Our Pikler Triangle was inspired by the brand Lilly and River that you can purchase (Etsy has some too). David and I have begun making Montessori and Waldorf inspired toys for our son which you can see here. While the Pikler triangle isn't technically a Montessori item, it is used and loved by many Montessori families.
Supplies
¾ inch Baltic Birch Plywood (around 15 sq.ft.)
4/4 red oak board (used for climbing rocks, 2 sq.ft.)
11 red oak dowels (1-inch diameter)
¾ inch Roto hinge (2 needed)
Stain
Butcher block conditioner
¼ inch dowels (small bag)
Wood Glue
Cost/Difficulty
This project cost us around $110 for supplies. However, we bought our wood from a wholesaler and had some supplies already. If you need to make this project on a budget, you could use pine. I would rank this project medium/hard although there are easier designs if this seems too complex.
Tools
Drill (1/4 inch drill bit for pegs)
Circular Saw
Scroll saw or Jig saw or Coping Saw
Sandpaper (we used a random orbital sander)
Tape Measure
Clamps
1 inch forstner bit
Plans
Safety recommendations vary, but general guidelines say less than 3.5 or more than 9.0. We always supervise our child with play.
Cut one of the above drawing and then cut one of the mirror image.
Cut one of the above drawing and then cut one of the mirror image.
Cut eleven of the above drawing.
Cut two of the above drawing.
Instructions
1. Cut all parts to length per previous drawings. We used the circular saw for straight cuts and a jig saw to round corners. Sand each piece.
2. Drill one-inch holes in the legs using a forstner bit stopping just shy of going through the leg (this would be easier with a drill press if you have one.) Drill 1/4-inch holes for dowel pin assembly, again stopping just shy of going through. Drill 3/4-inch holes for hinges.
3. Glue pivoting leg assembly shown below. Make sure your hinge holes face outward. The second leg can be tough to attach; try tapping in place with a hammer if needed.
4. Glue fixed leg assembly shown below. Make sure the hinge hole on your gusset faces inward.
5. Attach pivoting leg assembly to fixed leg assembly using roto hinges then glue the remaining gusset in place.
6. Build Ramp: Cut climbing stones using jig saw or scroll saw in whatever shapes you like. Drill holes in stones and corresponding holes in the ramp. Use dowel pins and glue to attach stones and side pieces.
7. We stained oak pieces and sealed them. Use polyurethane on the slide to make it slick. We used butcher block conditioner on the rest of the wood.
8. All Done!
Ways to Play
Here are some the ways we have enjoyed using our Pikler already: as a slide, a climber, a ramp for racecars and balls, a tunnel to crawl through and a reading nook.
