Who has a ton of crayons at home that are broken or have dull tips? I know I do and if you have kids you probably have even more. A fun and easy activity to do at home with your kids is to recycle crayons and make homemade crayons.
Recycle Crayons
How to Make Crayons
Before you recycle your crayons watch this video and see how Crayola makes crayons in their Pennsylvania factory.
If your kids are really into crayons check out the Crayola Experience with locations all over the US, they’ll have a blast!
Read More: How to Make Homemade Bubbles
Supplies to Make Homemade Crayons
This project is so easy, you only need 3 things. I bet you already have them at home!
- Old Crayons
- Silicone Molds
- An Oven
A word of warning with the silicone molds, by using them to make crayons there is a high probability that crayon wax will get stuck in them. If you really like your molds order some to use just for making crayons.
Here are some fun silicone molds I found on Amazon:
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Recycle Crayons: Step 1
Collect all the broken or dull crayons from all around your house. The colors don’t particularly matter as long as they’re around the same shade.
This part takes a while, but you’ll need to rip all the paper wrappings off of each crayon. You won’t want to put the paper in the oven – that would be bad!
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Make Homemade Crayons: Step 2
After you have removed all the wrappers you’ll have to cut the crayons in to smaller pieces. If your molds are larger you can do this by hand, which is best if you’re doing this with small children.
Adults and older children can get the piece smaller by using a knife. I’ve even had kids smash them with a hammer in a reusable zipper bag.
Be sure to fill the silicone mold all the way to the top without going over. By doing so you’ll get a good-sized crayon, but won’t make a mess in the oven.
Recycle Crayons: Step 3
It’s time to take the silicone molds and put them in the oven. Be sure the oven is pre-heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit before you put the molds in.
The time it takes the crayons to fully melt will depend on the size of the molds and how small the pieces of crayon where after you broke them.
I usually set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes and check on them when the timer goes off. If they’re not ready, give them another minute or 2, then take them out. Leaving the crayons in for too long might burn and ruin them.
Once the crayons are fully melted, remove them from the oven and let them cool in a place where little fingers can’t get at them.
Have you ever recycle crayons to make homemade crayons? How did it go? Let me know in the comments.
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