Are you worried about your children (or grandchildren) falling and hurting themselves on your patio?

Patios aren’t the most child-friendly surfaces for a garden. So, what can you do to ensure play times are as safe as possible?

Luckily, there are some options. More and more of my customers are opting for solutions to make their patio more child-friendly, as it’s such a hard surface. Some homeowners also wish to give their pets somewhere softer to play and lie on.

As an experienced landscaper, I’m going to tell you about two of the most effective ways to make your patio more child-friendly, below.

1. Artificial grass

For an aesthetically pleasing solution, it’s not uncommon to place artificial grass on top of a patio. This usually involves a safety shock pad layer underneath to soften any blows if children fall. Modern, good quality artificial grass looks just as good as a real lawn, and the shockpad layer should be fully tested with a critical fall height of 2.6 metres.

This helps to ensure families can play with complete peace of mind.

TIP: This solution is only possible if your slabs are in good condition and level. If this is not the case, it may require a full excavation of the area first, before installation.

2. Rubber play mats

You see a lot of these in playgrounds. They can either be a permanent fixture, or if you like your patio but just want it safe for when children are playing, you can opt for interlocking rubber play mats that can be joined together and put down when kids and playing. When they’re not in use, they can be lifted and stored in a garage or shed.

TIP: This solution doesn’t include a shockpad layer, so if you’re looking for extra peace of mind and a soft, spongy under layer, artificial grass may be your best bet!

Advice from an experienced landscaper

For extra peace of mind and reassurance, I would advise going with artificial grass – especially if children are going to be playing on the area regularly. However, if you’re looking for a more temporary solution that you can take out only when children are visiting, rubber play mats may be a good solution.

I’ve personally installed artificial grass in a customer’s home to two areas of slabbing. One was a putting green that led out from a home office, and the other was a section of their home where their grandchildren would often play. As the slabbing was level, it was the perfect space to install artificial grass.

The end result has been a great investment for our customers, as the section for the kids to play on is now a soft, spongy area. It means the grandparents don’t need to be constantly worrying about bumps and bruises!

Conclusion

I hope you’ve found this blog helpful when looking for ways to make your patio more child-friendly. There are two main options; artificial grass or rubber mats. The benefit of artificial grass is that it comes with an optional shock pad layer, to ensure a soft and safe area for children to play – even on top of a patio!

Do you have any questions about child-friendly options for your garden? Let me know in the comments’ section. I’m here to help!