Is Artificial Grass Child-Friendly?

Many people naturally have concerns about bringing anything classified as ‘artificial’ in contact with their children. The concerns of parents and pet owners concerning artificial grass are natural, considering children will play on the artificial lawn grass and might fall down often.

Questions often raised include whether the fake turf is suitable to be played on, whether there is child friendly grass that is suitable for nurseries, whether the grass burns if one falls on it, whether a shock pad is needed and whether astro turf heats up in direct sunlight.

Artificial lawn grass is perfectly suited to child’s play and activities. Surfaces come in differing pile heights: the taller the pile the softer the artificial grass. Shorter piles are good for ball games, but can cause a rug burn if the child falls.  If softness is the main consideration, polyethylene fibers are the best choice. There are tufted varieties that are a good choice for where children are concerned, as the tuft creates a shock pad that can cushion a blow or fall.

The artificial lawn can be used in nurseries without any danger to the child. Certain types of synthetic grass have a curled design that ensures a very soft surface. Parents may also avail the option of adding a shock pad as an underlay if they fear a fall.

Burns can be caused by short pile grasses and ones with a sand fill, but long pile sand varieties as well as non sand filled grasses do not burn. Grass varieties made of polyethylene are also a good choice as your child will not do any harm to their skin if they slip, fall or slide on the surface. Parents can also rest assured that constant playing and running on the fake lawn will not damage the blades themselves; the synthetic turf is designed spring back into place with the polyethylene fibers.

Shock pads are not usually required for long pile grasses for landscaping purposes.  The rubber infill in used in the fake grass provides enough cushion to prevent injuries.

Synthetic turf becomes warm due to continued exposure to the sun, but this is never hot enough to be damaging to the skin. You will be able to walk quite comfortably on the artificial grass, even with your shoes off.

The field turf is also dog friendly and is to be treated like any other yard when cleaning up a dog’s mess! In fact, owners need not pick up small pieces, which will wash themselves away when it rains. Dog urine also does not discolor the fake grass and easily washes away.

So when considering installing artificial turf, you can rest assured that the artificial grass will bring no harm to your child or your pet! Most of the surfaces are even sanded after installation to cover the backing and provide added protection, making it an extremely safe option for lawns and nurseries where children are to play.