Kid friendly yard options
We have effectively killed our 600sq ft front lawn. We would like to make it a useable space for our young kids to play.
Does anyone have any information for a low water, no maintenance grass? Something that can handle lots of kid activities.
We have also looked into artificial turf. I don't like the idea of plastic but it just seems so easy to manage. Has anyone had positive/negative experiences with artificial turf.
thanks in advance
May 16, 2025
Parent Replies
I was NOT a fan of artificial turf, but my husband was emphatic that live lawns were high maintenance and antiquated. So about 6 years ago I relented and we put in artificial turf in part of the backyard (maybe 15 x 35 ft). I am now a believer. It's been amazing for the kids, pets, and us--no maintenance involved. It looks great. Apparently the industry has come a long way as have aethetics--there are many, many types and you can pick the composite that you like visually best. Doesn't get muddy. Occasional weed that I pull out easily. We have the turf surrounded by a border of plantings and nearby hardscape and it looks fantastic. --Turf Convert
I've had good luck with my California Bentgrass lawn! It's requires a lot of watering at first but once established is incredibly drought tolerant.
We had the same requirements and ended up with a 90/10 tall fescue (link here: https://eastbaynursery.com/sod-ordering/p/9010-fescue-blue)
It has not been very good... SUPER patchy, now we probably only have 1/3 coverage and the rest is just dirt. I regret installing it but don't have any alternatives to suggest, unfortunately since I did a lot of research and this is where I ended up!
I added “fake grass” to my backyard, it’s in a curvy shape with bedding plants around it. I needed to be convinced but now I love it. The artificial turf industry has come a long way since the shocking green plastic ASTRO TURF of the 60’s. Mine is made with recycled materials and has a range of colors including including yellow to give a more natural and soothing vibe. It lasts 10 years and you don’t ever have to mow or water. By the third year a few weeds started busting through so I pull them out manually. My dog enjoys it for sunbathing and also crazy puppy moves - the traction is excellent. It’s important to level the area and put a weed barrier and some kind of base. Otherwise it gets lumpy or worse, wrinkled. There is a yard in my neighborhood that has that problem. My landscaper did a great job. In seven years I bet that I’ll replace it with the same.
I recommend this for high-use areas. You can hose it off, too. I don’t think my dog pees on it but if it ever smelled I would spray it with odor remover and hose it off more.
Your solution should depend upon why the lawn died. Too much shade will lead you in a different direction than too little water.
Before making a decision please do a little online research about the negatives to artificial turf. For instance, take a look at the Wirecutter article https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-artificial-grass/. It is sometimes a practical alternative but it's not healthy - either for humans or the earth. It will also heat up your yard more than any type of plant.
For living durability not much is better than some type of grass -
https://www.deltabluegrass.com/sod-products/residential-commercial-sod/ Delta Blue Grass develops a lot of the sod products that are sold by local nurseries and landscapers, including instance the bentgrass sod that one post recommends. The Mow Free Fescue or Native No-Mow are good alternatives - different than playing on a flat lawn, but equally fun.
https://www.ebmud.com/water/conservation-and-rebates/rebates/lawn-conversion-rebate In some places you can get a rebate to help you replace your lawn with something else. I think you need to actually have the lawn to replace to prove you deserve the rebate, if you are going to go this route don't dig up your lawn just yet.
Good luck.