Reliving a childhood memory....Conkering!!

Today we taught the boys how to play conkers for the first time.

For the last few weeks hubby and I have been keeping an eye out on our travels for any ripe and ready Horse Chestnut trees and realised that Meryick Park would be the ideal conker finding location.

Let battle commence!!

Meryick Park is huge and has what looks to be hundreds of Horse Chestnut lining the rugby and football pitches.

The boys spent hours collecting fallen conkers and had a whale of a time chucking up sticks into the lower branches to get fresh ones, I know some people wont agree with allowing them to throw sticks up into the tree but to me that`s half the fun!!

In the end they were able to collect so many that we had to limit them to be able to bring home one nappy bag full each.

We couldn`t remember if you had to allow the conkers to dry out slightly before playing with them so decided to prepare them for battle as soon as we got home. Plus I don`t think the boys would of allowed us to leave them for a few days as were desperate to play with them.

I thought we had some old trainers with laces in hiding in the downstairs cupboard but after half an hour of searching I gave up looking for them and took out the string in one of hubby`s old hoodies.

The boys loved being shown how to hold the laces and how to line up their aims.

They thoroughly enjoyed themselves and it was lovely to be able to show them what we used to play when we were little.

Its a shame that this world has become so health and safety mad that its frowned upon to play this with their friends at school.

I understand some people will get a conker or two in the eye, but is that not half the fun......dodging the conker too??