Go outside the lines with these fun ideas that will breathe new life into old crayons.
If you’ve been a parent for a couple years or more, chances are you have a shoebox full of crayons somewhere in your house. Broken, the wrappers ripped off, half chewed by the dog . . . but a crayon is a crayon and you just can’t throw it away.
Since Crayola produced its first box of eight crayons in 1903, crayons have been a staple for households with children. Can you imagine playing with children without crayons and paper? According to the Crayola's "History of Crayons," the first box of crayons sold for a nickel and included black, brown, blue, red, purple, orange, yellow and green,.
Today Crayola produces more than 100 colors of crayons, as well as those that are scented, glow in the dark, sparkle with glitter and change colors.
Here are some ideas for crayons that go beyond coloring books.
Crayon Sun-Catcher Window Hanging
Unwrap colorful crayons and make shavings, either by grating them with a cheese grater or sharpening them in a crayon sharpener.
Place the shavings on top of a sheet of wax paper. Place a second piece of wax paper on top to make a “sandwich.”
Using an iron on low heat, press the wax paper, moving the iron constantly.
As it heats up, the crayon shavings will melt and form a colorful design.
Let cool and then cut into a shape. Poke a hole in top and hang in the window from a ribbon.
Crayon Rubbings
Peel off the paper sleeves from crayons and rub the side of the crayon over a piece of paper that has been placed on top of any textured surface.
Try keys, coins, lace doilies, sandpaper, a pebbly walkway - whatever you can find that is textured. Your child can come up with more ideas.
Homemade Rainbow Crayons
Melt different colored crayons in the microwave or a double boiler and spoon into small molds or an ice cube tray.
Cool, remove from the mold and use like regular crayons. Because the colors are mixed, the crayon with change colors as it is used.
Crayon Resist Pictures
Color an entire piece of white poster board or cardboard with bright colored crayons. Press hard! The colors need to be very bright.
Color over top of the colors with black crayon. Cover the whole piece of poster board with very dark black crayon.
Use a toothpick or paperclip to scratch a picture on the poster board. The colors underneath the black crayon will be revealed.
Magic Messages
Get out those Easter egg coloring kits. Use the clear wax crayon that comes in egg coloring kits to write a secret message onto a plain piece of white paper.
Have your child paint the paper with watercolors. The message will appear like magic.
The copyright of the article Crayon Crafts for Kids in Kids Crafts is owned by Diane Laney Fitzpatrick. Permission to republish Crayon Crafts for Kids in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
