I'm sure this has been discussed before, but, can you guys give me suggestions for affordable ground covering for a playground? I've done daycare for years and tried a few ideas, but have problems with each type I've tried. I'm hoping you guys can give me new ideas.

Here are the ones I've tried and the problems I've had with them.

Grass - after enough of the kids and my dog running in the yard, they wear the grass down and we just have a yard full of dirt/mud

wood chips - the kids and dog eat them and they get kicked out of the playground area constantly.

pebbles - the kids eat them, stick them up their noses, ears, etc. Or they throw them at each other and they also are constantly kicked out of the playground area

sand - gets unbelievably hot in the summer. The kids throw it at each other. They get it in their clothes and shoes and the dog gets covered in it which leads to sand constantly in my house and more dog baths than I can count.

So, other than those, what ground covering do you suggest?

I live in an inside unit townhouse and my playground is basically my entire front yard. I do have a small tree in my yard. Also, my dog has to have a potty area in the front yard as I can't use my back yard at all, not even for my dog. I can't use my back yard because the driveway gates are broken beyond repair. I'd have to buy new ones. In order to use the back yard for daycare, I'd have to buy something to hide the trash cans and lawn mower and get a gate to block the basement stairs. Plus I'd have to baby proof my dining room and kitchen so we could walk through them to get to the back door. I don't want to go through all that.

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I have a small front yard and have grass. I've lived here since 94 and have done daycare all that time. I suggest getting a rye mix grass seed. Not that crap
They sell for play yards. Get rye mixed w Kentucky blue. At least that's what I have the best luck w. I seed in the spring, the Thursday before my vacation starts and I don't take them out the next day. I seed in spots through the summer and put my picnic kids table on the spot. Moving it around through the summer, then seed again thinly in the late summer. It works for me.

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You're right. Maybe if I had stronger, healthier grass, it might help. Between the kids, dog, and all the snow this winter, I have nothing but mud now. I could easily throw some grass seed down. I'll see if I can find some rye mixed with Kentucky Blue at the stores near me. I have Home Depot, Lowes, and Walmart that sell grass seed. Thank you.

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