Winter Ready Playgrounds: How to Prepare for Cold Weather, Ice & Snow

As temperatures drop and winter weather approaches, it’s vital to take proactive steps to keep your playground safe, accessible and compliant. Playgrounds are wonderful spaces for children’s development, but cold, ice and snow can turn fun into a hazard if not managed properly.

At The Playground Company, we know that safety is a year-round commitment — and that includes preparing your outdoor spaces for winter conditions. Our routine inspections and safety checklists help you spot hazards before they become a problem, and with a little planning, you can ensure your playground remains a trusted space for play throughout the colder months.

1. Use Your Inspection Checklist with Winter in Mind

Whether you’re a teacher, caretaker or site manager, conducting regular visual checks — and using a formal inspection checklist — is key to spotting winter-related risks.

• Check equipment for loose fittings, rust, cracks and brittleness caused by freezing temperatures.

• Inspect surfacing for compaction, lifted edges or drainage problems that could lead to icy patches.

• Look at drainage paths and surrounding ground to ensure water flows away from play areas and does not freeze into slip hazards.

Daily or weekly walkthroughs — and more detailed monthly or quarterly checks — help you catch issues early and document your duty of care.

2. Clear Snow and Manage Ice Promptly

Snow and ice are major safety hazards:

• Remove snow as soon as possible, especially from high-use areas. Snow isn’t safe surfacing and can hide hazards beneath it.

• Avoid using harsh chemicals or salt that can damage surfacing materials or equipment coatings; instead, consider using non-toxic grit or sand for traction.

• Where surface ice forms, treat carefully — grit provides traction without harming rubber, mulch or other safety surfaces.

If areas become too slippery, it’s safer to cordon them off temporarily until conditions improve.

3. Inspect and Protect Surfaces

Winter can be tough on playground surfacing. Freeze–thaw cycles, snow compaction and water saturation can all affect impact-absorbing materials.

• Regularly rake loose-fill surfacing (like bark or woodchip) to restore correct depth where snow has covered or displaced it.

• For rubber surfacing like Wetpour, check for cracks or gaps where water can collect and freeze.

• Clear drains and channels so melting water doesn’t pool and turn to ice — often a prime cause of slips.

These actions extend the life of your safety surfacing and reduce the risk of winter injuries.

4. Communicate with Staff, Pupils and Parents

Safety doesn’t stop with inspections:

• Let teachers, supervisors and parents know about winter playground expectations — such as appropriate clothing (gloves, boots with good traction) and behaviour in cold weather.

• Use clear signage when parts of the playground are closed due to icy conditions.

• Encourage staff to report hazards immediately so they can be dealt with quickly.

5. Plan Ahead for the Season

Good winter preparation doesn’t happen the day before the first frost — it begins in autumn.

✔ Update your inspection schedule to include more frequent winter walkthroughs.✔ Stock up on grit/sand and tools for snow and ice management.✔ Ensure staff are confident using your inspection checklist and reporting risks.

We offer Maintenance Care Packages that help schools manage their outdoor spaces with professional care throughout the year – this includes winter preparation. Read more about our Annual Maintenance Care Packages here.

Investing time in winter prep pays off with a safer, more welcoming space for children and peace of mind for staff and parents.