10 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! What to Do and Where to go Five Things to Do With Conkers There's more to Autumn's favourite find,than a string and a dare! 1. Conker sorting and counting For younger children, conkers are a brilliant hands-on maths tool. Sort by size, line them up biggest to smallest, or simply count how many you've found on the walk home. No worksheet required. 2. Conker painting Dab a conker in paint and roll it around inside a shoebox lined with paper. The wobbly, unpredictable trail it leaves is oddly satisfying - and a genuinely different kind of "painting" for kids who have done every other version going. There's a moment every autumn when a child spots their first conker, and something switches on. It doesn't matter how many they've collected before - that shiny, deep brown shell still gets picked up, turned over, and pocketed like treasure. The traditional game is brilliant, but conkers have quietly earned a reputation as one of nature's best free toys, and there's a lot more you can do with a handful before they shrivel up on the windowsill. 3. A Conker Olympics Set up simple challenges in the garden or park: see who can roll one furthest, balance the most on a spoon, or get one into a bucket from a distance. Zero equipment, instant entertainment! 4. Conker creatures With a bit of help (and maybe a cocktail stick or two), conkers make surprisingly good mini animals - add a few twigs for legs and you’ve got a hedgehog, a spider, or whatever else your imagination decides on the day. 5. A Conker Trail Jar Keep a jam jar on the windowsill and add one conker from every autumn walk. Watching the collection grow over a few weeks turns an ordinary walk into something to look forward to. The best bit? None of this needs planning, kit, or even leaving your usual route to the shops. Just eyes open, pockets ready, and a willingness to stop for two minutes when someone shouts “found one!” Whether you’re counting, painting, competing or just enjoying, be sure to have fun this Conker season!
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