“Do you know how to spell KOA,” Bedtime asks. We were camped, along with at least 20 other hikers, in Acton, CA eating pizza and enjoying the pool at the local RV park. He then follows quickly with, “K-O-A.” We all laugh.

He’s become curious about reading and writing on this trip. His drawing book became his writing journal once he realized mom got to stay up late and journal. I am often woken by his curiosity as I doze off in my quilt, “dad how do you spell tarantula?” He knows most of his letters now but still needs some reminders, “T? cross, right? And U? Oh, yeah, smiley face.“

Most adults we come across can’t help but tell Bedtime how impressive it is that a five year old is hiking a long trail. They ask if he’s having fun but rarely follow up with questions about how. And no matter how much he fakes it, I know that hiking isn’t all that fun. Camping, climbing rocks, jumping in creeks-that’s fun. But walking single file on a nicely maintained path is not obvious fun for a five year old. To follow are some hacks we’ve learned to make this trip more engaging for Bedtime. Most of these, like his interest in writing, have sprung up organically along the way.

Toys

We shied away from toys at first. Bedtime makes “nature toys” at home and we thought being in nature all the time would be adequate. It wasn’t. He slowly accumulated toys found on trail, gifted him by other hikers, and the still pinnacle of the trip (for him) the prize in his first McDonalds happy meal at Cajon pass. Most of these have since been lost. Currently he is hiking with legos and this has been great for longer breaks. They are his favorite toy at home and the center piece of most day to day conversation. He takes the responsibility of not losing these much more seriously than other toys. 

Games

Most of the games we play on trail have changed since starting the hike. Previously Bedtime’s favorite was The Gummy Hunt. Purple Rain hikes ahead hiding gummies alongside the trail. Bedtime and I follow and find them. He eats them. I was able to throw in some counting skills while playing this which I hope was informative for him. Once running out of gummies this game slowly morphed into Hide the Bandana. That one destroys bandanas (especially in the desert-be warned). Currently his favorite game is “the game” (definitely my least favorite). In “the game” he and I “use our minds and our voices,” in his words, to play out random scenarios mostly involving super villains, ghost busters, and future pets. He does an amazing job hiking while we play this and interestingly enough he processes a lot of what he has learned over the last few months. Random bits of knowledge/experience filter into “the game” as he talks. For example, “Poison Ivy, did you know baby rattlesnakes are more venomous than older ones?” and, “I’m tough enough to battle ghosts-I hiked the PCT when I was five and three quarters! I can definitely do hard things.” We also have a game for in the tent. A friend sent us Pass the Piggies and Bedtime loves playing it before bed.

Art Supplies, etc

Sketch pads and pens are a must. We can write or journal and draw together. Most of these have been mailed home as he fills them in. I can’t wait to see them again in a few months and compare early compositions to later ones. We may create some kind of scrap book/collage of some favorites. He also carries the chapter book we are currently reading. It is a nice conversation starter in the morning to recap what we read the night before. It eventually shows up in “the game” later as well.

Audio

Bedtime has his own set of headphones that he uses on occasion. We started with audio books but he got SO into the books that he had trouble walking faster than a turtle. Kid’s Podcasts like Finn Caspian and the soundtrack to Little Shop of Horrors motivate him to walk much faster.

In-town

We have shied away, for the most part, from hotels. The three of us are together constantly on trail and confining us to a small room for 24 hours or more is not pretty. We have prioritized unique experiences for staying in town. From hostels, to campgrounds, to homes of trail angels. The more other people there are to socialize with the better for all of us. It’s more memorable for Bedtime as well (as opposed to staying in another generic motel). When we do stay in a hotel a pool is mandatory! Must do’s in town (other than eating loads of awesome food) are visiting local playgrounds and libraries. Any opportunity to play with other kids and be around books are important to Bedtime. Most libraries also have a small book store when a new chapter book is needed, and usually under a dollar.