Playground markings
Playground markings that get children moving, learning and playing
We design and install thermoplastic and painted markings for schools, nurseries and councils, drawn around your yard. From a single hopscotch to a whole scheme of grids, courts, tracks and roadways. Free design, a fixed quote, and a team that installs nationwide.
- Free design and site survey
- Durable thermoplastic, anti-slip
- Installed nationwide, often in a day
What are playground markings?
Playground markings are coloured designs applied to the surface of a yard that turn plain tarmac into space for learning and play. A hundred square becomes a maths lesson, a looped line becomes the daily mile, a mini road teaches children to cross safely, and a quiet corner gets a hopscotch that is busy by first break. The same playground ends up doing several jobs at once.
Nearly all of ours are laid in thermoplastic, a hard-wearing material heated and bonded onto the tarmac, the same family used for road markings. It keeps its colour and its anti-slip grip through years of footfall and British weather. Paint has its place for budget refreshes and temporary layouts, and we offer both, but thermoplastic is what we recommend and use for the great majority of school work.
The full range of markings we install
Grouped by what they do. Pick a starting point, or ask us to combine a few into one scheme drawn to your yard.
Educational
Number and grid markings
Counting, times tables and number bonds, out on the yard.
See detailsEducational playground markings
World maps, clocks and phonics trails that take a lesson outside.
See detailsThermoplastic playground markings
The hot-applied material behind markings that last for years.
See detailsSports & Active
Sports court and MUGA markings
Netball, basketball, tennis and multi-use courts, fitted to your space.
See detailsDaily mile tracks
A looped running track that makes fifteen active minutes easy.
See detailsTrails and fitness markings
Follow-the-path trails and fitness circuits for active breaks.
See detailsGames & Fun
Road Safety
Sensory & SEND
Why schools mark out their playgrounds
A well-marked yard earns its place every day, in lessons and at break.
A playground that works harder
Zoning and designs drawn to your yard spread children out, calm the busy spots and give every corner a reason to be used.
Learning that leaves the classroom
Number grids, maps, clocks and phonics trails carry maths, literacy and geography outdoors, where some children take them in far better.
More active days
Daily mile tracks, trails and courts get children moving at break and in PE, without a scrap of equipment to set out.
Built to last
Hot-applied thermoplastic keeps its colour and grip through years of footfall and weather, so the yard still looks sharp a long time after paint would have gone.
Free design, fixed quote
We survey the surface, draw a scheme around it and quote a fixed price, so you know the cost before anything is booked.
Installed nationwide
Local teams across England, Scotland and Wales work from our Lancashire base, most primary schemes in a single day.
Thermoplastic or painted markings?
The honest comparison. Thermoplastic costs more at the outset and usually works out cheaper over the life of the markings, which is why we fit it on most school jobs.
| Thermoplastic | Painted | |
|---|---|---|
| How it is applied | Heated and bonded to the surface | Rolled or sprayed onto the surface |
| Lifespan | Several years, holds colour | Wears and fades sooner |
| Finish | Textured, anti-slip | Smoother, less grip when wet |
| Detail and colour | Sharp, full-colour designs | Good for simple lines and blocks |
| Up-front cost | Higher | Lower |
| Whole-life cost | Usually lower for a school | Higher once redone |
| Best for | Most school markings, courts, grids | Budget refreshes, temporary layouts |
From first call to finished playground
Four steps, and most of the work is ours.
- 01
Tell us about your yard
Call or send the form with a rough idea of what you want the space to do. We book a visit that suits your term.
- 02
Free survey and design
We measure the surface, check it is sound, then draw a scheme and send it back with a fixed quote to approve.
- 03
We install
Our team preps the surface and lays the hot thermoplastic, working around the school day and keeping the site tidy.
- 04
Straight into use
The markings cure within minutes of cooling, so pupils are usually playing on them the same day.
What do playground markings cost?
Individual markings start from around £50 to £300, and a typical primary package usually lands in the low thousands. A full MUGA or a mini roadway costs more.
The figure comes down to how many designs you want, thermoplastic versus paint, the size of the area, the state of the surface and how easily we can get to it. Rather than quote a rate over the phone, we visit, measure the yard and draw a scheme, then send a fixed quote you can take to the budget holder. The design is free and there is no obligation.
Get a fixed quote for your yardRecent playground installs
Real schemes we have marked out for schools and councils.
Get a free design and a fixed quote
Tell us about your playground and what you want it to do. We will arrange a survey, draw a scheme around your yard and send a fixed price, with no obligation. Prefer to talk it through first?
0333 321 6695- Free design and site survey
- Thermoplastic and painted markings
- Schools, nurseries and councils
Thanks, that is with us
One of the team will be in touch to arrange your free design and site survey. If it is urgent, call 0333 321 6695.
Ready to transform your playground?
Send us your yard and what you want it to do. We will come back with a free design and a fixed quote.
- Free design and site survey
- No obligation
- Nationwide install team