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What is the Best Flooring for an Indoor Playground?

By Kyle Schurman Created: June, 2020 - Modified: May, 2024

For a tired parent, seeing an indoor playground can feel like finding an oasis in the desert. Whether in the middle of a shopping mall, daycare center, commercial complex, church, hotel or even at home, having a fun place with safe indoor playground flooring installed gives you a chance to rest while the kiddos blow off some steam.

When planning for such a space, there are many things to consider – from the equipment and activities to the indoor playground flooring in place. The indoor play area flooring has a very important role, serving as a footing that will provide a cushy base to absorb shock and impact during potential rough play. Trust Greatmats to deliver the best flooring for indoor playground locations at great value. We primarily recommend foam and rubber tiles and mats.

What to Look for in Indoor Playground Flooring

Soft play flooring indoor installations must carry several characteristics to be as useful as possible for your residential playground or commercial location play space.

Cushioning From Bumps


The best flooring for a children’s play area will have plenty of cushioning to guard against falls from toddlers, saving them from bumps that induce tears.

Protection From Falls


Many types of playground floors from Greatmats carry a fall height protection rating, meaning they guard against potential head injuries when an older child falls from a certain height. This is a key component of flooring on a playground with equipment.

Fun Designs


Introducing a splash of color into the playground flooring makes the space more fun for kids.

Durability


No one wants to have to constantly repair tiles or fix flaws in the interior play area floors. Rubber and foam floors can deliver softness, while also being highly durable, even when battling dozens of rambunctious kids every day.

Easy Installation


To save money in the creation of the playground, having flooring that works for a DIY installation is a great feature versus having to hire an installer. Greatmats specializes in offering DIY floors.

Easy to Clean


Kids are notorious for making messes, even when they aren’t trying to do it. Finding flooring options for the playground that don’t take a lot of time or effort to clean is a big help in maintaining the area and keeping it safe.

Where You Can Use Indoor Playground Flooring

No matter where you want to create an interior space for a play area or park, you can do it with the right flooring.

Commercial Locations


For a mall playspaces material that is safe and that can reduce your business or organization’s liability concerns, selecting the right flooring is key to protecting against injuries after falls.

  • Churches
  • Museums
  • Schools
  • Daycares
  • Autism centers
  • Play cafes
  • Trampoline parks
  • Malls
  • Hotel play spaces
  • Toddler rooms


For Home


  • Basements
  • Attics
  • Insulated garages
  • Spare rooms
  • Play rooms
  • Sensory rooms
  • Special needs play areas

Best Flooring for Indoor Playgrounds

Finding the right floor covering for a children’s play area relies on figuring out which material fits the space perfectly.

Flat Foam Mats


best indoor playground flooring
Foam mats are easy to install and often have an interlocking edge that simplifies creating a DIY layout without needing to use glue.

One option, the 1x1 Meter Indoor Play Flooring Tiles, features a 4-foot fall height ASTM rating and a no-burn tatami top texture for maximum safety.

If you have a smaller area to cover where younger kids will play, and where you don’t need the fall height rating, our 2x2 Foot Premium Foam Kids and Gym Mats are cost-effective.

Foam Roll Out Mats and Foam Folding Mats


indoor playground flooring for kids
In areas where you need maximum cushioning, while also having the ability to pick up and store the mats between play dates, look for mats with a soft foam base and a carpet or vinyl top layer.

Roll-out foam mats, which are popular in cheerleading studios, provide excellent cushioning with good traction on the top layer to guard against slips.

Fold-up foam mats with a vinyl cover offer excellent cushioning and traction. They have the added advantage of being able to fold them on the fly to create extra-thick cushioning in an area where kids may be jumping or falling.

Foam Crash Mats


foam mats for play spaces
Foam crash mats is the ultimate in cushioning, often measuring several inches in thickness with a soft foam interior and a vinyl or denim outer layer that can stand up to the shock of kids landing hard on it.

Use the crash mats in an area of the playground where kids will jump on it regularly from a height, but only use them with adult supervision.

Rubber Tiles


rubber playground tiles for indoor
Rubber flooring for indoor playground installations can also carry a fall height rating.

One of the best is the 3.25-Inch Sterling Indoor Tile. This interlocking rubber playground tile is class 2 fire-rated with an ASTM fall height rating of 6 feet. Its unique design specifically protects against fall-related head injuries.

If you would like a thinner rubber tile that has some additional color options, Sterling Playground Tiles are available in a 2.25-inch thickness measurement with a 4-foot fall height rating.

Trust Greatmats to Help You Find the Perfect Indoor Playground Flooring

Playgrounds are home to memory-making playtime and hours of enjoyment for children. They also provide a little break for busy parents who find themselves entertaining kids all day long. The running and laughter seem endless, and the slides, swings, and monkey bars provide hours of physical fun … until someone falls and gets hurt.


Avoid this scenario by sticking with kids' playground flooring that is safe and that protects against injuries from falls. Trust Greatmats to give you the best quality and affordability for your safe floor covering for a children’s play area. We deliver service and dependability, too. Reach out to our indoor playground flooring experts today!