Four Square Playground Stencil

Our new four square stencil is a fun item to add to any school, daycare, preschool or home environment. The small four-square 8 feet x 8 feet stencil ships on 18 sheets of 60 mil mylar that fit together to make the 8 feet x 8 feet four-square. The 16 feet x 16 feet ships on 18 sheets of 60 mil mylar that fit together to make the large four-square court. Simply follow the diagram to fit the pieces together, place in position, and mark the pattern with spray marking paint (permanent and temporary marking sprays available at local hardware stores). You can also use a marking ink with a foam or neoprene roller (you may want to use painters tape to tape the seams together and secure the edges with tape or weights if it is even slightly windy).

Most paints and stains can be used, but we suggest you talk to your local paint or hardware store for the best spray paint, ink or liquid paint for the surface you wish to use the four-square stencil on.

Note: The squares can be optionally marked with one of our number stencil sets. We suggest using at least a 12 inch number set as the size of each square us 48 inches x 48 inches.

Four Square Stencil Size

Standard Four-Square play area measures 16' x 16' (8' x 8' for preschool) when painted out. Each square is 8' x 8' (or 4' x 4').

Four Square Stencil Material

All of our stencils are made from LLDPE. This material is extremely durable, will relax and lay flat quickly, and is very easy to clean. The 1/8^th inch is preferred by contractors and is more rigid then the 1/16^th inch. The 1/16^th is excellent for less frequent use.  Both can be used and cleaned hundreds of times.

How to Play Four Square

The game of four-square is a basic layout of a large square divided into four smaller squares. These four squares provide for a game that is endless in variation depending on the skills of the participants playing the game. Indicated by the name of the game, this game involves four players, one for each square. The purpose of this game is to displace the player who plays from square 1 or the "King" position. This player who plays from square 1 is the one who begins the game by serving the ball from the back corner of his or her own square. This player has the choice of serving the ball into any of the other 3 squares, choosing to allow it to bounce or not to bounce in any square before the opposing participant hits the ball into another of participants' squares. The nature of the game allows for many people to be able to play the game within a short period of time due to "misses" that may occur. "Misses" can occur when a player does not successfully hit the ball into one of their opponents' squares, if they hit the ball out bounds, meaning out of the large square itself, or if they cause the ball to land on a line except on a serve. The person, who is responsible for the "miss", must exit the game and retreat back to the challenge line, thus allowing a player whom is waiting, into the game. When this occurs, the players rotate around the square, leaving the newest player in square 4 and the person who was in square 2, is now playing from square 1, the "King" position and has become the opponent to eliminate.

This kit ships with detailed instructions, and a layout guide with Four Square Court drawing specifications (also available as a PDF below).

1/8th inch (125 mil) LLDPE: Our Contractor Grade material makes a durable, reusable, precision stencil that can be used hundreds of times. Lays Flat and is heavy enough to be used with professional spray equipment.

1/16th inch (60 mil) LLDPE:  Our Standard Duty material has all the qualities of our Contractor Grade at half the weight. The lighter weight and lower price point is a great option for the non-professional. Can be used dozens of times and can be cleaned and stored for future maintenance.

10 mil Mylar: Our Laser-cut Mylar is an ultra-light flexible material that is perfect for signs, walls, floors, and tight work spaces. We also offer it as a low-cost option for school playground and athletic fields stencils. This flexible material and budget friendly price give you a lot of options. 

See our Stencil Material Selection Guide for a deeper look at all our stencil Material options.

1/8th and 1/16th users can save time and be job ready by ordering these needed supplies now:

• Krylon Striping Paint 
• Inverted Spray Paint Marking Wand
• Frog Painters Tape

Tip: How to get the most from your new Parking Lot Stencil: Stencil Cleaning & Care

Mylar users will appreciate the clear results from using these proven tools:

•  Work hands-free with Repositionable Adhesive Spray
• Stencil Ink and Rollers 
• Paints, Brushes, Rollers 

Tip: Visit our library of Video Tutorials for more detailed instructions and how-to videos.