Play Area Signs

Play Area Signs help playground operators clearly communicate rules, restrictions and important information to children, parents, carers and other visitors.

From age guidance and supervision information to No Dogs, No Smoking and general playground rules, well-positioned signage can help visitors understand how a play area is intended to be used.

Our playground and play area signs are suitable for local authorities, schools, nurseries, pubs, holiday parks, housing developments, community groups, leisure facilities and other organisations responsible for children's play spaces.

Children's Play Area Signs

Every play area is different.

A small playground within a pub garden may require different information from a large public playground operated by a local authority.

Depending on the site, useful signs can communicate:

• Play area rules
• Age guidance
• Adult supervision
• Opening information
• No Dogs
• No Smoking
• No Cycling
• No Ball Games
• No Glass
• No Alcohol
• Emergency information
• Contact details
• Equipment restrictions

Choose messages that reflect the actual facilities, rules and risks at your play area rather than copying a generic list from another playground.

Playground Rules Signs

A single Playground Rules Sign can provide visitors with several important instructions in one place.

This can be particularly useful at the main entrance to a play area.

Depending on your site's rules, a playground information board might cover matters such as:

• Recommended age range
• Adult supervision
• Appropriate use of equipment
• Dogs
• Smoking
• Cycling
• Litter
• Glass containers
• Opening times
• Reporting damaged equipment
• Emergency contact information

Keep rules relevant and easy to understand.

A board containing too many instructions can be difficult to read and may reduce the impact of the most important information.

Age Restriction & Age Guidance Signs

Play equipment is often designed with particular users or age groups in mind.

Where appropriate, signs can communicate information such as:

• Under 5s
• Under 8s
• Under 12s
• Children's Play Area
• Equipment intended for particular age groups

The wording should accurately reflect the play area's design, equipment and operator's arrangements.

Avoid using arbitrary age restrictions that don't correspond with the facilities provided.

Adult Supervision Signs

Some play areas use signs asking parents or guardians to supervise children.

These can provide a useful reminder, particularly at facilities intended for younger children.

However, a supervision notice shouldn't be treated as a way of transferring all responsibility for playground safety to parents.

Playground operators still need appropriate arrangements for the design, inspection, maintenance and management of the play area.

No Dogs Signs for Play Areas

Dog restrictions are common around children's play areas.

Where dogs aren't permitted, a clearly positioned No Dogs Sign can make the rule obvious before somebody enters the playground.

Useful locations include:

• Entrance gates
• Perimeter fencing
• Access paths
• Play area entrances

If dogs are permitted in the surrounding park but prohibited specifically inside the children's play area, position the sign where that boundary begins.

No Smoking Signs

Playground operators may also want or need to communicate smoking restrictions.

The appropriate wording and legal requirements depend on the location and type of premises.

If vaping is also prohibited under the operator's policy, a No Smoking & No Vaping sign can communicate that rule.

Don't assume that smoking and vaping are legally identical issues.

No Cycling Signs

Cycles, scooters or other wheeled activities may be restricted in some play areas where they could conflict with children using fixed playground equipment.

Where a restriction applies, place the sign at the entrance rather than waiting until visitors are already inside the play area.

The rules should reflect how the site is actually managed.

No Glass Signs

Broken glass can create an obvious hazard in children's play spaces.

Where glass containers are prohibited, a clear No Glass notice can reinforce the rule.

This may be particularly useful at play areas located within:

• Parks
• Holiday parks
• Pubs
• Leisure facilities
• Community recreation areas

Signage should support appropriate site management, cleaning and inspection.

No Alcohol Signs

Some playground operators may prohibit alcohol within the play area.

If that rule applies, signage can help distinguish the children's play space from surrounding recreational areas where different rules may apply.

Again, make sure the wording reflects the actual site policy and any applicable local restrictions.

Play Area Safety Information

Signs can also communicate safety information specific to the site.

Depending on the playground, that could include:

• Equipment under maintenance
• Temporary closures
• Slippery surfaces
• Water hazards
• Uneven ground
• Restricted equipment
• Emergency information

Temporary hazards should normally be dealt with as quickly as practical.

Don't rely on a warning sign where an unsafe item of equipment should instead be taken out of use, isolated or repaired.

Playground Signs & UK Safety Responsibilities

There isn't one universal list of signs that every UK children's playground must display.

The appropriate signage depends on the individual play area, its design, equipment, location, users and management arrangements.

Signs can communicate important information, but playground safety depends on much more than signage.

Appropriate arrangements can include:

• Suitable playground design
• Appropriate equipment
• Impact-absorbing surfaces where required
• Risk assessment
• Routine inspections
• Operational inspections
• Maintenance
• Repair procedures
• Site management
• Record keeping

A sign should support these measures rather than replace them.

Playground Inspection & Maintenance

Playground safety doesn't end when equipment is installed.

Regular inspection and effective maintenance are important parts of managing a play area.

Signs themselves should form part of those checks.

Inspect playground signs for:

• Damage
• Sharp edges
• Loose fixings
• Fading
• Graffiti
• Poor visibility
• Incorrect information
• Obstructions

A damaged sign can itself become an unnecessary hazard, particularly if it has exposed fixings or sharp edges.

Play Area Signs & BS EN 1176

BS EN 1176 is an important series of standards relating to playground equipment and surfacing.

It includes considerations relevant to the design, installation, inspection and maintenance of playgrounds.

However, displaying a playground sign doesn't make a play area “BS EN 1176 compliant”.

Compliance with relevant playground standards involves the equipment, installation, inspection and management of the facility rather than simply putting up a notice.

Avoid treating signage as evidence that a playground as a whole meets a particular standard.

Safety Signs & BS EN ISO 7010

Some individual signs used around a playground may use recognised safety symbols covered by BS EN ISO 7010.

These can include certain:

• Prohibition signs
• Warning signs
• Mandatory signs
• Emergency information signs

ISO 7010 provides standardised graphical safety symbols, but it isn't playground legislation itself.

Many general playground information signs and rules boards won't correspond to a specific ISO 7010 symbol.

Choose signs according to the actual message that needs communicating.

Where Should Play Area Signs Be Positioned?

The main playground rules or information sign will often be most useful at the entrance.

Visitors should ideally see important rules before entering the play area.

Other signs should be positioned where the information becomes relevant.

For example:

No Dogs – at the entrance or boundary where the dog restriction begins.

Age Guidance – at the relevant play area or equipment zone.

No Smoking – at entrances or other appropriate prominent locations.

Temporary Equipment Closure – directly at the affected equipment, together with appropriate physical measures to prevent use where necessary.

Emergency Information – somewhere clearly visible and accessible.

Think about how visitors actually approach and move around the playground.

Choosing the Right Sign Size

Playground signs need to be easy for parents, carers and other visitors to see.

Consider:

• Viewing distance
• Amount of text
• Mounting height
• Entrance width
• Lighting
• Surrounding vegetation
• Visual clutter
• Whether visitors approach on foot or by vehicle

A multi-message playground rules board generally needs to be larger than a simple No Dogs sign because it contains more information.

Don't reduce important instructions to tiny text simply to fit them onto a smaller panel.

Choosing a Material for Outdoor Play Area Signs

Most playground signage will spend its life outdoors.

Choose a material suited to:

• Rain
• Wind
• UV exposure
• Temperature changes
• Regular cleaning
• Long-term installation

The appropriate choice will also depend on whether the sign is being attached to:

• Fencing
• Gates
• Walls
• Posts
• Railings
• Existing noticeboards

For long-term external use, a durable rigid material will generally be preferable to a material intended primarily for temporary signage.

Mounting Playground Signs Safely

Think carefully about how and where signs are installed.

Avoid creating:

• Sharp projections
• Exposed fixings
• Trip hazards
• Climbing opportunities
• Head-height obstructions

Signs should be securely fixed and positioned so they're visible without introducing an unnecessary hazard.

This is particularly important in areas used by young children.

Keep Playground Signs Visible

Vegetation and playground surroundings change throughout the year.

A sign that's clearly visible in winter could be hidden by foliage in summer.

Regularly check whether signs are:

• Clearly visible
• Clean
• Legible
• Secure
• Undamaged
• Unobstructed
• Still accurate

Also check that new bins, benches, fencing or equipment haven't blocked important information.

Don't Overload the Playground With Signs

More signs don't automatically create a safer playground.

Too many notices can make important information harder to identify.

Prioritise messages that visitors genuinely need.

Ask:

1. What does the visitor need to know?
2. When do they need to know it?
3. Is a sign the right way to communicate it?
4. Where should the message be displayed?
5. Can several related rules be combined clearly?
6. Is the wording easy to understand?

A well-designed entrance rules board plus a small number of specific signs can often communicate more effectively than dozens of individual notices.

Temporary Playground Closure Signs

Sometimes a play area or individual item of equipment needs to be temporarily taken out of use.

Reasons can include:

• Damaged equipment
• Maintenance
• Surfacing repairs
• Vandalism
• Flooding
• Severe weather
• Construction work

A temporary closure sign can explain the situation to visitors.

Where continued use could expose somebody to significant risk, don't rely on the sign alone. Appropriate barriers, isolation or other measures may also be needed.

Remove temporary signs once the restriction no longer applies.

Emergency & Contact Information

Playground operators may choose to provide information explaining how visitors can:

• Report damaged equipment
• Report vandalism
• Contact the playground operator
• Identify the location
• Obtain emergency assistance

This can be particularly useful in larger public parks or remote recreation areas.

Make sure contact details remain current.

An emergency telephone number belonging to somebody who left the organisation three years ago isn't much help.

Choosing Play Area Signs

Before ordering signs for a playground, consider:

1. Who operates the play area?
2. Who normally uses it?
3. What age groups is the equipment intended for?
4. What rules genuinely apply?
5. Are dogs permitted?
6. Are smoking or vaping restricted?
7. Are cycles or scooters restricted?
8. Are glass containers or alcohol prohibited?
9. Is adult supervision information appropriate?
10. Are there site-specific hazards?
11. What emergency or contact information should be displayed?
12. Where do visitors enter?
13. How far away must each sign be read?
14. What material suits the outdoor environment?
15. How will signs be safely fixed?

Use the answers to build signage around your actual playground rather than relying on a generic checklist.

Made in Britain Play Area Signs

Safety Sheep Play Area Signs are Made in Britain for schools, councils, parks, nurseries, leisure facilities, holiday parks, pubs and other organisations managing children's play spaces.

Choose from playground rules, children's play area, age guidance, No Dogs, prohibition, information and safety signs in a range of sizes and materials for outdoor use.

Think Safety. Think Sheep.