The Best Playground Surfaces For Your Child

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Whether you are working on behalf of the local council, a school, childcare centre, or just looking at options for your own home, choosing a playground surface needs to be done with care.

There are a number of options that need to be considered including:

Safety
Durability
Aesthetics
Price

Safety would have to be the highest priority as our children’s wellbeing is undoubtedly of utmost importance. More than 70% of accidents on a playground are the result of a child falling. So ensuring the surface can absorb the energy of a fall is crucial.

Surfaces such as concrete or packed earth are very hard, and clearly not appropriate, especially under play equipment. It is now law that playground equipment with a fall height of more than 50cm above playing surface level must have a certified impact absorbing surface beaneath and around it to minimise potential injuries.

There are 2 broad types of surface materials for playgrounds, loose fill or solid materials.

Loose fill includes wood chips, bark mulch and sand, and while inexpensive to install, includes regular maintenance (as well as topping up the products). You must also ensure the filling is more than 20cm deep or it will not adequately absorb the weight of a falling child.

Solid materials include artificial grass, wet pour rubber, and rubber tiles. They are attractive and easy to maintain, which cuts down your ongoing costs. With advances in technology such as anti-slip safety surfaces, the likelihood of injury is reduced, and it’s easy to identify glass or other dangerous objects for easy removal.

A combination of synthetic grass and rubber can be an excellent idea for a Children’s playground, breaking up a large play area, while keeping maintenance to a minimum still. With a variety of colour and style options, you will be able to find a solution that fits both your size requirements and budget.