Playground Safety Using Swing Mats and Slide Landing Mats

Playgrounds naturally see plenty of use, but certain areas on a playground see more traffic and more demanding use than others. The areas underneath swings and slides take a particularly tough beating. Swings are subjected to dragging feet as kids slow themselves down and hop off, while slides see repeated, significant impacts as kids reach the bottom.

This means that the playground flooring in those areas sees greater use than in surrounding spaces, so it’s more likely to wear out. If you have a loose playground flooring, it will be quickly kicked out of these spaces, and you’ll be repeatedly raking it back in. Even solid flooring options like playground tiles will see heightened use, and flooring in these areas can start to wear out faster than the rest of the flooring.

A playground slide landing pad and swing mats provide an ideal, easy-to-install solution. These thick mats are designed to withstand the daily beating that comes with hard play, and they can help to preserve the rest of your playground safety flooring.

The Benefits of Swing and Slide Landing Mat Products

Investing in a landing mat for slide and swing areas can pay off in multiple ways. These heavy-duty rubber mats are typically made of recycled rubber, so they may contribute LEED points to your playground construction. They can be laid directly over or within your existing playground flooring, so they make your flooring more durable. By investing in extra production for these high-traffic areas, you can help to prevent the flooring in those spaces from being worn out or damaged. A landing pad for slide and swing areas could save you the cost and hassle of later replacing or repairing flooring issues.

But these swing and slide mats offer other important benefits. Options like the Blue Sky Swing Set Mats feature a non-slip texture that can help to make these popular areas safer for kids. These mats can enhance the safety of an area, especially if you’re using them in conjunction with loose flooring that can be easily kicked out of the way, leaving the harder base exposed. These mats create a firm yet comfortable flooring at the base of a slide or swing, so kids can quickly regain their balance and stand up again, enhancing their safety.



An outdoor slide landing mat or swing mat is also easy to install. These thick mats can be dry laid over existing ground or flooring. Their significant weight helps to keep them securely in place, but an adult can move them when needed. This easy installation will save your maintenance team time, so you can stay within budget. Because the mats help to protect your existing flooring, you can save time and money on potential playground flooring repairs, maintenance, and replacement.

These mats can contribute to child safety and your playground usability in another way. The action of kids who repeatedly drag their feet when on the swings can create ruts in loose flooring, like playgrounds that have sand or dirt bases. These ruts can create a headache for your maintenance team. As they become deep, they can fill up with water, leaving swings unusable during or after rain. Those ruts can even be dangerous, increasing the chance of a sprained ankle while a child is getting off of a swing. Filling those ruts in becomes time-consuming and expensive. Investing in a swing mat is a simple and affordable way to fix that issue.

Designed to withstand the outdoor elements and demands of frequent use, these mats are highly durable. They’re a long-lasting investment for any playground.

What do you put under a slide?

The area directly underneath a slide sees heavy traffic, so the flooring needs to be highly durable. A rubber mat for playground slide use can provide this extra durability. This thicker mat can withstand significant foot traffic and impact, and it means you won’t have to frequently replace or repair the flooring in that area.

Can you use the same type of mat under a slide and a swing set?

Playground swing mats and a slide crash mat both offer increased protection and durability. These heavy-duty mats are designed to stay in place without any glue-down installation. While the mats are available in similar thicknesses, slide landing mats tend to be smaller than swing mats. While you can absolutely use a swing mat at the base of a slide, using a slide mat under a swing might not cover a large enough area to be completely effective.

How long do playground slide landing pads last?

While warranties on individual products vary, most swing and slide landing mats will last up to 20 years.

Benefits of Swing Mats