Last updated October 2026
We lay thermoplastic playground markings for primary schools, academies, nurseries and holiday parks across the UK: hopscotch, number grids, maps, trails, roadways and court lines. A supply-only hopscotch kit starts at £131.19 and a large snakes and ladders at £938.52, before laying; court lines were quoted at £600 per sport on a 2025 council job. Prices exclude VAT. Most schools book a half term or summer slot. Send a photo of your yard for an itemised quote.
Markings are priced per design, so a list of the designs you want gets you a firm figure faster than a site plan alone.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Item | Price | Basis | Source | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional hopscotch kit | £131.19 | Supply only, DIY laying with gas burner | StartSafety, Oct 2026 | Medium |
| Four-way hopscotch kit | £353.21 | Supply only | StartSafety, Oct 2026 | Medium |
| Snakes and ladders kit | £938.52 | Supply only | StartSafety, Oct 2026 | Medium |
| Sports court lines | £600 per sport | Installed, quoted to a parish council | Wickham Parish Council pack, Feb 2025 | Medium |
| Full court relining after resurfacing | £1,250 | Installed, quoted to a parish council | Same pack | Medium |
| Installed games markings | priced per design on survey | Laid by the surfacing teams | Your site survey | Firm once surveyed |
How much do playground markings cost?
A single game costs from about £130 for the material alone, and large designs approach £1,000 before anyone lays them. Laying adds labour, a gas burner and surface preparation, so an installed price is always higher than the kit. Send your list of designs and the quote comes back one line per design, so you can add or drop items to fit the budget.
Court lines are the one installed figure on public record: £600 per sport, quoted to Wickham Parish Council in January 2025.
Thermoplastic or paint: which lasts?
Thermoplastic is the usual choice for school yards because it is laid hot, fuses to the tarmac and builds a thicker layer than paint. Paint is cheaper to put down and suits short-term layouts, test designs or surfaces where heat cannot be used. Ask for the expected life and any warranty in writing for the product being laid, so two quotes compare like with like.
How it works
- 01Send a plan and photosThe site, the surface and the date it must reopen.
- 02We check the groundLevels and where the water drains.
- 03Written quoteBuilt around your reopening date.
Which designs suit KS1, KS2 and EYFS?
Match designs to age and to where each group plays:
- EYFS and reception: large, simple shapes, colour and number tracks, a small roadway for trikes.
- KS1: hopscotch, snakes and ladders, number grids to 100, alphabet and clock faces that teachers can use in lessons.
- KS2: compass and UK or world maps, target and agility games, a running track round the edge, and netball or basketball lines.
Put quiet games near benches and walls, and active games in the open centre, so football does not run through a hopscotch. A walk round at break with the duty staff shows where each will be used.
Can PE and sport premium pay for markings?
Sometimes. The gov.uk guidance says the premium cannot fund capital spending, but it can fund revenue maintenance of existing assets, and repainting playground lines is the example it gives. New markings may count as capital, and the Department for Education says it cannot advise on individual cases, so check with your finance lead before you commit. Unused premium cannot roll over to the next year.
That makes a repaint of existing lines one of the few surfacing jobs a primary can fund from the premium. For new layouts, see the playground grants guide.
How long does installation take, and does it need dry weather?
Most single-yard jobs take a day or two, and they do need a dry surface. Thermoplastic is laid onto clean, dry tarmac, so wet days move the start. Book a holiday or weekend window with a spare day for weather.
Can you add a daily mile loop or roadway?
Yes. A roadway with junctions, crossings and parking bays is a popular KS1 design, and a marked running loop round the yard edge is a low-cost way to start daily running. For a proper surfaced loop round a field, see daily mile track.
Can old markings be removed?
Yes, worn or unwanted markings can be removed before new ones go down, and it is quoted as its own line. Badly worn tarmac may be better resurfaced first; see tarmac playground for that option, then mark the new surface.
What’s included
- Review of your design list and a photo or plan of the yard
- Survey of the tarmac’s condition
- An itemised quote, one line per design
- Cleaning and preparation of each marking area
- Laying the markings in your agreed colours and positions
- A check of the finished markings with the school
What’s not included
- VAT, shown separately
- Tarmac repairs or resurfacing, unless listed
- Removal of old markings, unless listed
Illustrative example
Using the table only. A primary orders a four-way hopscotch, a snakes and ladders and netball lines. On supply-only kit prices the two games come to about £1,290 in materials, and netball lines at the council-quoted £600 per sport add £600 installed, so the job starts at roughly £1,890 before laying the games and before VAT.
Who does the work
WeDo Property Services is the business behind this site. We work from your enquiry and design list, and the surfacing teams prepare the yard and lay every marking, with Alex checking the finished job with you.
Often needed alongside
Markings often finish a wider school playground surfacing project. For courts beyond the yard, see tennis court marking. How schools plan and fund this work is set out on schools and academies, and all rates are on playground surfacing cost.
FAQs
Can you match our school colours?
Yes, name the colours when you send the design list.
Can we design our own marking?
Yes, send a drawing and it is priced as a custom design.
Can markings go on a new MUGA or fresh tarmac?
Yes, once the new surface has cured; ask for the wait time on the quote.
Are thermoplastic markings slippery?
Ask for the product’s slip resistance data, especially in running areas.
What do you need to quote?
A photo or plan of the yard, the designs you want and your preferred dates.
Sources
- StartSafety, Playground marking kits, read Oct 2026
- Wickham Parish Council, Recreation Committee document pack, 27 Feb 2025
- DfE, PE and sport premium guidance for primary schools, updated 24 Sept 2026