We have a large backyard, 3-years now from bare dirt from new construction in Northern California.

We need to top off our mulch - what kind (bark, chips, etc) should I choose?

After we got our landscaping put in last fall, we covered all the open areas between plants with wood chips (free, from local arborists) to block weeds. However, we apparently didn't get it nearly deep enough (It's 2-3 inches some places, but definitely thinner than that in others) to actually prevent the infinite mounds of strawberry clover and brome grasses! We overlook a wild ravine, so we'll always have wild seeds blowing into our yard - so hopefully deeper mulch will help us (I especially want to prevent the star thistle and burr clover).

We also have a toddler who loves to dash across the bark barefoot despite the presence of a stepping stone path... and occasionally we have to do the same. The free wood-chips came with too many sticks and sharp chunks for the esthetic and walkability/comfort than we'd like.

So, what kind of mulch/bark/wood chips would you recommend that'd not be too splintery for occasional bare-foot use and would minimize weed growth? And, not too badly wind-blown?

Cedar? Hemlock? Are some kinds of fir better than others?

One local supplier just sells fir bark in various sizes, or playground bark (which we have in our specific play area, but it's a lighter color than we'd prefer in our orchard!)