London Best Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 Just walked the dog and picked up a pocketful of conkers thinking to give them to kids. My teacher wife informs me that children are not allowed to play conkers any more! Apparently, the H&S Fun Police have put a stop to this traditional kid’s game as it is too dangerous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTaylor91 Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 Sadly there’s probably an app for it now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 3 minutes ago, JTaylor91 said: Sadly there’s probably an app for it now Your right there is, but you can still play at home, so drill some holes and break out the laces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratchers Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 Conkers were banned in our local schools years ago as far to dangerous. But do you remember clackers, now they were lethal, allegedley! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 Spent three hours picking them off the lawns today. Neighbour collects them chops them and drys them. Adding boiling water to the dried bits in a jar produces washing liquid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibble Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 (edited) Actually the H&S once sponsored the conker World Championship, I know this because I did a Risk Assessment before introducing conkers to my Beaver Scouts 10 years ago. We have run competitions each year since normally setting off a brief craze in the feeder schools. One year we took my 7 year old son and his mate on an outing to the Tower of London he and his mate had their conkers from that weeks Beavers and started playing a Beefeater came over to give them some tips. Edited September 28, 2019 by Dibble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatchap Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 I don't think H&S has anything to do with the demise of a game of conkers in the school playground or anywhere else come to that matter, No blame the sterile safe environment of X Box and Playstation and facebook they are the real culprits for the stagnated life of our offspring nowadays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 Make the most of it..😟 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49838650 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibble Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 13 minutes ago, fatchap said: I don't think H&S has anything to do with the demise of a game of conkers in the school playground or anywhere else come to that matter, No blame the sterile safe environment of X Box and Playstation and facebook they are the real culprits for the stagnated life of our offspring nowadays. Become a Scout Leader we are crying out for Leaders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retsdon Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 1 hour ago, London Best said: Apparently, the H&S Fun Police have put a stop to this traditional kid’s game as it is too dangerous! That's really, really sad. Nothing to add.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 compensation culture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibble Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 https://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/september.htm From the HSE website show it to your childrens school ! HSE have never advised banning conkers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retsdon Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Dibble said: Become a Scout Leader we are crying out for Leaders But what about the shorts? Still mandatory? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 I can remember something from my schooldays about William the Conkerer ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibble Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 1 minute ago, Retsdon said: But what about the shorts? Still mandatory? I decided I would never wear shorts when I first joined, most of us do have beards though. Honestly if you care about children having the best upbringing possible and love introducing them to the countryside it's a great hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoolinDalton Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 Just now, Dibble said: I decided I would never wear shorts when I first joined, most of us do have beards though. Are the beards where the shorts should be?😕 Many moons ago, when I was scouting for beaver, if successful, I often got my conkers out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retsdon Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 3 minutes ago, Dibble said: I decided I would never wear shorts when I first joined, most of us do have beards though. Honestly if you care about children having the best upbringing possible and love introducing them to the countryside it's a great hobby. I'm probably too old and definitely too far away. But if I were in the UK I'd be up for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmaxphil Posted September 29, 2019 Report Share Posted September 29, 2019 I know what you mean about kids not interested there are 5 trees outside my house and thousands of conkers not one kid collecting them at their age I would have had bags of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted September 29, 2019 Report Share Posted September 29, 2019 17 hours ago, Dibble said: https://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/september.htm From the HSE website show it to your childrens school ! HSE have never advised banning conkers! Yup. It's not the HSE's fault, it's the name, blame shame and sue culture seeping in from America. The HSE give guidance and the vast majority of it is entirely based on common sense. But then companies, organisations, schools etc get scared that little Amelia Harvey-Henry might get scratched from a split piece of conker and her parents will sue the school for the price of a new BMW X5. It's all a bit dim and results in kids having no idea how to assess risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted September 29, 2019 Report Share Posted September 29, 2019 19 hours ago, fatchap said: I don't think H&S has anything to do with the demise of a game of conkers in the school playground or anywhere else come to that matter, No blame the sterile safe environment of X Box and Playstation and facebook they are the real culprits for the stagnated life of our offspring nowadays. It was partly to blame in some school playgrounds. I think you are right though, computer consoles have become so clever and the games so imersive. Kids enter their world and stay there for days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted September 30, 2019 Report Share Posted September 30, 2019 I was Cub Scout conker king. 1972 I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
100milesaway Posted October 3, 2019 Report Share Posted October 3, 2019 Smaller conkers were always the best, soaked in vinegar and then polished with Dubbin. Unbeatable... from Auntie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retsdon Posted October 3, 2019 Report Share Posted October 3, 2019 On 29/09/2019 at 16:57, ShootingEgg said: computer consoles have become so clever and the games so imersive. Kids enter their world and stay there for days Not just kids. I used to read novels for fun. Now with my chopped off attention span, II'vsurf around looking for opportunites to post my almost certainly ignored ( everyone is looks at their own imput on social media) notions. |ts not really a very healthy trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted October 3, 2019 Report Share Posted October 3, 2019 Used to try everything to get the toughest conkers. Soak them in vinegar, apply nail polish, dry them in the oven, araldite squeezed inside the shell when nut inside had srivelled was best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted October 4, 2019 Report Share Posted October 4, 2019 On 28/09/2019 at 19:05, fatchap said: I don't think H&S has anything to do with the demise of a game of conkers in the school playground or anywhere else come to that matter, No blame the sterile safe environment of X Box and Playstation and facebook they are the real culprits for the stagnated life of our offspring nowadays. Who gave the children them? Parenting by electronic means? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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