In Pikler Triangles We Trust
We’re absolutely in love with the Pikler Triangle!
For gross motor skills development, it’s a super-duper climbing toy that you’ll get years of climb time out of.
So you’ve done your research, learned everything there to know about it and looked at the best Pikler triangles from around the world.
But what about American-made Pikler triangles?
That’s exactly what we’ll be exploring today.
I’ve hand-picked a handful of America’s finest — and compared their strengths and weaknesses to pass on my best recommendations to you.
For wooden toys made in America, you’ve come to the right place. We believe in buying locally and supporting our neighbors.
Let’s jump right in!
Affiliate Link Disclosure – If you see a product you like and click through to buy it, I would genuinely appreciate it. I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. It would mean a lot, thanks!
In a Hurry?
We reviewed dozens of different USA-made Pikler triangles and boiled it down to the top three! Here’s your quick list of America’s best Pikler triangles:
- RAD Children’s Furniture — Best overall
- Lily & River — Best design
- PlayWilder — Best value
Top 3 Pikler Triangles Made in USA
RAD Children’s Furniture
Made in California
Company backstory. Based in southern California, RAD is a family-run business focused on wooden kids’ furniture aligned with educational principles from RIE (resources for infant “educarers”) thought-leaders like Maria Montessori, Emmi Pikler, Magda Gerber, Elfriede Hengstenberg, and Rudolf Steiner.
With a product line of child-sized play tables, chairs, stools, rocking boats, and more — you can rest assured RAD are experts when it comes to large wooden kids play equipment. Built both for preschools and in-home play — RAD is all about providing a safe and educational play environment!
They’re not as active on Instagram and don’t have aggressive ad campaigns. Instead, it’s a company that lets their products do the talking for them.
Price. RAD’s Large Foldable Climbing Triangle runs a little more expensive than other American-made Pilker triangles — but if you ask parents with any Pikler experience, they’ll tell you a Pikler triangle is not something you should go cheap on.
By investing around $50 to $100 more, you’ll ensure top-quality that will maximize the number of climb time your child will get out of it.
Size. Picking the right size for your Pikler triangle is really important since size determines its age-appropriateness for infants through to childhood. With 33.5” long legs and 28” wide rungs, RAD’s Large Foldable Climbing Triangle is a good standard size — both engaging for babies and climbable for kids up to 4 or 5 years old.
For about $50 more or less, RAD also offers their Pikler in small (24.5” long legs) and jumbo (46” long legs) sizes. That means a space-saver if you live in a small apartment, or a classroom-sized climbing frame big enough even for kindergarten-aged kids.
Attachments & safety. In addition to offering a range of different climbing frame sizes, RAD also offers different-sized ramps — both short (46” long by 12” wide) and long (58” long by 12” wide). Even though RAD calls their 46” ramp “short” — it’s an ample size for in-home Pikler play. The 58” long, RAD’s “long” ramp is ideal for early childhood education centers — the longest of any ramp offered by American Pikler triangle companies.
RAD only offers one attachment style — double-sided as a climbing ramp with ladder steps and a slide on the other side. It’s pretty standard and not as unique as other Pikler attachments we’ll look at.
A side note — RAD makes a super-creative children’s easel that attaches perfectly onto all of their Piklers. For artistic families, that may be the best reason to choose RAD.
Pikler triangle safety features are mostly centered around the hinge — the part that allows the two sides to fold in and out. Unlike most Pikler triangles, RAD’s hinge includes a lock pin for an added level of protection against folding while your child is climbing on it — or pinched fingers when your child is pushing the Pikler across the floor.
Wood, materials & colors. If you’re looking for a bright-colored Pikler, RAD’s isn’t for you — since their Pikler comes unpainted. If you appreciate high-quality wood — however — then RAD’s is a great pick! The legs are made from highly durable Birch EuroPly and its ladder rungs are made with hardwood dowels. No icky chemicals here — the wood is finished with a non-toxic water-based sealant.
Shipping & assembly. RAD offers free shipping within 4–7 business days — so it’s not the fastest, but not too slow either.
A big differentiator for people who aren’t good with tools is — RAD is the only American Pikler brand you can order pre-assembled by their in-house professionals. It’ll cost you more, but for those of us who are hopeless with hand tools — it might be worth it!
→ See other wooden kids’ furniture from RAD Children’s Furniture.
→ Check out more wooden toys from California.
Lily & River
Based in Arizona
Company backstory. Lily & River is by far the most well-known name on our list! Since 2018 when the Pikler triangle started gaining popularity, they’ve been the most active American company promoting the Pikler triangle’s benefits.
Lily & River’s helps its customers curate complete playrooms. They offer a suite of beautifully designed Scandinavian-inspired play equipment for your child’s early years — focused on climbing, balancing, building, and learning. If you like Lily & River’s style, it really can become your one-stop shop for play toys that look great together.
There are things I really like about Lily & River — like how they plant a tree for every order purchased! Eco-friendly play equipment that looks like eye candy? What’s not to love!?
I am concerned about a few things, though. Quality for one thing — lots of parents report receiving an item with chipped paint or scuffed metal parts. (Just saying — most parents leave raving 5-star reviews, but those few horror stories that surface really do make me wonder.)
Transparency is the other. Yes, their products are made in the USA — but it seems their manufacturing isn’t in-house. That makes me feel like Lily & River is “in the business of Pikler triangles” — a little less magical than other businesses who started from a love of woodworking.
To be fair, I tend to root for the underdog. Just because Lily & River has grown into a popular business known nationwide, doesn’t mean they’re any less authentic than when they started out.
Price. Lily & River’s Little Climber is on the somewhat pricey side — starting at over $200 for the climbing frame — which is about what you’d expect. I always recommend buying an attachment ramp alongside your Pikler — but Lily & River’s attachments are really expensive.
Size. The Little Climber is smaller and wider than other American-made Pikler triangles — with legs at 28 1/4” and ladder rungs 33” wide. That means it’s ideal for babies and young toddlers — but you won’t get as much playtime out of it as your child grows.
Attachments & safety. Lily & River offers two styles of ramps — both have a smooth side for your child to slide down — and for the other side, you can choose between climbing ramps with ladder-steps or with child-friendly rock-climbing holds.
If you buy the white-runged Pikler triangle, the ramp’s steps or climbing-holds are available as white-accents too — again speaking to the aesthetic beauty Lily & River does great at.
As far as safety, there’s no safety lock pin — but I really like how chunky and rounded the triangle safety piece is around the climbing frame’s hinge.
Wood, materials & colors. Made from birch hardwood through and through, the Little Climber is available in all-natural unpainted style or with painted rungs — white, white & blue, or white & pink (non-toxic, of course). That’s one area Lily & River excels — their Pikler triangles and matching playroom toys are aesthetically pleasing with wonderful minimal design.
Shipping & assembly. Like most Piklers, an Alan wrench and all parts are included so that you can assemble it yourself. If you’re hopeless with tools, it might be a little difficult — but most people can figure it out without problems.
→ See other home playroom equipment from Lily & River.
→ Check out more wooden toys from Arizona.
PlayWilder
Made in Colorado
Company backstory. PlayWilder is a family-run business that started from a father’s love of woodworking. When they had their first child, the love of creating turned into a vision to create healthy toys to stimulate children’s brains.
From that point forward, PlayWilder focused exclusively on the Pikler triangle and other epic wooden climbing gyms — suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Before PlayWilder was making Pikler triangles, they were making wooden photo booths for adult use in big crowds at concerts and conventions. That means they know how to make a large wooden structure to withstand wear and tear!
Price. Right off the bat, here’s something to celebrate about PlayWilder. Compared to other USA-made Pikler triangles, theirs is economical. The climbing frame alone costs about 25% less.
Even better? PlayWilder is the best place to buy a Pikler triangle bundle. They offer package deals where the more Pikler triangles, ramps, and accessories you bundle together, the more you save.
I can’t stress enough just how great this is — especially in contrast to the other American Pikler triangle companies we’ve looked at, that keep extra climbing frames and extra attachments at just one standard price.
Since mommies and daddies usually have friends who are also mommies and daddies — If you want to buy together, you could save a ton. By going with PlayWilder’s 2 triangles and 2 ramps bundle — you’ll already save about 40% more than if you bought separately from another USA Pikler company.
Size. PlayWilder’s large Pikler triangle is the tallest of the bunch — with legs at 41.5” long and ladder rungs at 30” wide. Plus it supports up to 200 pounds of weight. With size and durability combined, that means several toddlers can play on it at the same time, and kids as old as 5 or 6 years old can still get a good climb out of it.
To get the best of both worlds, they offer a modifiable Pikler triangle with leg extensions, too. The leg pieces are divided into two sections, so you can set up a tiny baby-sized Pikler triangle when your child is young, and add on the leg extensions for a full-sized climb experience as your little one grows bigger.
Attachments & safety. PlayWilder offers two styles of reversible ramp attachments — either with rock-climbing holds or ladder steps. Both are smooth on the other side so that your little one can slide down.
Again, PlayWilder’s Pikler ramps and slides cost less — perfect if you want to bundle together multiple ramps for your single Pikler.
Safety-wise, there’s no safety lock pin here either — but it’s got sturdy construction and a triangle safety around the climbing frame’s hinge — and that’s most important.
Wood, materials & colors. All PlayWilder’s climbing gear is made of all-natural Baltic Birch available — both incredibly strong and completely free of harmful chemicals. Like RAD, bright colors or paint finishes are not available.
Unlike other American Pikler brands, PlayWilder actually encourages outdoor use! Large in size, it just makes so much sense to take it out into your backyard on a nice summer day.
Out of the box, it’s ready for outdoor play — but if you want to keep it outside for when not in use, they recommend weatherproofing it yourself with a coat of sealant. If you want to go down that route, PlayWilder staff have your back! They’ll recommend the best sealers and give your instructions on how to do it yourself.
Shipping & assembly. PlayWilder offers free shipping, like other American Pikler companies we’ve looked at — but PlayWilder is slow. Made to order, your Pikler will have to wait 2–3 weeks before it’s ready to ship.
→ See other wooden climbing triangles and gyms from PlayWilder.
→ Check out more wooden toys from Colorado.
American-Made Pikler Triangle Comparison & Recommendations
Comparison Table
| RAD Children’s Furniture | Lily & River | PlayWilder | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $$$$ (A Little Pricey) | $$$$ (A Little Pricey) | $$ (Good Value) |
| Size | • Standard • Offers other sizes | • Small • One size only | • Largest • Offers other sizes |
| Foldable | • Yes | • Yes | • Yes • Modifiable Pikler available |
| Attachments | • Ladder ramp only • With reversible slide • Two sizes available | • Rock climbing ramp • Ladder ramp • Both with reversible slide • One size only | • Rock climbing ramp • Ladder ramp • Both with reversible slide • One size only |
| Safety | • Lock pin • Protective hinge triangle | • Protective hinge triangle only | • Protective hinge triangle only |
| Wood | • Birch EuroPly legs • Hardwood birch rungs | • Hardwood birch legs & rungs | • Outdoor use encouraged • Hardwood birch legs & rungs |
| Colors | • Natural wood only | • White accent • White & Pink or Blue accent • Natural wood | • Natural wood only |
| Shipping | • Free • Average (4-7 business days) | • Free • Fast (2 business days) | • Free • Slow (2-3 weeks) |
| Assembly | • Pre-assembly available • Tools & instructions included | • Assemble yourself • Tools & instructions included | • Assemble yourself • Tools & instructions included |
Lifestyle Recommendations
When you’re shopping online, it’s really tough to tell what the Pikler triangle is actually like. So I wanted to give some personalized recommendations to clue you in on which one might fit your lifestyle best.
Great for lots of kids. RAD offers a super-long 58” ramp, which makes RAD’s a great option for daycares or preschools — if you’ve got siblings close in age — or if your home has turned into the neighborhood play place for some reason. (You’ve got the best toys!)
Artistic and creative families. For artistic toddlers, RAD’s got a Pikler-ready art easel (that fits right onto the Pikler triangle). It’s an add-on that costs extra — but since art is close to my heart, I just fell in love with the idea. Since kids’ easels and Pikler triangles are both bulky kids’ items, combining them into one could be a super creative space-saver!
Elegant Scandinavian-style design. Lily & River really shines when it comes to beautiful design. Especially if you want a splash of pastel or white-accent color in your playroom, this is a good pick. It’s definitely something Ikea-lovers and Scandi-toy connoisseurs will gravitate towards.
Inspiration for a complete playroom. You’ll find most American companies that make Pikler triangles specialize in the Pikler itself — or a product line of more education-based furniture. Lily & River, on the other hand, focuses on helping parents put together a magical playroom. From full-body balancing toys to brain-stimulating table activities — all their toys fit together into a well-rounded at-home playscape. And they look magnificent together too!
Early rock climbing training. Both Lily & River and PlayWilder offer rock-climbing attachments — but PlayWilder’s rock climbing holds much more closely resemble the real thing. If your family loves rock climbing, and you want to give your little one a jump-start — PlayWilder is a great pick.
Large and in charge. Not only does PlayWilder offer the tallest Pikler of them all, but it also supports the most weight — up to 200 pounds and that’s like 6 toddlers.
Grows with your child. If you buy early, children get years of use out of their Pikler triangle. PlayWilder understands that and takes it to the next level with their modifiable Pikler triangle. It’s got extendable legs so that your baby can climb on a small triangle until they’re ready for the full-sized climbing experience.
Climbing in the sunshine. PlayWilder is the only company that encourages outdoor use of its Pikler triangle, so you know you’re getting a climber that’s ready for whatever rough-and-tumble your child throws at it.
Doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. As far as kids’ toys go, the Pikler triangle is quite an investment. But the way PlayWilder sets their prices is something any parent looking to save a buck will appreciate. You won’t have to wait until Black Friday comes around to put together a Pikler triangle bundle that fits your budget.
Lesser-Known Companies
By reviewing the top 3 Pikler triangles made in the USA — that’s not to say there aren’t other options. It’s just that — because they haven’t reached the national spotlight yet — I didn’t review them in detail.
Here’s a list of other American companies that make Pikler triangles — in alphabetical order. Who knows — you might find a treasure!
- Bunny Hopkins – Made in Georgia
- Homi Baby – Made in Utah
- Kiddo Climbers – Made in Nevada
- Maebelle Climbers – Made in North Carolina
- Schoene & Son Toys – Made in Illinois
- Whooma’s Woodshop – Made in Oregon
- Wild Timber Co. – Made in Texas
- Wikiurka (Honorable Mention) – Made in Mexico (Not New Mexico)
Over to you!
Thank you for shopping American-made, and supporting local businesses. I sure hope you’ve found the perfect Pikler triangle for your needs!
I wanted these reviews to be as unbiased and transparent as possible, so I used rigorous criteria to choose which models to review and compare between them. I searched far and wide to shortlist the American Pikler triangle manufacturers with the most hype in 2021.
I looked for the best-selling model from each brand and did a careful apples-to-apples comparison — based on the things that matter when your shopping for a Pikler triangle.
Leave a comment below — and let’s talk anything and everything Pikler-related! I’d love to hear from you, and would be happy to answer any questions you have!
