Traditional playground games
Hopscotch, four-square, snakes and ladders, giant chess and draughts boards. The classics that pull a crowd at morning tea and give teacher-aides a structured activity to run at lunchtime.
Education
School and Playground Marking, New Zealand
Colourful, durable thermoplastic playgrounds that last a decade. Hopscotch, number grids, NZ maps, junior sport courts, and bespoke kaupapa-Māori designs for primary schools, intermediates, kindergartens, and kura across Aotearoa.
- Hopscotch, number grids, four-square
- NZ and world maps
- Custom designs to your brief
- Junior basketball and netball courts
- UV-stable, high-grip thermoplastic
Free · No obligation
School playground quote
Tell us the school, the items you want, and the holiday window. We call back the same business day.
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Our Linemarking Partners are Trusted by operators across Aotearoa
About the service
Playgrounds that last a decade and spark a hundred games.
A painted playground does more than look bright. It gives teacher-aides a structured activity to run at lunchtime, turns dead tarmac into a curriculum resource, and quietly lifts the whole feel of a school from the moment families walk in the front gate. Thermoplastic playground marking is one of the highest-impact, lowest-disruption upgrades a primary school can make.
We work with the line marking contractor in your region, so your enquiry goes to a crew that knows the local schools, the holiday install windows that actually work, and the surface quirks of tarmac in your part of the country. One crew, one call-back, one invoice for the PTA treasurer.
This page covers the sub-services we install, the materials we use, an indicative price guide, the seven-step process from first consultation to student walk-through, and the questions principals and PTAs ask most often before committing to a playground roll-out.
What we mark
Six sub-services under the playground umbrella
Most whole-playground packages combine four or five of these. A single hopscotch refresh just hits one. We scope to whatever the school and PTA have budget for.
Number grids and compass roses
One-to-one-hundred number grids for maths games, alphabet trails, and compass roses with true-north alignment. Curriculum-friendly shapes that classroom teachers actually use on wet-day timetables.
Maps and learning graphics
NZ maps, world maps, solar systems, and Te Ika a Māui outlines with place names. Single-colour or multi-colour, sized to whatever blank tarmac you have available.
Custom designs with kaupapa Māori or bilingual elements
Designs built with whānau input, te reo Māori labels, iwi and hapū imagery, or bilingual number grids. We work with kura kaupapa Māori and bilingual schools on concepts from the start.
Junior sport courts
Mini-basketball, mini-netball, mini-tennis, and cross-court setups sized for primary and intermediate kids. Perfect dimensions for small hands and legs, not cut-down adult courts.
Playground line refreshes
Re-mark worn thermoplastic or paint over fading lines from a previous install. We check what the existing substrate is, lift any loose material, and lay the replacement so it bonds properly.
Systems and materials
Which material should you use?
Four options cover almost every school and playground job in New Zealand. The right choice is about budget, lifespan, and whether the playground gets soaked half the year.
Preformed thermoplastic
The workhorse of school playground marking. Factory-cut shapes in full colour, laid on the tarmac and bonded with a gas torch. Sharp edges, vivid colours, and no masking tape visible on the finished surface.
- Best for
- Hopscotch, number grids, maps, logos, most playground shapes
- Lifespan
- 5 to 10 years
- Cost
- $$$
Hot-applied thermoplastic
Bulk-melt thermoplastic applied in the field with a screeder or hand-poured into templates. Slightly less crisp than preformed but cheaper per square metre on bigger shapes, and the same durability profile.
- Best for
- Larger shapes, courts, big maps, whole-playground roll-outs
- Lifespan
- 5 to 10 years
- Cost
- $$
High-grip UV-stable acrylic
Water-based acrylic with UV stabilisers and grit for grip. Cheaper up front, but fades and wears faster than thermoplastic. A reasonable choice when budget is tight and the school plans to refresh every few years anyway.
- Best for
- Smaller budgets, shorter-life installs, backup option on tricky surfaces
- Lifespan
- 2 to 4 years
- Cost
- $
Anti-slip textured thermoplastic
Thermoplastic with an embedded aggregate surface for extra grip when the tarmac is wet. Good call for schools on the West Coast, Southland, Taranaki, and anywhere else where the playground is damp half the year.
- Best for
- Wet-weather courts, wet-climate schools, covered walkways
- Lifespan
- 5 to 10 years
- Cost
- $$$$
Price guide
What school playground marking costs in NZ
Indicative ranges to help the PTA set a fundraising target before the site visit. Actual pricing depends on tarmac condition, item complexity, and how many shapes are grouped in one install.
Item
Indicative range
- Standard hopscotch $180 to $320 each
- Number grid (1 to 100) $450 to $900
- Four-square court $220 to $380
- Snakes and ladders (full board) $850 to $1,600
- NZ map (single colour) $650 to $1,200
- NZ map (multi-colour with place names) $1,400 to $2,800
- Compass rose (true-north aligned) $280 to $520
- Custom school logo or crest $450 to $1,600
- Mini-basketball or mini-netball court $1,100 to $2,400
- Large custom designs (per m²) $85 to $180 per m²
- Whole-playground package (6 to 10 items) $4,500 to $12,000
Figures are typical NZ market ranges for 2025 and a guide only. Final pricing is locked in on a written quote after the site visit and tarmac assessment.
Technical depth
Why thermoplastic, holiday windows, and getting the kaupapa right
The single biggest reason schools choose thermoplastic over acrylic paint is lifespan. A quality thermoplastic install lasts 5 to 10 years on a typical playground, and the low-traffic shapes (maps, compass roses, school logos) often go a decade plus without a meaningful refresh. Acrylic paint by contrast starts fading in the first summer and tends to need a full redo within 2 to 4 years. Over a 10-year horizon, thermoplastic is usually cheaper even though the up-front cost is higher. It also has a better grip rating and holds its colour through UV exposure that flat-out bleaches cheaper paint.
Install logistics centre on the school calendar. A typical playground roll-out fits comfortably in a single day, which means we can work within a long weekend for small jobs, inside a mid-term break for mid-size packages, and across the April, July, or October holidays for anything bigger. The genuinely tight windows are July in the southern South Island (temperatures borderline) and late December through January in wet coastal regions (rain risk on the install day). We pick days carefully and build in weather contingency.
Cultural design elements deserve their own conversation and are a highlight of the job. For kura kaupapa Māori and bilingual schools, we sit with school leadership and whānau before any design is drawn up. Where te reo Māori is used we defer to the school on spelling, macron placement, and which iwi-specific conventions apply. For mainstream schools wanting a kaupapa Māori element, we still recommend involving local iwi or a cultural advisor, particularly for koru and kowhaiwhai-style designs or anything that references a specific rohe. Getting this right from the start is far easier than retrofitting consultation after the fact.
Anti-slip and general safety are baked into material choice. Thermoplastic surfaces sit close to the grip rating of the surrounding tarmac on a dry day, and textured anti-slip variants give a noticeable grip uplift when the playground is wet. For very young children (kindergartens and ECE centres) we default to the anti-slip variant even in dry-climate regions, and we round any sharp contrast edges against the surrounding surface so nothing causes a trip.
Our process
From first PTA meeting to student walk-through
Seven steps. The first three happen in the term leading up to the install, and the last four happen in the holiday window itself, usually in a single working day.
Start a quote- 01
Consultation with school leadership
Usually a meeting with the principal, and often with the PTA, a lead teacher, or a board of trustees representative. We walk the playground, talk through what the school wants, and note any cultural or curriculum priorities the design needs to reflect.
- 02
Design and measurements
Scaled drawings of each proposed shape, measured against the available tarmac. We show you where each item will sit relative to doors, drains, and playground furniture so nothing lands in an awkward spot.
- 03
Budgeting and scheduling
Itemised quote so the PTA can choose which shapes fit the fundraising budget. Install is scheduled for a mid-term break or school holidays, usually the two-week block, occasionally a long weekend if the job is small enough.
- 04
Surface preparation
Full sweep and wash of the tarmac, minor patch repairs on any cracked sections, and removal of moss or algae. Thermoplastic bonds best to clean, dry asphalt, and one of the most common reasons old playground lines fail early is skipped prep.
- 05
Layout and chalk out
Chalk-line or spray-chalk layout of every shape on the tarmac before any thermoplastic hits the surface. The principal or project lead walks the layout with us and signs off before we commit.
- 06
Thermoplastic application
Preformed shapes laid in position and bonded with a gas torch until the material melts into the tarmac. Hot-melt bulk material poured into templates for larger shapes. Cooling takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on air temperature.
- 07
Cool, inspect, and walk-through with students
Final walk-through with the principal to sign off, then a fresh-eyes inspection on the morning students return. Watching a hundred kids hit a new hopscotch court for the first time is the best quality check there is.
Who we mark for
Schools and groups we commonly work with
Each setting has a different rhythm, different ages, and different expectations. The install is scaled to fit.
Primary schools
The biggest volume of school playground work we do. Full packages with hopscotch, number grid, four-square, NZ map, compass rose, and sometimes a junior court all installed in one holiday window.
Intermediate schools
Bigger kids, bigger courts, more emphasis on sports. Mini-basketball and cross-court netball, larger maps with detailed place names, and occasionally a school crest or kaupapa piece in the main quad.
Kindergartens and early childhood centres
Scaled-down hopscotch, simple number trails, alphabet paths, and shape-sorting designs. Colourful and gentle on little feet, with rounded edges and no sharp contrast that distracts from outdoor play.
Kura kaupapa Māori and bilingual schools
Designs built in consultation with whānau and kaiako, with te reo Māori labels, iwi imagery, and kaupapa-aligned colour palettes. We work through the design with school leadership rather than showing up with a generic template.
Private schools
Higher-spec packages with school crest, custom colours matched to uniform or branding, and premium materials for multi-decade lifespan. Often combined with formal sports court resurfacing in the same shutdown.
Community halls and church group spaces
Scout halls, church youth spaces, community hubs, and holiday programme venues use the same playground kit as schools. Same thermoplastic, same designs, same install window, usually smaller scope.
Where we work
School playground marking in every region
We cover school and playground jobs across all 16 regions of Aotearoa. Pick yours for the local contractor and regional context.
Recent work · the same crew, the same quality
A few of the operators our brand partners have painted for
Mitre 10
Retail car park re-marks and accessible bay roll-outs across store sites.
Retail Fisher & Paykel
5S factory floor marking, forklift lanes, and pedestrian walkways.
Manufacturing Lion
Brewery floor marking and loading dock anti-slip coatings.
Industrial Hurst Toyota
Dealership yard layouts, showroom floor marking, and service bays.
Automotive Turners
Multi-branch auction yard bay marking and numbering.
Automotive PB Tech
Retail and distribution centre car park and floor marking.
Retail Chelsea
Sugar refinery floor marking and forklift hazard zones.
Manufacturing Bluebird
Food production plant 5S marking and hygiene-grade zones.
Manufacturing Watts & Hughes
Construction yard, site compound, and commercial car park marking.
Construction FAQ
School and playground marking FAQ
Still have a question? Send it through with your quote request and the local contractor will get back to you.
How much does a primary school playground roll-out cost?
A typical primary school package with six to ten items (hopscotch, number grid, four-square, NZ map, compass rose, and a mini-court) lands in the $4,500 to $12,000 range plus GST. A single hopscotch is $180 to $320. A full snakes and ladders board is $850 to $1,600. The PTA usually chooses which items to include based on fundraising. Submit the form for a written quote against your actual playground.
How long does thermoplastic playground marking last?
Preformed and hot-applied thermoplastic lasts 5 to 10 years on a typical school tarmac. Busy hopscotch courts in the middle of the playground show wear first. Maps and compass roses that get less foot traffic can still look almost new after a decade. UV-stable acrylic paint by comparison lasts 2 to 4 years and fades noticeably in the first summer.
Is thermoplastic slippery when wet?
Standard thermoplastic has a grip rating close to the surrounding tarmac, so there is no meaningful slip difference between a plain playground and one with lines on it. For wet-weather courts and wet-climate schools we use anti-slip textured thermoplastic with embedded aggregate for extra grip. Kindergartens and centres for very young kids often default to the anti-slip option as a precaution.
Can you install in winter?
Thermoplastic needs dry tarmac and an ambient temperature above roughly 5 degrees Celsius to bond properly. That rules out rainy days and frosty mornings. Most of winter works fine as long as we pick the days carefully. July school holidays are genuinely tight in the South Island. April and October holidays are the easiest install windows almost anywhere in the country.
Do you install during term time or only in holidays?
Almost always in holidays or mid-term breaks. A single small item can sometimes go in over a weekend, but anything bigger needs a clear playground for two or three days so the thermoplastic cools and we can work without kids underfoot. Holiday installs also mean the school returns to a finished playground, which lands better than a half-built one.
Can the design include te reo Māori or kaupapa Māori elements?
Yes, and we encourage it. Bilingual number grids, te reo labels on maps, iwi and hapū imagery, koru patterns, and kowhaiwhai-inspired designs are all common. For kura kaupapa Māori and bilingual schools we work directly with school leadership and whānau on the concept, rather than bringing a template. The installer follows the school’s tikanga on consultation and design sign-off.
How do PTAs fund playground marking?
Most schools fund through PTA fundraising, one-off grants, a specific bequest, or a combination. Quiz nights, auctions, and discos commonly fund playground upgrades. We itemise the quote so the PTA can phase the work, picking the first three or four items now and adding more in a future holiday window. We also write quotes in the format grant applications need.
We have old lines that are worn out. Can you refresh them?
Usually yes. If the existing lines are thermoplastic we lift any loose material and either overlay a new shape or remove the old one and replace it. If the existing lines are paint we either grind back and reinstall, or paint over as long as the surface is sound. A site visit tells us which approach works for your playground.
Can students help design the playground markings?
Absolutely, and it makes a real difference to how the finished playground gets used. We have run workshops with student councils, art classes, and year-level groups to gather design ideas and vote on layouts. Students often notice things adults miss, like where the shady corner is that needs brightening up or which game the year-fours are obsessed with this term.
Can we get bilingual or full te reo designs?
Yes. Bilingual grids with both English numerals and te reo Māori words are common. Full te reo compass roses, NZ maps with rohe names rather than pākehā place names, and Te Ika a Māui outlines with iwi boundaries are all within the standard design set. We defer to school leadership on which te reo conventions and spellings to use.
What is the minimum job size?
There is usually a call-out minimum of around $600 because of mobilisation, torch and gas setup, and travel. A single hopscotch on its own often hits the minimum. For small single-item jobs we will sometimes bundle multiple nearby schools in the same holiday week to keep the per-school cost down.
Do you offer grant or fundraising packages?
Yes. We put together tiered quotes (bronze, silver, gold) so PTAs can pick a package that matches their current fundraising position. We also write itemised quotes in the format that most community grants require. If the school is applying to a specific trust, let us know which one and we will format the quote to match.
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