mountaineers themselves with an increase in the height of the triangle. Of course, this makes it imperative that the Pikler triangle you choose for your little angel is safe, sturdy, and dependable. Since only the best will do for our fast-developing toddlers, it’s important to pick one that can support heavy loads, is tall enough to be useful over a long time, and is made from high quality materials. It’s usual for siblings of different ages to use the triangle together, each adapting its versatility to their own developmental stage.

The Pikler Triangle has become highly popular in recent years due to its ability to become whatever you’d like it to be. Its adjustable height and myriad configurations allow it to be used in several ways. Accessories and attachments available make the Pikler Triangle a perfect toy that grows with your child. Tents, slides, climbing attachments are a great way to enhance the longevity of the toy. What could be better than a toy that helps your kids grow, and grows with them as well!

This article is part of a series on adventurous play. Have a look at our Bloon Pikler Collection - 

Inspired by Dr. Emmi Pikler’s Pikler Triangle - the Bloon Pikler brings to you a versatile and adaptable range of climbing frames and accessories designed to see a growing child through all their stages of development - giving them different levels of challenge, adventure, physical and imaginative play... playful furniture they never grow out of!