Playgrounds are supposed to be a place where kids can get out their energy and have a fun time in a safe environment - but that is only if you make your playground a safe place. There is always the potential that children will fall off of the equipment or slip off the monkey bars. That is just the liability of having a playground and playground equipment, and there isn’t much you can do to limit that risk.
One thing that you can do to decrease the potential that kids can get hurt while running around the play area is to use materials that are more kid-friendly and can cushion their falls. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 200,000 children visit the emergency room every year due to playground accidents. If you want to make sure you’re limiting the risk that someone will get hurt on your playground, then consider installing rubber curb ramps instead of the traditional wood alternatives.
Why Rubber Curbs Are Better
To outline the playground beds and to keep the mulch inside of it, you will want to create a barrier between the playground and the green space around it. Playgrounds were traditionally designed with wood curbs or barriers in place to separate the two areas. The problem with wood curbs is that they have blunt edges and are typically square, which means if someone lands wrong, they can get hurt. Also, when children sit on them or rub up against them, over time the wooden alternatives can start to decompose, which means the curbs can give off splinters - which might not be an emergency, but they do hurt.
Rubber curbs are ideal because they have rounded edges, which means that if someone trips, they won’t land on a sharp surface. It also minimizes the potential that a foot will hit the side of it and end up causing someone to fall. Since the spikes are hidden below the ground, rubber curbing offers nothing but a flexible guard to fall on. Unlike treated wood, rubber is also nontoxic and is highly resistant to outdoor conditions.
Wood curbs need to be maintained frequently, but rubber has a 10-year lifespan - at the minimum - which means that you really don’t have to do anything to keep it safe and looking good. Once it is placed, it stays put and doesn’t need to be stained or sealed in any way. You also don’t have to worry about it warping.
It Is Incredibly Easy To Install
Unlike wood alternatives, rubber curbing has an interlocking system that makes it very easy to install. The rubber curbs can be stacked and then all you have to do is fill in the seams and spike holes to make them look fantastic. They will hold their appearance, so that even as time passes your playground will still look amazing and new.
It Offers A Ton Of Variety
Whether you intend to use it for a commercial or residential playground, there are a ton of options for rubber curbing that are highly appealing. Not only does it come in various shapes and sizes, but you can also have it colored or you can choose to have it blend in. If you make the color stand out, then kids will see it and they will be less likely to trip over it. If you want it to be more aesthetically pleasing for your backyard playground, then you can choose a material that looks completely natural and will fit into your backyard’s overall design and plan.
If you are looking to either outline your playground or your flower beds, rubber curbs are an excellent alternative to their wood counterparts. They look nice, require very little maintenance (if any), and are safer than wood when it comes to children and horseplay. They also are easy to install and last a whole lot longer than traditional wood. Offering the perfect alternative, most are made from recycled material - so you are doing not just yourself and your child a favor, but you’re helping the earth too.
So the next time you're driving your child to the park, keep in mind the curbs that are being used.
I hope you enjoyed this article about the safety advantages of using rubber curbs for your playground.
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