Please tell us where you're located (nearest big city & state.) Thanks!

Grass doesn't grow well under large maples either. Would you feel comfortable using mulch in that space?

We live right outside Chicago. I had a feeling grass wouldn’t grow well there. We do “mulch” for weeds and when we had actually attempted to grow things (but most things have failed…).

Are you suggesting a special kind of mulch?

Some moms are concerned about toddlers putting mulch in their mouths. If your toddler is good with mulch then go for it.

Some option

Consider turning the space into a playsand area.

Thank you so much for the ideas!!

What's the story with all the paving? Is there a garage in back, and that is the driveway? Another patio area? Given the size of the yard, it seems like a lot.

There is a garage in the back. It’s a narrow paved driveway that gets slightly wider and leads to our garage. All of this hardscaping was here when we purchased the house.

Grass is really quite boring for kids imo. You can't hide on a lawn or make dens. If you are moving in a short time I wouldn't change too much. You have sun and shade, paving for bikes and wheeled toys, grass for running and ballgames, a tree for a swing and shrubs for hiding in. I'm sure your child can make a kingdom in the garden more or less as it is.

The rendering with the play sand area grosses me out - neighborhood cats would visit that. Sandboxes are covered in dense neighborhoods.

No mulch --- scratchy and splinters, remove all of it. They do make playground ground cover called EWF, a cheap solution and perfect for the dirt areas around the lawn,---and the lawn looks in fine shape for play.

Engineered Wood Fiber. Clear the area to the left of the bench and fill with EWF for the swingset and slide. Then the lawn is left open. And yes, a covered sandbox to the right of the bench somewhere.

Google search results:

I understand the sand but kids love it. I have seen ground up rubber in some playgrounds here - maybe expensive ??? But very cushy