Coconut Shy

 

"I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts

There they are, all standing in a row

Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head

Give them a twist, a flick of the wrist

That's what the showman said."

 

 

Knock 'em off to Win!

 

No school fair, village fete, fundraiser etc. would be complete, without a coconut shy!

They're still just as popular as ever & simple to run.

 

Line your coconuts up, on their stands & mark out a throwing line. You'll need to put up

a sheet, or bales of hay, to catch wayward balls, that have gone astray.

 

Just sell 3 wooden balls, to your customers...they'll be queueing up to test their

throwing skills!

 

"Knock 'em off to Win!...Every one a good 'un." The showman cried.

 

Take aim & skillfully throw each ball at the coconuts, in an attempt to knock them off from the stands, they are perched on...great fun!

Many wont be able to resisist, having another try, if they don't manage it on their first attempt! If they knock one off...simple, they win the coconut!

 

How to make coconut shy stands

 

 

Coconut shy stands, are simple to make. If you have some DIY skills, then you

 can make a set within a couple of hours.

 

 

 

It's a good idea, to make a set of 4 - 6, I've just made 2 here, to show you how to

make them. I made mine from broom handles (you could just use a piece of 2" x 1"

pine) with half a tennis ball screwed to the top.

 

I bought a pack of cheap tennis balls, from a £1 shop, then carefully cut them in half,

with a hacksaw (watch your fingers) following the line, where they had been molded

together. Then made a small hole, in the middle of the ball, with a compass & pushed a

screw through.

 

Next, you can leave the broom handles all the same length, or cut them shorter, for

variation, of the targets.

 

 

 

The other end of the broom handle, you want to cut to a point, again using

a hacksaw, making 4 cuts, so it looks rather like a sharpened pencil (see above). This

will make it easier, to knock the stands into the ground.

 

Screw the tennis balls to the broom handles, a short screw will do.

That's it, you've made them, YIPPEE!!! You just need to paint them now. As you can

see, I painted mine with red & white stripes.  Traditional fairground coconut shys,

were painted in these colours, to draw your eye to them. Paint them in any colour you 

like, but paint them brightly...Be creative & have fun!

 

You're already now, those coconuts sit perfectly on top of those half tennis balls.

...Bet you can't wait to try to knock one off! 

 

A charming short animation, about a shy coconut.