Playground Surfacing—Rubber Matting is Ideal for Safety
When it comes to the safety of our children there is nothing most of us wouldn’t do to ensure their security. Whether they’re our own kids, younger family members, or just the adorable offspring of our friends, and really even children we don’t know—we never want to see a child in tears because they’re hurt. But having stated that, any of us who have spent any amount of time with kids, know that children are the living, breathing, and moving personification of accidents waiting to happen! Although we cannot put our precious kiddos in plastic bubbles to prevent them from ever having so much as a scrapped knee, we can be vigilant and take precautions towards avoiding serious injuries. With the use a strategically placed safety mat, or any other rubberized flooring option, we can minimize the risk of injuries. With a variety of rubber playground tiles and mats available for playground surfacing, this is one space where you can allow your munchkin to run rampant, well—for the most part. Whether it’s for indoor or outdoor applications, elastomer safety matting is truly ideal.
From ease of installation to cushioning properties, check out these 6 reasons why you should employ rubber playground surfacing in any children’s recreational area.
- Great Non-Slip Surface
From the moisture of early morning dew to the multiple puddles of spilt apple juice boxes—dampness on the playground is always a concern. Rubber playground surfacing offers water-resistant properties that will help prevent slip and fall accidents. But most kids don’t need a puddle as an excuse to lose their footing! A safety mat can come with a raised design that will greatly add to rubber’s already high coefficient of friction, giving it exceptional grip and traction. While this won’t ensure that your child doesn’t purposely take a nose dive off the money bars, it will definitely help them stay on their feet when they’re walking, jumping, and running around.
- Softer Surfacing
I think most kids go through that weird dare-devil phase. They’ll jump off everything and anything! So sometimes, no matter how hard we try to keep them from falling—if they want to end up on the ground, there’s very little we can do! However, with rubber playground tiles you can at least ensure that the surface they land on is more forgiving than concrete or asphalt.
In a unbiased poll taken of my niece and nephew (8 and 5 years old respectively) the consensus was that it is far better to land on rubberized safety matting than, as quoted by Emily, “the hard black-top—because it hurts!” Rubber is supple and more elastic;
therefore it better conforms to the sudden weight of a falling body, as opposed to concrete or asphalt that will provide no give or bounce.
- Kid Friendly Designs
Rubber surfacing comes in a number of designs all with different applications in mind. For playgrounds, there are a number of options that come in bright kid-friendly colors and even puzzle-piece patterns. For example, there are rubber playground tiles, which are effective and fun! They can even provide the required surface for some pretty neat and imaginative games! Like—don’t step on the red tiles because they’re lava! I thoroughly enjoyed playing that with Emily and her brother.
- Will Last Years!
Rubberized flooring and playground surfacing is made from an exceptionally durable and long lasting material. Often in outdoor applications, recycled and reclaimed tires are used as the floorings main material source. Considering that tires are manufactured to withstand some very abrasive environments—such as excessive sunlight, ozone, and moisture, it’s truly helps to understand why this material can stand up to the jumping, running, and chaotic trotting of a stampede of children!
- Easy Upkeep
A safety mat made out of this material, much like more expansive flooring options, is very easy to maintain. Outdoor tiles, mats, and runners won’t involve much upkeep, apart from a sweet of a broom every now and then to keep debris off. If a more thorough cleaning is ever required, a hose can be used to wash your matting down. For the most part, this is a sustainable material that will stand up abrasive treatment, without needing detailed attention.
- Easy Installation
Another great reason to consider rubberized playground surfacing for the protection of your little ones is how simple it is to install. Rolled flooring can be cut in custom lengths and then simply rolled out, while rubber playground tiles can be interlocked to cover any area, and if you need something a bit smaller a safety mat is as easy to install as being laid out and allowed to settle under its own weight.Whatever your particular needs may be for the utilization of safety matting—we are certain that rubber is the right option for any space, both indoors and out.
