Sensory and SEND markings
Feelings check-ins, friendship stops, quiet areas and calming trails that help children name how they feel, find a friend and settle at playtime.
What are sensory and SEND markings?
Sensory and SEND markings are thermoplastic designs that help children recognise their feelings, find a friend and calm down at playtime, from How Do You Feel Today check-ins and Colour Creatures to friendship stops and quiet areas. Colour Creatures uses colour, character and visual cues to represent different emotions, giving children a clear, non-verbal way to show how they feel, which can help children with SEND, including autism, speech and language needs and social, emotional and mental health needs. A quiet area sets a calmer spot apart from the busy space, and follow-the-path trails add gentle movement. We can work with your SEND lead on the design, so the layout suits how your children use the playground. They are one type of playground markings we design and install.
Why do schools choose sensory and SEND markings?
A place to reset
A quiet area or friendship stop gives children who find the playground overwhelming a clear, familiar place to go and reset.
A shared language for feelings
Feelings check-ins and Colour Creatures give children a simple, visual way to show how they feel, which helps staff spot who needs support.
Designed around your pupils
You know your pupils. We can work with your SEND lead on the design, turning what you know into designs, colours and zoning that suit how your children use the playground.
What types of sensory and SEND markings do we install?
Feelings check-ins, friendship stops and quiet areas for wellbeing at playtime.
Feelings check-ins
How Do You Feel Today designs and Colour Creatures that help children name and show how they feel, supporting emotional check-ins and regulation.
Friendship stops and zones
Friendship Stop, Friendship Zone and Friendship Rainbow markings that give a child a place to go when they are looking for someone to play with.
Quiet areas
A Quiet Area marking that sets a calmer spot apart from the busy playground, for children who need a lower-key space at break.
Calming trails
Follow-the-path trails with gentle moves to help children settle and focus before or after class.
Sensory and wellbeing designs
Designs in this range include feelings check-ins, Colour Creatures, friendship stops and quiet areas. Each has a guide price you can add to a quote.
Prices exclude VAT
How do we install sensory and SEND markings?
Survey, design, install and aftercare, and most of it is ours to do.
- 01
Survey
We can talk with your SEND lead about which children the space is for and how they use the playground, then find a spot with the right level of calm and separation.
- 02
Design
We draw the designs and zones, agree the colours, and check them with you so they suit your pupils before anything is laid.
- 03
Install
The markings are masked and applied in thermoplastic on site, and a set of designs is typically completed within a day.
- 04
Aftercare
Ready to use once cool. We can add a design or extend a trail on a later visit as you see how the children respond.
What do sensory and SEND markings cost?
Individual sensory and wellbeing designs cost from around £235 for a Friendship Stop or Quiet Area up to about £595 for Colour Creatures, fitted. These are guide prices for each design, and the final figure depends on the design, the area and the number of colours. A calm area often works best as a set, so we survey, can work with your SEND lead on the design, and send a free design and a detailed quote, with no hidden costs and our price match promise.
Prices exclude VAT
Payment terms and any site-dependent charges, for example an aborted visit or extra cleaning, are set out in our terms.
Get a free design and quoteWhat is the specification for sensory and SEND markings?
The key details for sensory and SEND markings. We confirm everything on your design drawing.
| Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Material | Hard-wearing thermoplastic |
| Colours | 18 standard colours, chosen with you |
| Elements | Feelings check-ins, friendship stops, quiet areas |
| Design input | We can work with your SEND lead |
| Surface | Tarmac or macadam, sound and dry |
| Install time | Often a single day |
What do our sensory and SEND markings look like?
A closer look at sensory & SEND and designs like them on real school playgrounds.
Thinking about sensory & SEND for your school? See how our process works, from a free survey to install, meet the team behind your markings, or read reviews from schools we have worked with. For directional floor and site-navigation markings we also fit wayfinding markings.
Sensory and SEND markings: your questions answered
What are sensory playground markings for?
They help children recognise their feelings, find a friend and settle at playtime. A feelings check-in such as How Do You Feel Today or Colour Creatures helps children name and show how they feel, a friendship stop gives a child somewhere to wait for a friend, and a quiet area offers a lower-key spot away from the busy space. They are especially useful for SEND pupils and for any child who finds a loud playground overwhelming.
Can the markings be designed around our pupils?
Yes. We can work with your SEND lead on the design, around which children the space is for and how they use the playground, choosing designs, colours and zoning to suit them.
Are calming colours available?
Yes. Our markings come in 18 standard colours, so we can use softer, calmer colours where the aim is to settle children. We confirm the palette with you on the design drawing.
Get a free design and quote
Tell us about your playground and we will arrange a survey, draw sensory & SEND around your site and send a detailed quote, with no hidden costs and our price match promise. There is no obligation. Prefer to talk it through?
0333 321 6699Thanks, that is with us
We will be in touch as soon as possible to arrange your free design and quote. If it is urgent, call 0333 321 6699.
What works well with sensory and SEND markings?
Related services and guides schools often pair with sensory and SEND markings.
The experts behind your markings
The people who design, price and stand behind every Uniplay installation.
Michael Jarvie
Operations Director · Director and Co-owner
One of our Directors and Co-owners, with over 16 years' experience in the playground markings industry and masses of industry knowledge. There is very rarely a thermoplastic query he cannot resolve.
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Victoria Walmsley
Sales and Marketing Director · Director and Co-owner
One of our Directors and Co-owners, with a wealth of experience across all things thermoplastic, leading sales and marketing at Uniplay.
Connect on LinkedInReady to get your playground moving?
Tell us about your space and we will send a free design and a detailed quote, with no hidden costs and our price match promise.
- Free design and site survey
- No obligation
- Our own in-house installation team