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Description

During the months of September and October, a favourite playground game is conkers. It is a game which has been played every autumn for generations but nowadays fewer children are playing it. We hope to revive this British custom by telling you more about it.

Resources

As many conkers to the number of scouts
String
Drill

Instructions

The best conkers to play with are uncracked, firm and symmetrical. Make a hole through the middle of of your chosen conker. Thread a strong piece of string about 25cm long, through the hole and tie a knot at one end, so that it doesn't pull through.

Each player has a conker hanging on its string. Players take turns at hitting their opponent's conker
If you are the one whose conker is to be hit first, let it hang down from the string which is wrapped round your hand. The conker is held at the height your opponent chooses and is held perfectly still.

Your opponent, the striker, wraps his conker string round his hand just like yours. He then takes his conker in the other hand and draws it back for the strike.

Releasing the conker he swings it down by the string held in the other hand and tries to hit his opponents conker (yours) with it.

If a player misses hitting his/her opponents conker they are allowed up to two further goes.

If the strings tangle, the first player to call "strings" gets an extra shot.

If a player hits his/her opponents conker in such a way that it completes a whole circle after being hit - known as round the world - the player gets another go.

If a player drops his conker, or it is knocked out of his hand the other player can shout 'stamps' and jump on it; but should its owner first cry 'no stamps' then the conker, hopefully, remains intact.

The game goes on in turns until one or other of the two conkers is completely destroyed.

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• Skills - New sport