The Nursery Manager’s Guide to Safer Matting

Nursery life is active, creative, and inevitably messy. Outdoor play, free-flow movement, art activities, and frequent parent drop-offs all mean moisture, dirt, and spillages are part of everyday life, particularly around entrances, cloakrooms, and play areas.

At First Mats, we work with nurseries and early years providers who need mats that support safety without disrupting how children move and play. The right matting helps reduce slip risks, keeps rooms cleaner, and creates safer transitions between outdoor and indoor spaces for children, staff, parents, buggies, and mobility aids.

The EYFS Statutory Framework requires providers to take reasonable steps to keep children, staff, and visitors safe, as set out in Section 3 (Safeguarding and welfare requirements). While the framework does not prescribe specific products, well-chosen nursery matting is a simple, visible way to support an Ofsted-ready environment, helping to maintain safer floors, better hygiene, and clear access routes throughout the setting.

Part 1: The Entrance (“The Buggy Battle”)

The challenge: Nursery entrances are not like office lobbies. You’re dealing with double buggies, muddy shoes, toddlers who shuffle (and don’t lift their feet), and parents trying to manoeuvre through the door one-handed. If the mat is too thick, too soft, or curls at the edges, it becomes a trip point, and a daily frustration.

The "no-go" mat for nurseries: natural coir

Natural coir can look appealing, but in early years settings it often causes problems:

• Bristle shedding: loose fibres can end up where babies crawl and explore (not what you want around mouths).
• Staining: it marks easily after wet days and repeated cleaning.
• High friction: it can feel “grabby” under buggy wheels and makes pushchairs harder to roll smoothly.

A safer alternative: synthetic “coir look” (polypropylene)

The experts at First Mats suggest using Polypropylene “coir alternative” matting gives the natural look without the same shedding risk, and it is firmer and easier for wheels. It’s also more stain-resistant, which helps the entrance stay presentable for parents.

The setup that prevents trips: recessed mat wells (flush-fit)

If your mat sits “on top” of the floor, toddlers will catch toes on edges and parents will trip while handling children and bags. A recessed well keeps the mat flush with the floor, which is better for:

• Toddler safety: fewer raised edges = fewer trips
• Buggy & stroller access: smoother roll-through
• Wheelchair access: less resistance and snagging

Accessibility matters under the Equality Act 2010, which requires reasonable adjustments so disabled children and parents can access services without unnecessary barriers.

Part 2: Hygiene & Infection Control (Practical, not perfect)

The challenge: Nurseries are high-contact environments. Mud, spills, and “sickness bugs” can move quickly through a setting. You can’t eliminate germs entirely, but you can make cleaning faster and more effective, especially at the door where most contamination arrives.

Washable entrance mats (your “reset button” after a messy day)

Fixed carpet at the entrance is hard to sanitise quickly. Washable mats are a simple advantage: you can remove them and wash them after a sickness incident or during high-risk seasons, then put them straight back.

Logo mats (the “professional” touch that also hides everyday dirt)

Parents judge a setting in the first 10 seconds. A logo mat supports trust and professionalism while still doing the real work: trapping dirt and moisture at the entrance so it doesn’t reach classrooms.

For slip-risk reduction guidance in education settings, see: HSE: Slips and trips in education . Their message is consistent: control wet contamination and use entrance matting that’s effective enough to reduce tracked-in water.

Part 3: Outdoor Play & Safety (“The Critical Fall”)

The challenge: Children climb. Falls happen. What matters is what they land on. A fall onto concrete or tarmac can cause serious injury, especially around climbing frames, play towers, and slides.

What “Critical Fall Height (CFH)” means in plain English

CFH is the maximum height a child can fall from where the surface is designed to reduce the risk of severe head injury. This is tested under BS EN 1177 (impact-attenuating playground surfacing). In practice: if equipment is 1.5m high, your surfacing should be rated to a CFH of at least 1.5m for the relevant area.

(If you want a readable overview of the standard’s purpose, see: Playground safety surfacing standards (overview including BS EN 1177 and CFH) .)

Rubber playground mats (safer landings + “free flow” friendly)

Rubber playground mats help in three ways:

• Impact absorption: reduces injury risk around climbing equipment (CFH-rated options)
• Mud control: reduces churned mud patches so outdoor areas stay usable longer
• Biophilic design: many systems allow grass/natural look to show through, supporting a calmer, nature-friendly environment

This supports “free flow” play by keeping indoor–outdoor movement realistic even in wet seasons, without turning entrances and thresholds into slip zones.

Nursery Safety Audit (Copy/Paste for Daily Checks)

Useful references (for your risk assessment file)

• EYFS Statutory Framework (GOV.UK) — Section 3: safeguarding and welfare requirements
• HSE: Slips and trips in education
• Equality Act 2010 (Legislation.gov.uk) — accessibility and reasonable adjustments
• BS EN 1177 — Impact attenuating playground surfacing (Critical Fall Height testing)