Ground Cover For Swing Set

[MG&Lsmom]

I'm looking for an alternative to sand. Because I have under 3s I can not have mulch (rubber or wood), wood chips, or pea gravel. So for now, no climbing structure. We are allowed a small cube slide and 24" toddler slide with no ground covering. Other than those items, we have lots and lots of ride ons. I don't know what I'm going to do this summer as our new regs also disallow any type of water play, not even a table or sprinkler, without a 2nd adult present. Going to be a long summer.

[SilverSabre25]

I'm looking for an alternative to sand. Because I have under 3s I can not have mulch (rubber or wood), wood chips, or pea gravel. So for now, no climbing structure. We are allowed a small cube slide and 24" toddler slide with no ground covering. Other than those items, we have lots and lots of ride ons. I don't know what I'm going to do this summer as our new regs also disallow any type of water play, not even a table or sprinkler, without a 2nd adult present. Going to be a long summer.

bolding mine

WHAT???!?!?!?!! That has got to be one of THE most ridiculous things I have heard! omg, what on earth is their reasoning?!

I am SO glad that my state doesn't require us to be licensed if we have 6 or fewer children...and I hope to heaven that never changes. Some of the crazy things I hear coming out of other state's license requirements is just nuts.

[DCMom]

I don't know what I'm going to do this summer as our new regs also disallow any type of water play, not even a table or sprinkler, without a 2nd adult present. Going to be a long summer.

Wow, seriously??
I swear the people who come up with these regulations have NO CLUE what it is like to spend the day with a bunch of little people.

lilbutterflies:
I have rubber anti fatigue mats under my swings ~ the look like this:

http://www.emedco.com/anti-fatigue-floor-mats-ssmat.html

I definitely didn't pay that much thought; they were like $15 each at Menards or Home Depot ~ 2' x 3' I think.
It's been awhile, but I think we put six together under the swings, then black dirt then grass seed. We did it in the the fall, so there wasn't as much traffic and the next spring we had grass growing up through the spaces. The kids can't create the muddy holes that form under the swings; it worked so well that we put them at the ladders and the end of the slides.

When I put in my under two play area in last year, I put them under the rubber mulch to keep the digging to the dirt to a minimum. They haul it around but it is adjacent to my patio, so I just sweep it up and put it back.

So, if you don't have to have mulch it is a nice alternative.

[Childminder]

Do a search for previous posts here on daycare.com for playground surfaces it has been discussed before and I got a great idea for the outdoor carpet. I LOVE it! We put 12 inches of free wood chips under for a safe fall zone and paid $60 for the carpet from an ad on craigslist.

[MG&Lsmom]

bolding mine

WHAT???!?!?!?!! That has got to be one of THE most ridiculous things I have heard! omg, what on earth is their reasoning?!

I am SO glad that my state doesn't require us to be licensed if we have 6 or fewer children...and I hope to heaven that never changes. Some of the crazy things I hear coming out of other state's license requirements is just nuts.

If I needed to perform CPR who would call 911? This is the case every single minute a child is with me, but apparently the MA Licensing board decided that water play was that much more likely to require CPR. I can understand if it were swimming, even in a baby pool, but sprinklers? Why is washing hands so much different?

I had forgotten about the outdoor carpet someone had posted. And that I could use wood chips underneath. Duh!

[Crystal]

I use wood chips. They are expensive, but worth every penny. I started with an 8 inch depth and add more every year.

I'd rather spend money on safety material than on hospital or liability bills, and it's a tax write off

[Childminder]

I realize a long time has passed but the snow is gone and I took pics today of my carpeted outdoor play area. It is carpeted over 12 inch depth of mulch. I LOVE it btw and the pics were taken after it rained last night. No mud, no wet clothes, no stones, etc....

[Blackcat31]

I realize a long time has passed but the snow is gone and I took pics today of my carpeted outdoor play area. It is carpeted over 12 inch depth of mulch. I LOVE it btw and the pics were taken after it rained last night. No mud, no wet clothes, no stones, etc....
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LOVE your play area!! I really like the fire truck thing you have there in the back ground....can I ask where you got it from?

[Blackcat31]

I use wood chips. They are expensive, but worth every penny. I started with an 8 inch depth and add more every year.

I'd rather spend money on safety material than on hospital or liability bills, and it's a tax write off

We live in a town that was pretty much built around a pulp and paper plant....if we go there and ask, they will give us the wood chips for free. I don't know if that is an option for the different places in the country but if you are near one; it doesn't hurt to ask. I would also check with wood workers and/or furniture companies or landscapers who may have woodchips as a by-product as they sometimes have to pay to get rid of it. My DH is a wood worker and he gives sawdust to anyone who needs it for mulch, crafts, whatever....they just ask.

We also got a whole bunch of wood chips from our city landscapers as they pruned and chipped the trees and branches along the city streets.

[Childminder]

At a daycare going out of business sale. You should have seen us bringing it home on the back of a flat bed trailer...we looked like a parade float and the kids love it, btw. It is an Amish built play set. I googled it when I got it home to see if I had gotten a good deal ($200) and I had. They had a bus, train and the most awesome pirate ship but I couldn't afford the $600 they wanted for it. It was HUGE!! Still regret not getting it.

[AnythingsPossible]

We live in a town that was pretty much built around a pulp and paper plant....if we go there and ask, they will give us the wood chips for free. I don't know if that is an option for the different places in the country but if you are near one; it doesn't hurt to ask. I would also check with wood workers and/or furniture companies or landscapers who may have woodchips as a by-product as they sometimes have to pay to get rid of it. My DH is a wood worker and he gives sawdust to anyone who needs it for mulch, crafts, whatever....they just ask.

We also got a whole bunch of wood chips from our city landscapers as they pruned and chipped the trees and branches along the city streets.

I called our local tree trimmers when I wanted to mulch in our play area. They were going to charge me $150.00 for a load of chipped up trees. They told me people do it all the time for play areas. When it was delivered, there were large sticks still mixed in and it was very coarse. I had my licensor come look at it and she told me I couldn't use it. So it had to be hauled back out. Luckily after calling the tree company, I didn't have to pay for it but the time it cost me was ridiculous.

If you go this route, check the quality before they deliver the full load!!

[Symphony]

My state requires a certain depth of either wood or rubber mulch and it is easily $2000 to put in. Makes me wish I wasn't licensed, but if I wasn't I could only have two children

[youretooloud]

http://www.lowes.com/pd_155419-20787-155419_?productId=3063725&site=shopLocal

I buy these at Lowes, and put one under each swing, then fill the holes with sand. It's soft, thick, and lasts for years. I have two that are 14 years old, and they have been outside in the hot sun this whole time.

I bought one on Saturday to put over the rocks, and I paid $20.

Anti Fatigue Rubber Mat

[Childminder]

My state requires a certain depth of either wood or rubber mulch and it is easily $2000 to put in. Makes me wish I wasn't licensed, but if I wasn't I could only have two children

Mine does also so I went to the county road commission and they have wood chips free for the taking. I have also had tree trimmers just dump their truck in my drive if working in my area (for free) and use the mulch for my 12inches of depth. Then we tamped it down with a tamper and covered the entire area with outdoor marine carpet fastened down with landscape staples that we got off craigslist for $60. All together with the staples we spent $72 to mulch and carpet the 24x32 playground.

[MG&Lsmom]

Mine does also so I went to the county road commission and they have wood chips free for the taking. I have also had tree trimmers just dump their truck in my drive if working in my area (for free) and use the mulch for my 12inches of depth. Then we tamped it down with a tamper and covered the entire area with outdoor marine carpet fastened down with landscape staples that we got off craigslist for $60. All together with the staples we spent $72 to mulch and carpet the 24x32 playground.

Where are you guys finding such awesome deals on carpet? I looked at Lowe's and Home Depot and their instock outdoor carpet was $5/linear foot for the cheap fake grass stuff?