Emmi Pikler (1902-1984) was a Hungarian paediatrician and educationalist. Her theories focused on maintaining a respectful parent-child relationship and on the natural progression of motor development through free movement and play. Pikler believed that allowing children to move naturally and develop at their own pace was better for their confidence and physical development.

The most famous design associated with Pikler is the ‘Pikler Triangle’ – a small, triangular, runged climbing frame resembling a folding ladder. Children are usually able to climb before they can walk, and the Pikler Triangle provides a means to practice gross motor skills through developing their ability to climb.

In 2017, Triclimb Ltd brought a renewed version of the Triangle to the UK market. At that time, there were no wooden climbing triangles available in the EU that met toy safety standards. Christine Dunford, the designer, updated the product with additional safety features to provide stability. The apparatus can also be combined with other Triclimb products, such a slide and a flat ‘deck’ to create more possibilities for play and physical activity.

Young children climb by hauling themselves up with their upper bodies. The diameter of Triclimb’s rungs was chosen to enable children to grip them strongly, i.e. with forefinger touching the thumb. An innovative hinge joint at the top also allows the frame to be completely self-supporting, without the need for a separate locking piece. The inbuilt locking mechanism also means that the thumbscrews do not themselves support the frame, which reduces the possibility of it collapsing if they are removed.