hobo signs

When hobos used to roam the land, looking for work and food and somewhere to sleep, they left hobo signs in chalk or coal to provide information and warnings to other hobos. I was totally unaware of hobo signs until I read The Areas of My Expertise, John Hodgman's awesome book that has a surprisingly large amount of information about hobos. Some of it is even true! Even then, though, I thought hobo signs were something that had been created by the mind of Hodgman. A few years ago though, coming home from some trip or another, we saw a series of hobo signs in the San Diego Airport as part of an art exhibit, and I turned to Lorne and said, "Wait. That's a real thing?"



Anyway, sometimes when we go on walks, we grab a piece of sidewalk chalk and make our own hobo signs. It's a fun game to play, especially when we're out walking and other parents see me spinning the stroller around in a circle. The picture above is instructing Will to clap, jump, spin in a circle, and then go forward. There are additional signs for marching, turning left or right, running...and other things, I'm sure. You'd have to ask Will, he remembers the signs better than I do. The other fun thing about the signs is that we usually leave some along the route from our apartment out to the parking lot. Then when we return from somewhere, or head out to the car, Will will be walking along and see some signs and just stop and clap three times, then keep going, or spin in a circle and jump, then keep going, and it cracks me up. The Toddler Hobo Sign game comes highly recommended by one out of one Pants family toddlers.