Fall Zones for Playground Equipment

[susanpierce124]

I am opening up a new daycare center and was just told that even though I have no playground equipment that is over 18 inches off the ground , everything still has to have a fall zone. I have found some wood chips for sale that don't cost that much. I just want to make sure that I have read the standards correctly , it seems to me that if a child was to fall down on wood chips , it would hurt worse than falling down on dirt. I have to get this done this weekend because my state inspection is on the 21st of Jan. I just want to make sure I am buying the right thing to put down there. Also, I am planning an open house for the 23rd of Jan. I know that in Texas we are not allowed to use bounce houses for more than 1 child while they are in care , but may I get one for the open house with their parents there ????

[Carole's Daycare]

If you can afford it, pea gravel or the new rubberized mulch designed for play areas will be better in the long run. I started out w/ mulch years ago, and it needs to be kid safe dye, chemical free, small size (big chuncks hurt, splinter etc) I bought the kid safe wood mulch, but plants grow in it, it gets moldy underneath equipment after its been wet, wears down/biodegrades so you have to buy more/replenish every year. It's cheaper up front, but prepare/plan for an upgrade. Some area Child Care Resource & Referral agencies offer startup grants for costs of equipment and childproofing, including fences, playgrounds. You might want to look into that. Good Luck.

[Chickenhauler]

If you can afford it, pea gravel or the new rubberized mulch designed for play areas will be better in the long run. I started out w/ mulch years ago, and it needs to be kid safe dye, chemical free, small size (big chuncks hurt, splinter etc) I bought the kid safe wood mulch, but plants grow in it, it gets moldy underneath equipment after its been wet, wears down/biodegrades so you have to buy more/replenish every year. It's cheaper up front, but prepare/plan for an upgrade. Some area Child Care Resource & Referral agencies offer startup grants for costs of equipment and childproofing, including fences, playgrounds. You might want to look into that. Good Luck.

To keep the plants from growing up in the mulch, lay down fabric mesh (you can get this at Menards) under the mulch. This will prevent seeds from finding root in the underlying soil.

The mulch gets moved around so much that seeds can't get root there.

[Childminder]

I have 12" of mulch (Fed guidelines for height of equipment I have) under mine and have to add some ever 2 years to bring it up to spec. I looked into rubberized and the mats or rolls are exorbitant in price and the loose is not a good fit for the under 3 because of putting in the mouth, and I would rather they ate a tree(mulch) than and old tire(rubberized). Pea gravel works good but once again goes in the mouth, shoes, house, bed, and ruined my vacuum. Sand sticks to everything!

If you can afford the rubberized sheets I would go with that.

Also you can go online and do a search for federal playground specifications which was more than my state required and impressed the heck out of my inspector that I followed it.

[Chickenhauler]

I have 12" of mulch(Fed guidelines for height of equipment I have) under mine and have to add some ever 2 years to bring it up to spec. I looked into rubberized and the mats or rolls are exorbitant in price and the loose is not a good fit for the under 3 because of putting in the mouth, and I would rather they ate a tree(mulch) than and old tire(rubberized). Pea gravel works good but once again goes in the mouth, shoes, house, bed, and ruined my vacuum. Sand sticks to everything!

If you can afford the rubberized sheets I would go with that.

Also you can go online and do a search for federal playground specifications which was more than my state required and impressed the heck out of my inspector that I followed it.

Here's a link, it's PDF from directly from the Consumer Product Safety Commission http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf

[tcbmaki]

other surfacing options

In the surfacing industry we've had to deal with a lot of playground surfacing options, and in particular, ages 5 & under.
As mentioned in the previous post, loose debris items for younger children become a hazard and end-up everywhere but the play-area.
Rubber matting in not a bad option put typically requires a cement or asphalt underlayment...costly to say the least.
We've recently introduced playground turf as a fantastic option and can be installed over aggregate.
Only down fall is that it can get warm, but let's be honest, what doesn't get warm on a July afternoon?

see web address http://www.ameriturfsystems.com/Synt...ound-Grass.php

[Playground Wally]

I am opening up a new daycare center and was just told that even though I have no playground equipment that is over 18 inches off the ground , everything still has to have a fall zone. I have found some wood chips for sale that don't cost that much. I just want to make sure that I have read the standards correctly , it seems to me that if a child was to fall down on wood chips , it would hurt worse than falling down on dirt. I have to get this done this weekend because my state inspection is on the 21st of Jan. I just want to make sure I am buying the right thing to put down there. Also, I am planning an open house for the 23rd of Jan. I know that in Texas we are not allowed to use bounce houses for more than 1 child while they are in care , but may I get one for the open house with their parents there ????

Woodchips are a good choice for playground surfacing. Safety regulations require that you install them to a depth of 12 inches and then replenish then when they get under 9 inches. The shredded rubber is a little more expensive, but eventually you'll recoup the cost by not having to replenish then as you would with woodchips. Make sure that the woodchips are Engineered Wood Fiber and not tan bark.

"All things playground!"

https://www.ProfessorPlayground.com

[americanparks]

Play Ground Equipment

Hi,

Well for opening up a new daycare center at your end,we are having an number of models and with reasonalble rates of playground equipments which We are excited to have the opportunity to present our product lines and are confident that our commitment to excellence in customer service with American Parks company.

For More Detials U Can www.americanparkscompany.com

[brookeroo]

I actually have an asphalt area that I was going to put all my little tykes climbers on so they aren't killing my grass. I preferred to get rubber matting to go under them but didn't want the grass style. Does anyone know where I could find some at a decent price?

[kbennet]

I've seen a lot with the rubber mats underneath, and that seems to work pretty well. I don't know the standards associated with those, but the rubber usually breaks kids' falls pretty well and keeps play safe and fun.