Nothing reminds me of childhood autumns like conkers says Leanne Patrick
Every year we would go out, scour the local park and collect the strongest looking bunch we could fine, steal a shoelace from an old shoe and get stuck in to elaborate contests that could last from days to weeks...
As you can imagine, I’ve been excited to revive this much loved tradition for my own children. But, I’m either a lot softer now that I’m older or I’ve been crafting with my littles for a bit too long…
I just can’t seem to leave the weaklings of the conker pile. Their misshapen little bodies are just bursting with potential and I’ve been determined to put them to good use.
Here’s my list of 10 things you can do with conkers that also doesn’t involve aggressively swinging them at each other. Enjoy!
1. Decorate them and hang them on your Christmas tree. You can paint them, sprinkle them with glitter… maybe even add some sequins! Make a hole, add some string and voila!
2. Keep spiders away. Conkers release a handy chemical that spiders seem to hate. A few strategically placed bowls should do the trick now that they’re attempting to make their way in for the winter. They’ll just have to try next door!
3. Science experiments. If you throw conkers into a bonfire, they’ll explode. This is due to a build-up of steam. If you pierce them, the steam is released more easily.
4. Make a friendship bracelet. Decorate and string them before offering to your very best friends.
5. Make a good luck charm. Wearing a conker on a necklace is said to bring good luck to the wearer.
6. Play boules. Mark your boules with acrylic paint, go outside and set up some boundary lines and get bowling. They don’t roll straight, which adds to the fun!
7. Learn all about them. Conkers are also knows as Horse Chestnuts and were brought to the UK from south east Europe a few hundred years ago!
8. Make them a feature. Fill a tall glass with them and leave them on a windowsill or dinner table for an instant autumn injection.
9. Use them to paint. Place a piece of paper inside a tray, dip the conker in paint and roll it around the tray for an interesting paint effect.
10. Weave around them. Create a spider’s web by attaching matchsticks all around them and weaving yarn around the matchsticks. Ironic, but very pretty!
MORE INSPIRATION
READ The Seed Sistas on the medicinal properties of conkers here.
