Classic Games
Hopscotch, four square, snakes and ladders, target circles and line tag grids in bright, high-contrast colours.
School yard and daycare games
Playground Line Painting for Kitchener School Yards
Kitchener Parking Lot Line Painting Pros paints games and learning markings on school yards, daycare play areas, church lots and park pads across Kitchener-Waterloo. Hopscotch, four square, number grids, alphabet paths, Canada maps and running tracks are the requests we see most from principals, parent councils and daycare directors.
We do the work while the children are away, mostly in July and August, so the yard is ready on the first day of school. School yards are often part of a bigger summer visit that also covers the bus loop crosswalk and the staff lot.
Since 2015 we have finished more than 550 line painting jobs in Waterloo Region. On playgrounds we use waterborne acrylic paint on asphalt, or preformed thermoplastic where a school wants the markings to last several years.
What we paint
Our Playground and School Yard Line Painting Services
Playground markings fall into four groups, and most yards mix several. Classic games keep recess busy, learning markings tie into the classroom, and active courses get kids moving.
Learning Markings
Number grids, alphabet paths, clock faces, compass roses and a large Canada map with provinces and territories.
Active Play Courses
Running tracks, agility ladders, hop-and-jump trails and follow-the-line courses for gym classes and recess.
Custom Designs
School crests, mascots and themed designs painted from a sketch or file through our custom stencil and marking service.
Games and sizes
Popular Playground Markings
The most popular playground markings are hopscotch, four square, number grids and a Canada map. The table shows the space each one needs and the ages it suits best, so you can plan what fits your yard.
Classic Games: Hopscotch, Four Square and Snakes
Four square needs the most room, a 16 ft square plus space around it for players to step out. Hopscotch and snakes fit along walls and fence lines where bigger games will not.
We paint numbers in contrasting colours inside each square so the youngest children can follow the sequence.
Learning Markings: Number Grids, Alphabet Paths and Maps
A number grid supports counting and skip-counting games, and an alphabet path gives kindergarten classes an outdoor phonics lesson. A Canada map with each province and territory in its own colour ties into Grade 4 and 5 social studies.
Active Play: Running Tracks and Agility Courses
A painted loop with start and finish lines turns a bare corner into a track for gym class. Agility ladders, zig-zags and jump spots give kids a course to race through at recess.
| Marking | Typical footprint | Best age group |
|---|---|---|
| Hopscotch | About 1 m x 4 m (3 ft x 13 ft), squares about 45 cm | JK to Grade 3 |
| Four square | 4.9 m x 4.9 m (16 ft x 16 ft), four 2.4 m squares | Grade 2 to Grade 8 |
| Snake or caterpillar path | 6 m to 10 m long | JK to Grade 2 |
| Number grid, 1 to 100 | 3 m x 3 m (10 ft x 10 ft), 30 cm squares | Kindergarten to Grade 4 |
| Alphabet path | 8 m to 12 m long | JK to Grade 1 |
| Canada map | 6 m x 4 m to 9 m x 6 m | Grade 3 to Grade 6 |
| Compass rose | 2 m to 3 m across | Grade 1 to Grade 6 |
| Running track or agility course | A 30 m to 100 m loop or straight | All ages |
Paint or thermoplastic
Paint vs Preformed Thermoplastic Playground Markings
Paint costs less and suits most yards, while preformed thermoplastic lasts several times longer and costs more up front. Thermoplastic is heated onto the asphalt with a propane torch and bonds into the surface.
| Material | Life | Cost | Install time | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterborne acrylic paint | Usually 2 to 3 years on a play yard; less where the yard is plowed | $150 to $600 per game | A morning for several games; walkable the next day | Most games, large maps and running tracks |
| Preformed thermoplastic | 3 to 6 years | Several times the cost of paint for the same game | Each piece heated in place; walkable once cool | High-traffic games near doors and complex designs that must stay sharp |
Many schools mix the two: thermoplastic for the hopscotch and four square by the doors, paint for the big map and the track. We quote both side by side so you can compare.
Yard planning
Planning a Layout That Works at Recess
A good playground layout spreads children across the yard, keeps games visible from the duty spot and leaves doors and drive lanes clear. We sketch the yard before painting so busy games do not end up side by side.
- Spread the busy games. Four square and tag grids draw crowds, so we space them apart with quieter markings between.
- Quiet zones by the walls. Hopscotch, number grids and alphabet paths suit spots near the building where small groups play.
- Clear sight lines. Games go where the teacher on duty can see them, not behind portables or around corners.
- Doors and exits stay clear. Nothing that gathers a crowd sits in front of an exit door or a fire access route, which our fire route marking service can mark properly.
- Away from drains and the bus loop. Games near catch basins sit in puddles, and none belong where buses or cars turn.
Our process
Painting Over Summer Break, Not Recess
We paint school yards in July and August, before staff return, so the yard is cured and ready for September. The job runs in five steps from spring planning to the photo report.
Spring Walk-Through
In April or May we look at the yard with the principal or facilities staff and agree which games go where.
Vendor Paperwork
School boards and private schools ask for vendor forms, WSIB clearance and insurance certificates. We send them the day you ask.
Book a Summer Date
We confirm a July or August date that avoids summer camps and any paving or roofing work on site.
Sweep, Lay Out and Paint
The yard is swept and blown off, each game is chalked and taped, and colours go on in layers from fills to outlines.
Cure and Photo Report
Markings cure for weeks before school starts, and you receive before and after photos the same day we finish.
Many schools add a crosswalk at the bus loop to the same visit through our crosswalk and school zone marking service.
Pricing
Playground Marking Costs
Painted playground games cost $150 to $600 each before HST, depending on size and detail. A simple hopscotch sits at the low end, and a full Canada map or running track at the top.
- Number of games: several games in one visit share setup, so the per-game cost drops.
- Material: preformed thermoplastic costs several times more than paint but lasts 3 to 6 years.
- Colours and detail: multi-colour designs like maps take more taping and more coats.
- Custom design time: crests and mascots need a stencil cut from your artwork first.
- Small jobs: one or two touch-ups fall under our $450 minimum.
Our line painting price guide lists the full rate card, including crosswalks and court lines.
Why us
Why Schools and Daycares Choose Us
Schools and daycares choose us for summer availability and paperwork that is ready before purchasing asks. The yard gets done without chasing anyone.
Summer Availability
July and August dates set aside for school yards, booked in spring so you are not left waiting into September.
Vendor Paperwork Ready
WSIB clearance, insurance certificates naming the board or school, and a written 1-year labour warranty.
One Visit for the Whole Site
Games, a basketball court, crosswalks and staff lot lines in one summer booking.
We paint school yards across Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, and group London schools into planned multi-day trips.
FAQ
Playground Marking FAQs
Principals, parent councils and daycare directors ask these questions most.
Is playground paint slippery when wet?
Not when it includes an anti-slip aggregate, which we recommend for every game children run on. Preformed thermoplastic has a textured surface built in.
Can you paint a custom design for our school?
Yes. Send a sketch, a logo file or a photo of an idea, and we turn it into a stencil and a colour plan for approval before painting.
How long do playground markings last?
Painted games usually last 2 to 3 years on a play yard, and less where the yard is plowed in winter. Preformed thermoplastic lasts 3 to 6 years.
Can parent councils fund just one or two games?
Yes. Single games are welcome, and anything under our $450 minimum can be combined with other games or lines on the same site.
Free quote
Brighten Your School Yard This Summer
July and August dates go first, so book your school yard in spring. Send a photo or aerial view of the yard and a list of the games you want, and we will sketch a layout and quote within one business day.
- Hopscotch, four square, number grids, maps and tracks
- Paint or preformed thermoplastic, quoted side by side
- Painted over summer break and cured before September
- Shop
- 85 West Ave, Kitchener, ON N2M 3A2
- Monday to Saturday
- 7:00am to 9:30pm
- Sunday
- 9:00am to 9:00pm