Fallen conkers are a great opportunity to play a fun game with your child. Look on the ground around horse chestnut trees for their prickly green cases. Peel off the outer layer to reveal a shiny conker! Encourage your child to read and follow these instructions by ticking off these steps to preparing the perfect conker.
Method:
Put your conker in vinegar for 2 minutes. When the time is up, take it out and put it on a hard surface.
- Heat the oven to 250°C (an adult should do this bit) and put it in for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
- Take it out of the oven and leave on a hard surface until lukewarm.
- When the conker is cool enough to pick up, pierce a hole in the conker. A knitting needle or skewer works well to do this. It’s best for an adult to take charge for this bit!
- Thread some string through the conker and tie a knot. You’re now ready to play conkers!
How to play:
The game is for two players who take it in turns to hit each other's conker until there is only one conker left.
- One player holds out their conker at arm's length, hanging down, ready to be hit.
- The string should be wrapped around his or her hand so they don’t drop it.
- The other player then wraps the string of his or her conker around her hand, draws it back and takes an aim. By letting go of the conker and swinging their arm in an arc to hit the other person's conker.
- The first player then has a go at hitting the other player's conker and they take it in turns.
- The conker that breaks the other is the winner!