Creating a safe and fun environment for children requires selecting the proper equipment and toys. But don’t forget about the flooring you’ll be using. The right kids floor mats also play a role in the safety and enjoyment children will have at play time.

Multiple types of materials are available in these tiles, ensuring you can find just the right mixture of cushioning, value, and durability for your needs. Additionally, there are a few different installation options among these products, ensuring you have a product that matches your level of expertise.

Foam. Foam is one of the most popular kids floor mats choice for a playroom or bedroom setting. This material is inexpensive, so you can cover a large area at a low price.

You can pick from multiple solid color options with these mats, allowing you to create a fun look in the room or to match the existing décor. Some parents even encourage the kids to create a random color pattern in the floor, treating the installation like an art project. Occasionally, a foam tile product will have a wood grain surface design, allowing it to mimic a wood floor, should you want a more sophisticated look.

Foam tiles often have a puzzle style edge, which means the edges of the tiles interlock together tightly, ensuring the integrity of the floor over time while making installation a simple process. With these foam tiles, no adhesive is required for installation, so you can rearrange them as many times as you like.

Premium foam products will have multiple surface options that provide the grip needed for walking and running without worries about slipping, as well as no-burn tatami surfaces for martial arts and wrestling.

Rubber. When durability is the key feature that you want in your kids floor mats, rubber flooring delivers like no other. Some people will pick a roll of rubber to cover a huge room in a gym or daycare center. For use at home, rubber interlocking tiles are a smart choice as well as smaller sized rubber rolls.

You’ll be able to lay rubber mats directly over almost any hard existing sub-floor, including cement or ceramic tile. Rubber is also resistant to absorbing water, which is a nice feature in areas where kids may spill drinks or drop art supplies, making cleanup an easy process.

PVC plastic. When you want a flooring material that fits between foam’s softness and rubber’s durability, a flexible PVC plastic includes properties from both of those materials.

A PVC plastic mat has waterproof capabilities, allowing it to work either indoors or outdoors. Some models will have a fall height rating, which protects kids if they tumble to the ground while playing.

PVC has a greater level of durability than foam, as it can withstand the weight of furniture without indenting. It also has more cushioning feel than rubber, especially in raised tiles, while delivering many of the same durability advantages.

Additionally, it is available in quite a few color choices, similar to what foam delivers, which can make the installation fun.

Carpet. If you’re going to install carpet tiles in a kids playroom, you’re going to want a high quality carpet. It needs to be waterproof, stain-proof, and easy to clean. The back pad needs to be soft, while the top should help prevent floor burns, just in case the child falls down.

Using carpet tiles as kids floor mats creates a comfortable area for sitting on the floor. By laying carpet over a cold, hard sub-floor, such as concrete, the carpet will create an insulating layer against the cold for a small child or a crawling baby.

Padded floor. If your children would like to practice gymnastics, martial arts, or cheerleading, a soft landing area is key for the kids floor mats you select. In this case, gymnastics mats work nicely.

They have a tough outer layer with a durable, cushioning foam on the interior. These mats can be several inches thick, providing the perfect level of padding for safe play.

Some padded mats will fold up or roll up for storage when they are not in use.

Outdoor floor. Multiple types of materials are available when constructing an outdoor floor that’s safe for kids to use. Whether you need kids floor mats to place over the top of a patio, deck, or pool area, multiple options are available, including flexible PVC, rubber or foam/rubber blends.

Any outdoor playground flooring for children should have a fall height rating to create a safe area. If you have climbing playground equipment in the area, a greater fall height rating is required.

If the tiles will be used in areas exposed to regular moisture, a perforated tile works well to allow water to drain through the tile, preventing water from pooling on the surface and creating a slipping hazard.

Kids floor mats buying guide. Should you need any further information about these mats and tiles for kids playrooms, just click the links. We’ve collected a series of product reviews, usage ideas, videos, and testimonials to help you receive the best value and performance in your kids floor mats choice.