Playpens, Sensory Rooms and Safety Padding

Foam is one of the most versatile man-made materials on the market - even so, that it is used in a range of children's play settings. From playpens to sensory rooms to safety padding, it's almost certain that every child in the UK has had some sort of experience with soft play. This includes visiting large soft play centres and playing with smaller foam-based soft toys like stacking cubes.

When looking to entertain children, particularly the very young, parents often try to think of innovative new ways to beat the boredom and stimulate the senses. Many wrongly assume that foam for soft play is both expensive and inaccessible, reserved only for purchase by large children's activity centres and organisations. This is where they are wrong however, as at eFoam, we believe that the versatility of foam products means they can be easily purchased by parents and carers for home use.

One of our most popular uses of foam in this regard is for sensory rooms. Though previously used in paediatric therapy settings, sensory rooms in the home are now growing in popularity and consist of elements including foam pits, crash pads and tunnels, as well as foam mats, ramps and ladders. Many parents find it is beneficial to order foam in a range of shapes and sizes to increase the level of sensory stimulation, allowing children to pick up certain objects before needing to climb over others. When full of soft foam objects and hurdles to navigate, sensory rooms can provide unique and relaxing tactile experiences that are both safe and pleasant.

Building on this, soft foam toys are also growing in popularity. Due to their versatile nature, they are a worthwhile investment that can be passed down generations to come. Also able to be used both indoors and out, soft foam toys truly allow children's imaginations to run free. At eFoam, we provide foam cut to size in a diverse range of shapes, enabling children to both design and build mini buildings, hideaways and towers in a range of challenging shapes that can be climbed on and knocked down. We recommend our medium to high-firm foam for such purposes as it can withstand the weight of a child, yet is still soft and safe to play with. Our most popular shapes are cube, triangle, rectangle and circle as these can be easily stacked and slotted together.

Not wanting a fully-fledged foam playroom? No problem. In recent years, we have seen a range of parents approach eFoam for assistance with thin crash mats and foam floor mats that can be used in activity rooms, yet can still be easily packed away. For example, our Plastazote foam sheets can be used as a thin padding on floors, with its firm properties and waterproof nature enabling it to withstand wear and tear. Furthermore, thin reconstituted chip foam - commonly used in laminated gym mats – can also be cut to size and used. Though thin, these two products can be easily removed and re-stuck using Velcro fastenings and can be packed away at your convenience.

Foam is also a popular product for disabled children, enabling physical play in circumstances where a child may need a bit more assistance or the reassurance of increased safety. An eFoam customer designed and created a secure foam-based playpen for a disabled child using Medium density polyurethane foam cut to various shapes (see playpen image) enabling the child to play and have fun, safely.

Foam-based physical activity toys are common, such as strapped rocker chairs that are soft, secure and durable. However, we can recommend a range of foam sheets should you wish to protect your child from walls, floors and hard surfaces without worry.

Should you require any further assistance, please contact us.