“Press Here” City-Suburb Obstacle Course

DIY: 20 min | Scout + Set up: 15 min | Have Fun: However long you like

Love the book the way we do? This is a great Press Here activity for families, especially those in yard-less communities.  If you are like us, we live in a townhouse community and take walks to unwind. When you leave your house, get off that sidewalk. Venture into the areas or parks that have been landscaped with low bushes and small trees. While these areas may not be flat for soccer, they are great for a Press Here Obstacle Course. 

The course starts with a stack of colored dots made with Chinet dinner plates. Regular paper plates work too!

Bring the book along to jumpstart the game. Click here for Press Here book.

Incorporate bushes and trees as part of the obstacle course. Have them run around the bushes and hug trees between the dots. If you picked a spot with a hill, use it!

Before we get into the game, there are two ways to make the dots: QUICK DOTS and VIBRANT DOTS. I'm listing the quickie version here, because well you want it quick. VIBRANT DOTS are at the end of the post. Ready, go!

DIY: QUICK Dots

Grab a stack of Chinet dinner plates (or any paper plate) and Jumbo Crayons. Make as many as you like. (We made 8 of each color.) 

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note: supply list is linked to Walmart for best prices.

The Obstacle Course

Grab your book, keys and explore the perfect spot for an obstacle course. Arrange the dots on the ground, in any pattern you choose, weaving them around the bushes and trees. In the same inviting manner of the book, direct your kiddos through the course. Freestyle and make it up as you go! Get some laughs. Get the dots dirty. HAVE FUN!

Throw those dots in a stroller, or have your kiddo carry them and help design the course.

We live in townhouse world, where there are grassy runways between houses. But this game can work great in parks and on hillsides.

Instead of saying “Press Here!” say ”Jump Here!’

Modify the course to fit your kid’s level of play. You can also incorporate directional language for older kids to make it challenging, ”Jump 5x on the Blue Dot to your LEFT, while rubbing your tummy!“

Incorporate matching skills.

Identify the leaf! Ask your kiddo to place a leaf (flat) on a yellow plate in the bright sun. Snap a photo. Download an AWESOME plant ID app and identify the tree. (note: LeafSnap for iOS works best on white backgrounds. So just flip the plate and snap a pic of the leaf on the white.)

”Grab Red Dot from tree and match to Red Dot on ground!”

If they brought a toy on the walk, use it!

Add a little scavenger hunt. “Pick up stick and put it on Blue Dot!”

Use these fun little dots as a chance to get outside, be together and have fun. They are hearty enough you can get several uses out of them.

DIY: VIBRANT! Paint Dots

Grab a stack of Chinet dinner plates, sponge brushes and tempera paint. Paint the dots outside on the sidewalk. (We made 8 of each color.) It goes extremely fast and they dry within minutes. I love this method because they are vibrant and I can re-purpose them for another craft. 

Supplies:
Chinet Dinner plates
Acrylic Paint: Blue  Red  Yellow
Brushes: Sponge Brush, cotton balls or a cut-up kitchen sponge are great

Supply list is linked to Walmart for best prices.

Sponge brushes are the best. Cut up kitchen sponges or cotton balls work great too.

To get the vibrant pop of color, use craft acrylic paint, or washable kid’s tempera paint. See shopping list in DIY.  (note: I ruled out fingerpaint because it was too transparent.)

My son jumped in and helped with a few plates, but I also made sure he had his trucks in the font yard to keep him busy if needed.

One of my favorite moments was G running the plates to the front stoop and organizing them.“Reeeed. Yelllooooow. Bluuuuuue.”

Upcycle those Dots

If you use Chinet, they should be good for a few uses. When you are done, upcycle those plates. Cut 'em up. Draw on them. Throw them. Spin them on sticks. Enjoy!

Check out my review of the amazing Press Here book, well, here. Presssss!