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Making Playgrounds Accessible for All 
with ACCESSREC’s Matting Systems

Accessible Playground Pathways with ACCESSREC’s Matting Systems

ACCESSREC’s ACCESSMAT®, COCOPATH® or WETMAT®3 are designed to address these challenges, providing smooth, stable, and safe pathways across wood chip surfaces. Our mats transform any playground, ensuring that every child, regardless of mobility, can explore and enjoy the play areas without barriers.

Real Impact: Tori’s First Time on the Playground

Tori, a young girl who uses a wheelchair, struggled for years to enjoy her local school’s playground. The wood chip surface made it impossible for her to move around, leaving her unable to participate in games with her friends. Her parents tried to help, but her wheelchair kept getting stuck, and the fun quickly turned into frustration.


That all changed when her school installed ACCESSREC’s ACCESSMAT® matting system. For the first time, Tory could easily move across the playground, rolling over the wood chips without any trouble. Her joy was immediate and contagious—she could now access the swings, slides, and other equipment with ease. Tori's face lit up as she joined her friends in play, no longer watching from the sidelines but being part of the action.
 

Tori’s parents were overjoyed, watching her enjoy the full playground experience for the first time. The matting system didn’t just provide accessibility; it provided inclusion, allowing Tori to play, laugh, and make memories with her friends.

Transform Your Playground Today

 

If you’re a playground operator, school, church, or community looking to make your playground truly inclusive, ACCESSREC’s matting systems offer a proven, cost-effective solution to make your play areas accessible to all children. Our mats provide safe, stable pathways over wood chips, ensuring that no child is left out.

 

At ACCESSREC, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to enjoy the fun and social interaction that playgrounds provide, regardless of physical abilities. Unfortunately, traditional playground surfaces, like wood chips, sand or grass, present significant challenges for children who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids. Our innovative matting systems offer a transformative solution, creating accessible pathways across wood chips, so every child can enjoy the full playground experience.

Contact us today to learn how we can help transform your playground into a space where every child can play, explore, and connect—without barriers. Together, we can create a playground where everyone belongs.

AccessRec grass mats, beach access mats, beach wheelchairs, grass mats, roll out walkways, and duradeck all terrain mats

Key Benefits of ACCESSREC’s Matting Systems

100% ADA-Compliant: Our matting systems are fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), guaranteeing accessibility for individuals using wheelchairs, walkers, or other mobility aids. ACCESSREC’s Playground matting systems have been certified and passed the rigorous ASTM F1951-21 standard, which ensures that playground surface systems are accessible for mobility devices under and around play areas.

 

Safe, Stable and Durable: Designed to provide a firm, weather permitting slip-resistant surface, our mats create a stable pathway across wood chips. This prevents wheels from sinking or slipping, allowing smooth navigation throughout the playground. In addition to accessibility, our mats are certified for impact attenuation within the use zones of playground equipment, ensuring that children are safe from injury if they fall. ACCESSREC’s mats are all certified ASTM 1292-22.

 

Quick and Easy Installation: Our mats are easy to install and can be customized to fit any playground layout. Whether you need pathways leading to play equipment or a larger coverage area, we can tailor our solution to your needs.

 

Cost-Effective and Low-Maintenance: Instead of expensive surface overhauls, ACCESSREC’s matting systems offer a budget-friendly solution that integrates with existing wood chip surfaces. Our mats require minimal maintenance and are built to withstand heavy use.

AccessRec grass mats, beach access mats, beach wheelchairs, grass mats, roll out walkways, and duradeck all terrain mats

The Problem: Mobility Challenges on Wood Chips (sand or grass)

Wood chips are a common surface choice for playgrounds due to their natural appearance and impact-absorbing qualities. However, for children with mobility challenges, wood chips can be a barrier rather than a benefit. Common issues include:

  1. Instability: Wood chips are loose and uneven, making it difficult for wheelchairs or walkers to move smoothly.

  2. Sinking Wheels: Wheelchair tires often sink into the soft, loose surface, creating a struggle to move forward or even turning mobility into an impossible task.

  3. Lack of Traction: Mobility devices lose traction on wood chips, leading to frequent stops, slips, or the need for assistance.

  4. Restricted Access: These challenges make it hard for children to access play equipment and areas where they can engage with their peers

 

Without a stable, accessible path, children with mobility aids are often left on the sidelines, watching their friends play rather than joining in the fun.

Our Solution: Accessible Playground Pathways with ACCESSREC’s Matting Systems

ACCESSREC’s ACCESSMAT®, COCOPATH® or WETMAT®3 are designed to address these challenges, providing smooth, stable, and safe pathways across wood chip surfaces. Our mats transform any playground, ensuring that every child, regardless of mobility, can explore and enjoy the play areas without barriers.

Accessories / spare parts:

ACCESSREC’s Wear Pads provide an effective solution for protecting the ground under playground swings or at the end of slides. When installed on surfaces like mulch, grass, or sand, this durable mat helps prevent the common issues of:

Erosion: On mulch, the pad stabilizes the surface, keeping wood chips in place and preventing them from being displaced, which helps maintain an even, accessible ground level for all users, including those in wheelchairs.

Grass Preservation: Grass under swings often becomes worn and bare from constant use, leading to unsightly and uneven ground. The wear pad helps preserve the grass by distributing weight evenly and reducing friction, preventing muddy bald spots.

Enhanced Stability on Sand: Sand is prone to shifting and displacement, which can create uneven surfaces that are difficult for users to traverse. The ACCESSMAT Wear Pad keeps the sand in place, ensuring a flat, safe surface.

            b. Commercial grade ADA compliant threshold

            c. Anchoring devices

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