Travis Zajac scores in overtime, taking the New Jersey Devils to a dramatic game seven! Spring is here and summer’s on the way, yet at dinner, in the office, and around the water cooler, sports playoffs is the topic on everyone’s lips. From the NBA to the NHL, the entire seasons come down to these next two weeks. Every manager from any professional sports team will tell you that injuries have a massive impact upon seasons; if a star player goes down many a hard-earned playoff spot is for naught. The only reason the Devils are going to game seven is because of Travis Zajac, an injury-plagued player, without whom the Devils would be on their way home.

While some injuries are inevitable, many are preventable. A player that stretches and works out before a game is less likely to injure himself during play. There is no doubt that gyms and workout rooms with the right equipment can have an effect on a franchise’s entire season. Rubber bond flooring in gyms is an essential component to providing a safe workout experience.

Rubber flooring enables players to work out better by giving great traction for foot exercises, while lowering safety risks that come with a bad spill on a concrete floor. The rubber’s shock absorbency also allows for a wider range of movement. Besides for the rubber flooring being in the best interests of the players, it also shows that management cares about their players’ safety, boosting locker room morale.

Many shy away when first hearing the cost, not realizing that although initially rubber bond is more expensive, it lasts longer than any of its counterparts, making it more cost efficient in the long run. Another way a team could benefit from rubber bond is the green stamp it places on that franchise. Rubber bond is recycled, rather than burned or dumped in landfills, making this planet a safer place to live. What better way to associate a team with a movement that is taking the world by storm. Favorable reactions mean better ticket sales, and that is the bottom line with every team, in every sport. From safety to smart PR, rubber flooring is a smart decision for pro sports teams.

There is something about children at play that captures a moment of pure innocence and beauty and makes adults stop with nostalgia. The scene of children running through the grass, laughing and carefree, makes for a picture that is threaded with the joy of life, the innocence of youth, and the bliss of ignorance. This element was made into art this week at Brooklyn Utopia’s Park Space/Play Space. The reception on parks and public spaces took place at the Old Stone House in J.J Byrne Park, on the Park Slope-Gowanus border.

The upstairs gallery featured works such as Marina Zamin’s immersive video installation “Brooklyn Canals” and an animation projected onto a canvas with cutout flower pots and windows. There were also panoramic photo-murals of various blocks on Kent Avenue, as well as picture-postcards and descriptions of eminent domain cases across the city.

Some of the other works in the exhibit merge public space with technology. Lynn Cazabon’s “Uncultivated” project displays pictures of plants with QR codes beneath them. When someone scans the code, they are directed to a website which pinpoints the location of the plants and gives their species.

Then there is Skymills, an app which calls on the Old Stone House’s Dutch legacy and erects virtual windmills that can be viewed through an iPad or iPhone. The mills also create virtual skywriting, and the maker envisions the app as a virtual public space where users plant trees or write virtual messages that all users can see.

This entire exhibit of awe-inspiring art was itself inspired by children at play. In this, Rubberecyle is the expert. The beautiful scene of children playing can become ugly when injury intervenes. Recycled rubber mulch for playgrounds is eco-friendly, and it prevents injuries with added shock absorbency that truly allows children to play freely. The mulch will also appeal to the artist’s love of color, as it comes in a spectrum of colors to suit any setting, and gives a clean look. The makers of Playsafer mulch may also be called artists, for in their own way, they too, are making art, by providing playground equipment for children.

The days when a playground consisted of a tire hung on a tree and a grassy lawn are pretty much over. Today’s playgrounds are ever bigger and better, with playground equipment that is designed to exercise kids’ mental and physical boundaries and the latest in high tech materials. Enter the Imagination Playground.

Designed by David Rockwell, Imagination Playground takes the concept of free play and creativity to a whole new level. The playground equipment is made up of big blue foam blocks of all shapes and sizes. Using oversized cogs, wheels, spools and tubes, children create whimsical sculptures, construct castles and forts, and design vibrant vehicles that move. Joining curvy blocks with grooves, they form elaborate ramps and tracks and send balls rolling through. They stack, connect, design, configure and play – the possibilities are endless!  Imagination Playground is good for both indoor and outdoor playgrounds, but children will most enjoy themselves on rubber mulch flooring so they can bounce around safely.

Imagination Playground Blocks are made of a cross-linked Polyethylene foam manufactured in the United States. The closed-cell foam is soft, lightweight, waterproof, and biodegradable. It is resistant to sun, heat, mold, mildew, corrosion and micro-organisms. These highly-durable blocks can be transported to a landfill or returned to the manufacturer to be recycled when they are no longer wanted on the playground, making them eco-friendly, as is rubber mulch for playgrounds, the premium playground flooring. In fact, Imagination Playground was featured in UL’s Safe and Healthy Environment pavilion at the Earth Day Eco Village on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. during Earth Week. The UL pavilion featured interactive kiosks on family safety and provided useful information on maintaining healthy environments and the importance of safe play.

Imagination Playground materials can be purchased in a box or case for private use, or parents can take children to visit Imagination Playgrounds. The flagship playground is at South Street Seaport in Manhattan and a new playground is set to open at the Providence Children’s Museum during the April Spring Break. There are Imagination Playgrounds all across the country, and internationally, as well. With new technology and rubber mulch playground flooring, the possibilities for children’s’ play are endless.

With childhood obesity on the rise around the world, parents are finding it increasingly harder to get their kids outside to play. Czech designer Pavel Tuma and his team are looking to change that with a new 5D playground in the works. While coercing children into physical activity, the playground combines online favorites, video games, and other interactive features for a complete experience that is fun, educational, and merges the old with the new.

The team of designers spent two years coming up with the specifics for this otherworldly playground. They describe it as a playground the size of a tennis court, with a 5D box right next to it. The box is a sort of mini-computer center, with a touchpad and sensors relating to the five senses. Each child would have a chip to enter the game, which is a series of physical and mental challenges that have to be overcome.  The playground itself is very attractive visually, with numerous hurdles of different kinds, a multimedia box, and various surfaces, rubber mulch among them.

The software will have six areas of knowledge – geography, history, natural sciences, entertainment, and general knowledge. Quizzes vary between concentrating on one subject, and across the board knowledge. Pavel envisions a scenario where teachers give his team the test questions a day in advance and they would take care of the rest, allowing the children to take the test through the playground system. On a nice day the test could take place out in the open, and teams of students could even play against each other. By the time they get home from school, they would have received their test results by mail, with photos on Facebook of the kids in the playground.

This playground project is still in the making, but there has been interest from countries all over the world, some looking to fight childhood obesity, with others looking at it as a source of tourism. From the looks of it, computerized playgrounds have a bright future.

Any mother of an infant knows that babies grow at an extremely fast pace. You’ve finally finished putting together their wardrobe for the season, when nothing fits anymore, and you have to start again. With crawling babies that job is even harder, as everything is always dirty, and the knees of pants are always worn out. A small consolation is that a baby who crawls in the winter is indoors. Babies who crawl in the summer will be even dirtier, and tear their pants even more. When choosing playground flooring, rubber mulch is a great option in this situation.

As opposed to grass which leaves grass stains and wood chips which leave splinters and black streaks, rubber mulch flooring leaves no splinters or stains on clothes. Playsafer Rubber mulch comes in a variety of colors, none of which leave marks on clothing. Rubber is also easier on babies’ hands and knees as it is pliable, and it is odor free.

Playgrounds may be floored with rubber mulch chips or rubber bond. The chips are usually in an enclosed area that is surrounded by rubber curbs. Rubber bond is created by spreading a thick layer of mulch chips which is then covered by a layer of rubber that has a high polyurethane bond. The effect is a smooth, clean surface that retains the characteristics of rubber mulch chips. This option will be better for crawling babies, but it is more expensive than rubber mulch chips. Rubber bond also provides a safe surface for kids to play hopscotch, jump rope, ball, or anything that suits their fancy. Each family must weigh the pros and cons for their specific situation.

Rubber playground flooring offers exasperated mothers a simple solution to constant grass and mud stains and splinters. It is the finishing touch on a perfect playground.

Public parks are meant for children to play in, and it’s a real pity when they’re left to rot. The Daily News reports that for the past three years, Community District 18, which consists of Canarsie, Platlands, Mill Basin, Bergen Beach, and Marine Park, has earned the distinction of being lowest in cleanliness and general conditions. This data is compiled by the city’s Parks Inspection Program, which rates city parks based on litter, graffiti, playground equipment, and general conditions. Aside for being unsanitary, parks that earn low marks can also pose danger hazards for the children playing in them.

In cities especially, where grass is hard to come by, children spend lots of their time in city parks, and are subject to the conditions there. A growing awareness is being made of the need for rubber mulch flooring. Aside for aesthetics, rubber mulch is a necessary part of any commercial playground that is serious about playground safety.

Playsafer rubber mulch is used in the White House playground, an example that cities should follow. Available in different forms including rubber chips, rubber bond surfacing, rubber wearmats, and rubber curbs, the rubber flooring for playgrounds suits any need. A major consideration in any city or commercial expenditure is budgeting. Rubber mulch shows high returns, with little maintenance required and a long life span. An investment in rubber mulch is an investment for the future.

Rubber surfacing is recommended for city playgrounds because its high shock absorbency makes it a safer option, helping to prevent injuries in children. It is also entirely eco-friendly, made from recycled rubber and other sustainable materials. The use of rubber mulch satisfies all the concerns faced by a city, namely, safety, budget, and eco concerns.

When visiting homes or schools for special children, there is often interesting equipment and apparatus meant to help the children develop. One thing that is universal is rubber mulch flooring in their playgrounds. The reason that rubber mulch is so popular in these areas is because the tire mulch has an extra spring, absorbing the impact from falls and preventing injuries. Children who are uncoordinated and stumble easily are protected with rubber mulch flooring.

While rubber mulch is especially necessary in schools for special children, it can be a safety feature in any home. Even the most coordinated and athletic child can stumble when running and hurt themselves. Rubber mulch should be a main consideration for private and commercial playgrounds.

Schools for special children combine a variety of recycled rubber products for the ultimate in playground safety. The playgrounds are floored in either rubber mulch chips that are surrounded by rubber curbs, or are paved with Playsafer rubber bond. In the case of special children, rubber bond is often the better choice because there are no particles to be thrown around or trip over. The rubber bond is created by spreading a thick layer of Playsafer rubber mulch chips that is then covered with a layer of rubber that is combined with a high quality polyurethane bond. The result is a floor that is soft and springy, yet smooth and sleek.

Another important component of a safe playground are rubber wearmats in areas of high impact. The mats are simply for added absorption at the bottoms of slides or other areas where children tend to land with impact.

While these safety precautions are considered a necessity for special children, they can also help the average child play more easily, and with less risk. Consider a variety of Rubberecycle rubber mulch products for your playground.

When people plan their playgrounds or landscaping, often the last thing that comes to mind is the curbs that will be used to surround landscaping, playground equipment, or sandboxes. However, this is something vital, and if not done correctly, the curbs can break and allow mulch or sand to leak, creating a mess out of carefully planned spaces.

Often the best curbs are rubber, for a variety of reasons. Rubber curbs are more pliable than wood, and don’t weather the way wood does. They can be bent to fit any shape with little effort. Rubber playground borders are also more resilient than wood, and eliminate the danger of splinters in children. The neutral brown tone of Playsafer rubber curbs make them compatible with any playground or area, and they come in many lengths. An added perk of rubber curbs is that they are interlocking and stackable.

While wood curbs require expert installation, rubber curbs and rubber wearmats are easy to install and come with safety caps and spikes. After spending a pretty penny on a new playground, saving on installation is always welcome. Rubber curbs also benefit the grass, mulch, or sand they are surrounding because they dry and drain quickly after rainfall. It is a known fact that wood curbs decompose over time, allowing weeds to trample them and drive them into the ground until all signs of their existence are gone. Rubber, as a synthetic material, does not decompose, and will have a longer life span, proudly guarding the sandbox.

When children visit a new playground, all they see is the gleaming new slide towering above them, and they don’t stop to think about all that goes into a beautiful playground. Be sure to install rubber curbs so that your playground will retain its neat, shiny new look for years to come.

The Make a Wish foundation is renowned for the abundance of good it does in providing sick children with their wishes. They have again brought light into the life of a child with a home playground for Owen Payton, a five-year-old with congenital heart defects. Owen has had multiple surgeries on his heart, and is plagued with a number of medical maladies. He loves to play in the park, and when the foundation called, that was his request. Owen’s parents are also offered a measure of peace of mind with their new home playground, as Owen can now play by himself in the backyard with his friends, and they can rest assured of the playground safety, as well as the fact that he is nearby in case of emergency.

No playground is complete without a rubber mulch floor. Especially in this case, where Owen’s body is fragile, a rubber mulch playground surface would help ensure safety from injuries. This is because synthetic mulch flooring has extra absorbency, preventing injuries from falls. It also comes in a variety of colors that are sure to cheer up any child. The wish that the Make a Wish foundation granted in this case is unique in that it is a lasting one, unlike a vacation. A rubber mulch floor needs no costly maintenance, the finishing touch on the fulfillment of a child’s dream.

Rubber mulch comes to serve added benefits to playgrounds everywhere, with better protection, an odor free nature, and no residue or dirt left on children while they play. Parents also enjoy the financial freedom of a floor that lasts. Many children dream of their own personal playgrounds, where they rule. A rubber mulch floor is the finishing touch.

A committee of donors has shown the importance of rubber mulch in playgrounds for child safety. In the last eighteen months, the group has raised fifty thousand dollars for a new piece of playground equipment in Memorial Park, in Hillsboro, New Jersey. The elaborate three tiered structure features a climbing wall, twisting tube slide, shorter open slide, and other exciting features. Most important is the landing zone around the structure, which uses soft and shock absorbent rubber mulch, as opposed to the previously used sand. Although this has been a great accomplishment, the volunteers are hoping to raise money for another piece of new equipment, and rubber mulch landing pads around the older structures.

Rubber mulch is rising as the latest and greatest in playground safety. It comes in the form of rubber chips, rubber curbs, and rubber wear mats for high impact areas. The playground surface is soft and spongy, preventing injuries, and facilitating children’s play. Playsafer rubber mulch comes in many colors for a cheerful look, and leaves no residue, resulting in clean children. Although it is a costly expenditure, rubber flooring for playgrounds pays itself off quickly, as it requires no maintenance or replenishing for years.

Memorial Park in Hillsboro is just one commercial playground among many that is recognizing the benefits of rubber mulch, both financially, and for the safety of children.