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How to Make Throwing Chestnuts

Horse chestnut trees produce an abundance of spiky, green husks that contain the actual chestnuts, or conkers. These nuts form the basis of a number of children̵7;s games played in various countries. In Germany, children tie crepe paper to the nuts and throw them through the air to create a kid-pleasing, whooshing sound. To create a competitive version of this activity in your own backyard, place a bucket outside and see who is the best at throwing the chestnuts into it.

Things You'll Need

Hammer
Small nail
Horse chestnuts
Scissors
Needle
String
Crepe paper in at least two colors

Instructions

- 1
  Hammer the small nail into the center of the horse chestnut to create a small hole.
- 2
  Cut a 6-inch length of string and thread it through the eye of the needle. Thread the needle through the hole in the chestnut, and pull the string partially through the hole. Remove the needle from the string.
- 3
  Cut two contrasting colors of crepe paper into strips 1 inch wide and about 4 feet long.
- 4
  Place one strip on top of another strip of the contrasting color.
- 5
  Lay the midpoint of the strips on top of the chestnut. Wrap the string around the crepe paper, and secure it with a double knot.
- 6
  Cut off the loose ends of the string.

Kids Games