Exploring the Benefits of the Pikler Triangle from Growgo

If you follow the trends in Montessori play, undoubtedly you have come across the Pikler Triangle.

You may find yourself asking: what is a Pikler Triangle? What benefits does it have? Is it worth it?

Well, lucky for you, we bought one for our little guy and love it. This article will discuss what the Pikler Triangle is generally and then will review the Pikler Triangle we bought from Growgo.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. My goal in this article is to share the benefits we have received from using the Growgo Pikler Triangle.

A Brief History of the Pikler Triangle

Whilst often associated with the Montessori philosophy, the Pikler Triangle was developed by Hungarian pediatrician Dr. Emmi Pikler in the early 20th century. It was later brought to the United States by one of Dr. Pikler’s students, Magda Gerber (Gerber is a co-founder of Resources for Infant Educarers).

The key concept of the Pikler Triangle is freedom of movement. “Freedom of movement” here is not simply allowing a child to move, but instead allowing them to decide how and when to move.

The basis of this concept is actually quite fascinating. Dr. Pikler observed that children of lower class families suffered from fewer broken bones than children of upper class families. The upper class families tended to keep their children indoors and carefully supervised, while lower class families allowed their children to roam freely. Pikler found that the children who roamed freely were more alert, more physically capable, and able to fall without getting hurt. The children kept indoors were found to have less understanding of their physical capabilities and limits.

Why Use a Pikler Triangle?

The Pikler Triangle is beneficial because it helps children develop their gross motor skills, coordination, and strength.

• Climbing — Climbing up and down the triangle engages multiple muscle groups, improves coordination, and helps children develop problem-solving skills.
• Planning movements — Each action, like climbing, standing at the top, or descending, requires thoughtful motor planning.
• Balance — The triangle structure encourages children to balance.
• Grasping — Children can use the triangle to grasp and pull themselves up.

The Growgo Pikler Triangle

Benefits

• Encourages confidence and creativity
• Builds muscle strength, balance, and agility
• Improves posture
• Develops fine and gross motor skills

Folded Pikler Size

• Length: 36.2 in
• Width: 27.6 in
• Bottom Height: 5.5 in
• Top Height: 7.4 in

Rocker/Ramp Size

• Length: 39.4 in
• Width: 13.8 in
• Height: 5.32 in

Product Includes

• Foldable Pikler triangle
• Double-sided ramp with rocker and slider features
• Pinball game feature + 3 wooden balls
• Tent
• Packaged as DIY Craft Game (turns into Puppet Theatre)

Materials

• Non-toxic water based paint
• Pikler structure and ramp made from birch plywood
• Pikler dowels made from pine wood

Benefits by Age

The Pikler Triangle is recommended for children from ages 6 months to 6 years. This is one of the reasons why the Pikler Triangle is such a great toy — it grows with your child and has benefits for years. Below is a breakdown of benefits for each age group.

Babies (6–12 months)

Hanging as a mobile helps:

• Focus
• Hold their head up
• Reach with hands
• Grip

Young Toddlers (12–18 months)

Used to hold on to, helps:

• Stand up
• Cruise
• Learn to walk
• Balance and coordinate

Older Toddlers (18–24 months)

With the ramp:

• Builds muscle strength
• Develops gross motor skills
• Grows confidence
• Allows them to climb, slide, and rock

Small Kids (24+ months)

With the tent and pinball:

• Develops fine motor skills
• Promotes creative thinking
• Supports further physical and cognitive development

Our Experience

If you are one of our regular readers, you know our story. If not, our little one was born about 8 weeks early. Due to this, he has had slight developmental delays and we have had more than slight anxiety about his development.

As of this writing, our little guy is just beginning to learn to stand. Our Pikler Triangle has been of great help teaching him to pull up, balance, and begin cruising.

We love how his Pikler Triangle is encouraging his physical growth and giving him the confidence he needs to continue his development.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

1. Very well built and high quality
2. Easy to assemble
3. Grows with your little one for many years
4. Folds up for easy storage

Cons:

1. Depending on your budget, could be a bit pricey

Conclusion

If you are looking for something that will greatly benefit your child’s development and help them gain confidence in their movements, the Pikler Triangle is a great option. It will last you for years and grow with your child as they grow.