The Uniplay blog

Ideas, inspiration and news on playground markings, active play, design and school funding. 51 posts to browse. Looking for our in-depth advice pieces? See the guides.

Emotions circle marking asking how children feel today, with monster characters for happy, sad, calm, angry and scared

Inclusive Playground Design: Markings That Work for Every Child

How inclusive playground design helps every pupil play, including children with SEND, with sensory paths, calm zones, emotion markings and planning tips.

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White road track markings with dashed centre lines on a circular path around a park lawn, with terraced houses on both sides

Road Track Playground Markings: Safe & Fun Learning Spaces

Discover how road track playground markings create safe, engaging spaces for teaching road safety and active play in UK schools. Designed by Uniplay.

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Walk to School Week logo in green comic lettering with the #WalkToSchoolWeek hashtag on a grey and black background

Walking into the Future: Celebrating Walk to School Week 2025

This week, from 19 to 23 May 2025, schools across the UK are lacing up their trainers for Walk to School Week, a national campaign led by Living Streets to promote healthier, greener, and more enjoyable s

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Uniplay vehicle parked beside a wide rainbow stripe of thermoplastic markings running across a school playground

Playground Grants for UK Schools, Nurseries and PTAs

Where UK schools, nurseries and PTAs can find playground grants, what the PE and Sport Premium covers, and how to write a strong funding bid.

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Thermoplastic alphabet trail of colourful oval characters with feet, each showing upper and lower case letters, by outdoor tables

EYFS Outdoor Area Ideas: Playground Design for Early Years

EYFS outdoor area ideas using playground markings: phonics trails, number caterpillars, roadways and zoning tips for nurseries and reception classes.

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Blue under the sea panel with an orange octopus, sharks, fish and seaweed filling a narrow strip of playground by railings

Small Playground Ideas for Schools with Limited Space

Small playground ideas for schools: multi-use markings, scaled-down games and smart zoning to get more play and learning from a compact space.

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Small walled school playground with orange wiggle line, white aeroplane trail, switch foot hopping path and jump bar markings

MUGA Markings: Creating a Multi-Use Games Area for Schools

What a MUGA (multi-use games area) is, which sports and drills its markings can include, how schools use one and how a new MUGA is funded.

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Activity trail markings with an orange wiggle line, green jump bars and a Switch Foot footprint path in a walled playground

Playground Trails: Types, Benefits and Ideas for Schools

Playground trails explained: the main trail types, how they support fitness and learning, and how schools and nurseries can plan and use them.

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Faded court line markings on a misty school playground, with a Uniplay pickup parked and a worker in hi-vis running a long hose

How Can Playground Line Markings Transform School Play Areas?

Playground line markings are an essential feature of school and nursery outdoor spaces, providing structure and inspiration for play, learning, and physical

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Mirror Me game with three rainbow circles, white footprints and posing figures beside a 1 to 100 number grid

School Playground Design: A Practical Guide for Schools

How to plan a school playground design: set goals, survey the site, zone for each age group, involve pupils and choose the right markings.

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White-lined play road marking with numbered parking bays in pink, yellow, blue and maroon on new tarmac by a multicoloured fence

The Importance of Playground Lines in Playground design

When designing a playground, playground lines are more than just colourful decorations. These lines serve multiple purposes, from organising play activities

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Freshly laid yellow netball court markings on a school playground, with cones, a picket-fenced play area and a wooden shelter

Enhancing School Sports with High Quality Sports Surfacing

In the vibrant world of school sports, the quality of the playing surface can make a significant difference. At Uniplay, we specialise in providing top-tier

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Copy-my-moves game marking of rainbow footprint circles on school playground tarmac, with a colourful number square at the edge

Playground Marking Trends: What Schools Are Choosing and Why

The playground marking trends shaping UK schools, from outdoor learning, sensory and 3D designs to themed playgrounds, and why thermoplastic leads.

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Green-coated multi-use games area with yellow, blue, white and red sports court markings, basketball hoops and goals

The Unbeatable Benefits of New Sports Coatings

The installation of new sports coatings is revolutionising sports courts across the country, offering benefits that go beyond the surface. There are a huge

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Two installers in hi-vis vests positioning white splat-shaped preformed thermoplastic on new playground tarmac

A school's guide to maintaining playground markings

How schools can keep their thermoplastic playground markings safe, bright and long-lasting, from monthly inspections and gentle cleaning to repairs and an annual professional check.

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Newly laid yellow, green and white sports court markings on a tarmac games area, with chalk setting-out marks still visible

5 Ways to Encourage Participation in Sports Clubs

However, one of the significant challenges schools and their teaching staff face is how to encourage participation in sports clubs. Here, we delve into five

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Fenced multi-use games area with overlapping yellow, blue and red court markings, basketball hoops and small football goals

Encouraging Play and Learning with Playground Lines

Our commitment extends beyond aesthetics; it's about creating spaces that inspire children's physical activity, cognitive growth, and social interaction. A

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Yellow Keep Clear box marking with hatched edges at the foot of an access ramp beside a brick building

Road Safety and Efficiency with Corporate Line Markings

In conclusion, corporate line markings, particularly those made with thermoplastic materials, are an integral aspect of safety-focused infrastructure projects

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Freshly laid phonics markings with 3D-effect shapes for sounds such as sh, air, ure and igh inside chalked setting-out lines

Enhancing Phonics Education with Phonic Markings

Enhanced Engagement: Phonic markings create an immersive learning experience, making phonics lessons more engaging and enjoyable for children. The vibrant

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Thermoplastic road markings on a terraced street, with a red road hump, white triangles and white zigzag lines

Thermoplastic Road Markings: Benefits, Uses and Application

What thermoplastic road markings are made of, how they are applied, why they outlast paint and where councils and private sites use them.

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Football skills track marking with red and green weaving lines between start and finish, beside a footprint trail and fencing

School Playground Ideas for Primary Schools and Nurseries

School playground ideas that work: games, learning markings, zones and active play for primary schools and nurseries, using thermoplastic markings.

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Sunny school playground with new white and yellow game line markings, a small goal and a blue fenced ball court behind

Enhancing Playtime in Schools with Playground Line Marking

Playgrounds are an essential part of any school or park, providing children with an opportunity to play, socialise and learn. Playground line marking is a

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Four blue thermoplastic EV charging bay markings with white electric car symbols beside wall chargers outside a brick business unit

The importance of Thermoplastic EV Charging Bay Markings for driver safety

As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to gain popularity in the UK, it's becoming increasingly important for businesses and public places to provide charging

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Blue road-safety track marking with arrows, a zebra crossing, a lollipop lady figure and numbered bays in a school playground

Tips for choosing interactive playground markings

Our interactive playground markings are multi-purpose and can be used in a range of activities including education. However, we always advise the schools we

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Young girl hopping along a numbered hexagon hopscotch on a school playground, with flower and trail markings beyond

Why Choose Uniplay for Your Playground Marking Project?

Why schools choose Uniplay: in-house design, our own DBS-checked installers, long-lasting thermoplastic markings and a free quote.

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Installer heating a preformed thermoplastic poppy marking reading Lest We Forget with a gas torch on an autumn street

Reasons to Install Bespoke Outdoor Floor Markings for Your Business

Bespoke outdoor markings can help your business stand out and even go a long way in supporting your advertising efforts. Business owners across the UK are

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Laughing toddler in red trainers standing on a thermoplastic dragon hopscotch with a numbered body and green legs on a path

Schematic Play in the Early Years and How to Support It

What schematic play is, the common schemas and four levels, and how early years practitioners and playground markings can support children's schemas.

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Operative in yellow hi-vis removing old white court line markings from a school playground with a water jetting machine

How to Remove Playground Markings

We can remove playground markings using different methods to suit your needs. Once we have removed old markings, we also ensure your playground is clean by

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Road marking crew in hi-vis behind Road Closed and Diverted traffic signs, with fresh white zigzags and red surfacing

How much do thermoplastic pavement markings cost?

When working with our commercial clients on their pavement and road safety marking projects, we are often asked about the cost of our thermoplastic pavement

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Three young children by a rainbow-ringed number target marking with soft toys thrown onto it, in front of a school building

EYFS Playground Markings: Supporting Early Years Development

How EYFS playground markings support the early years framework, group and independent play, creative play and activity in nurseries and reception.

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Woman hopping along a multicoloured 1 to 10 hopscotch, with rainbow dot trails and footprint markings behind her

Choosing the right playground games for KS2

Some examples of popular playground games for KS2 include:

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24-hour clock and compass marking with numbers 1 to 24 in blue and red rings and arrows to eight compass points

Learning with math playground clock games

Math playground clock games continue to be one of the most sought-after playground markings, with many teachers keen to develop their pupil’s understanding of

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Phonics playground markings in coloured shapes with sounds such as igh, air and oo, laid outside classroom doors

5 top playground games for kids

At Uniplay we are often asked for inspiration and ideas on the best playground games for kids which will keep them engaged throughout breaktimes. To help you

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THANK YOU NHS road marking and rainbow NHS logo in preformed thermoplastic on a residential street beside a bus stop

Preformed Thermoplastic Markings: Why Choose Them Over Paint

What preformed thermoplastic is, why it outperforms line paint on precision and durability, and how it improves pedestrian safety outside schools.

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Road marking crew in orange hi-vis working on a rainbow-edged zebra crossing with Uniplay lettering on a town street

How to Choose a Road Marking Contractor in the UK

What to look for in a road marking contractor: experience, reputation, services, thermoplastic materials, regulations and the questions to ask first.

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Rainbow 1 to 100 number grid marking on a magenta base beside a brick building, with coloured target rings alongside

Maths Playground Markings: Games, Ideas and Curriculum Links

Maths playground markings turn the playground into an outdoor maths lesson. Designs, games and curriculum links for EYFS, KS1 and KS2.

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Rainbow thermoplastic number target with 1 to 20 in two rings and 25 at the centre, with soft toys tossed onto it

Benefits of Outdoor Play for Primary School Children

The benefits of outdoor play for primary school children, from health and friendships to learning and confidence, and how playgrounds can boost them.

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Two installers in orange hi-vis laying preformed white thermoplastic zebra crossing bars on a coned-off road

Highway Thermoplastic Markings vs. Line Paint

One of the most common questions we are asked by our clients are the benefits of using thermoplastic highway markings over traditional line painting. As

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Mile a Day marking reading 16 laps = 1 mile with two white running figures, at the start of a footprint trail on school tarmac

The Daily Mile: What It Is and How Schools Can Run It

What The Daily Mile is, who started it, how it benefits children and how schools can set up a route, with or without a marked track.

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Two girls hopping along numbered hexagon and dot trail markings either side of a white TURN circle on a school playground

5 tips to improve playtime on the playground

Throughout our time working with schools and nurseries, we have seen a huge range of different playtime areas, being used in a variety of ways by children and

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Stop, look, listen road safety marking in red, amber and green, with traffic light symbols at each end of the crossing

How to Teach Road Safety: Creative Ideas for Schools

How schools can teach road safety with classroom resources and playground road markings, from traffic lights and zebra crossings to the Green Cross Code.

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Young boy in a beige coat hopping along a numbered hexagon trail marking, with a noughts and crosses grid on the tarmac behind

How-to encourage self-awareness at your school

Self-awareness is an important part of childhood development, particularly in the primary school years, which will set the foundation for children to develop

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Two young boys with arms outstretched balancing on a 3D bridge illusion painted over sky and cliffs on playground tarmac

What Is Creative Play? Benefits and Playground Ideas for Schools

What creative play is, how it differs from imaginative and role play, why it matters for development and which playground markings encourage it.

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Hopscotch numbered 1 to 10 in coloured squares with white outlines on new tarmac, beside dotted and wiggly trail markings

How to play hopscotch

Hopscotch is a classic playground game which has some interesting origins. It first came to the UK during Roman times, though it is said to have originated in

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Supporting Sport and Physical Development Clubs

We absolutely love to promote grassroots sport and physical development in young people, and whenever possible try to assist in promoting all types of sport

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Three young children heading towards a rainbow number target marking, 1 to 20 with 25 in the middle, with soft toys on it

How Outdoor Play Supports Children's Mental Health

How outdoor play supports children's mental health through daylight, exercise and social play, and how playground markings help schools.

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Thermoplastic hopscotch numbered 1 to 10 with bevelled 3D-effect squares in red, purple, orange and yellow on dark tarmac

Traditional Playground Games: Why They Last and How to Play

Why traditional playground games like hopscotch, duck duck goose and Twister stay popular, how to play them and how schools mark them out.

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Primary pupils in red jumpers and grey uniform running across a playground past a netball post and blue line markings

Benefits of Playground Markings for Schools and Pupils

Playground markings give schools more active break times, better PE, stronger social skills, calmer playtimes and learning that carries on outside.

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Snowy night outside a Best Western Plus hotel in Denmark, with three visitors posing beneath the red reception awning

Geveko Markings, Denmark

Last month saw 3 of our team fly out of a very snowy Manchester Airport for an educational visit to Geveko in Denmark.

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Green EV charging bay markings with white cross-hatching and car symbols beside a charge point in an undercover car park

Not just playground markings: Carparks and corporate

More and more we are asked to use our expertise to improve business premises and make them safe for traffic.

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St Barnabas pupils in blue uniforms crouched ready to run at a 1 kilometre start line marking beside a turquoise footprint

St Barnabas get active with 1k a day

Uniplay were delighted to be asked to install a 1 kilometre circuit in thermoplastic footprints at St Barnabas Primary School in Darwen.

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