Artificial grass for children's gardens

Which lawns suit a play garden

A dense, mid-to-tall pile with a stable backing resists compaction and recovers from constant use. Several lawns in the range are described by Royal Grass as built for children and pets. Our children's category page lists them, and the comparison table shows the backing for each.

Comfort and surface temperature

The surface underfoot is comfortable on any of our lawns, and a taller pile is noticeably softer where children fall or sit. Temperature is the more important practical point: like paving, decking or real grass in full sun, an artificial lawn warms during hot weather, and a darker or denser lawn can feel hotter than a lighter one.

• •Provide shade or a parasol over the play area.
• •Hose the lawn lightly before children use it on very hot days.
• •Keep paddling pools and sandpits in shade.
• •Avoid artificial grass on a slope that stays in full sun all afternoon if toddlers will be crawling on it.

Durability

Wear on a play lawn is mostly mechanical: scuffing, bike tyres and goal posts. Denser lawns with a firm backing and a defined tuft hold their shape longest. No artificial lawn is indestructible, and a light brushing in the worn zones restores most of the appearance.

Drainage

A play lawn is used in all weathers, so drainage matters more than for an ornamental lawn. Build a permeable sub-base with a fall away from the house, and never lay grass over sealed concrete without a plan for the water. The drainage guide covers this in full.

Cleaning

Sweets, ice cream and mud come out with warm water and a soft brush. Do not use bleach or strong solvents, which damage the backing and dull the yarn. Larger items, such as a lost toy or a dumped sandpit, should be removed rather than left to flatten the pile.

Shock-absorbing underlay

If play equipment is tall enough that a fall could cause injury, the surface under it needs impact attenuation, and that is a specified system rather than a lawn. Rubber crumb or specialist foam tiles are typically installed beneath the grass, sized to the height and type of equipment, and the whole system has to meet the relevant standard to be relied on.

Installation requirements

1. 01

   Decide the play surface now

   Whether an impact-absorbing layer is needed decides the excavation depth. Inserting it later means lifting the lawn.

2. 02

   Build the sub-base

   Excavate, add a permeable aggregate, compact and set a fall away from the house.

3. 03

   Membrane and edging

   A weed membrane beneath the grass and a fixed edge around the lawn, especially where a run-off meets a path.

4. 04

   Lay and fix the lawn

   Cut, join with tape and adhesive, and brush the pile up once the joins have cured.

Maintenance

Brush monthly in the worn areas, remove leaves and sand, rinse food and drink spills promptly, and check the joins and the edging once a season. Our maintenance guide covers the whole routine.