I love coloring. All of my best creative ideas come while I’m coloring on the pages of my day planner, or the grocery list, or my husband’s left arm. I have tins and tins of crayons that I’ve collected throughout the years. I am, also, a crayon purist. Once a crayon breaks, I throw it in the tin and it is officially “out of commision.” After realizing that these crayons are just as good as the unbroken ones, I started thinking about how I could breathe new life into them. That’s how I came up with the idea to make new crayons out of old ones, with the help of some silicone molds.
By Tara Benwell •
September 18, 2008
The crayon craft we did today started as a research project. I was looking for a way to recycle or reuse a very old muffin tin. Not only did I find a craft for reusing my worn tray, I was able to make use of our collection of broken crayons. My kids enjoyed the fun and learned that it was an earth friendly activity, each in their own age appropriate way.
How to Make Crayon Doodlers (Recommended for Age 3+)
- Peel the paper off of old broken crayons (This may sound tedious but I found it to be a great stress reliever!)
- Preheat oven to 300
- Help your children separate the broken crayons into fun colour combos in muffin trays
- Turn heat off and place muffin tin in the oven
- Bake for about ten minutes (or until liquid forms)
- Place tray in the freezer for about half an hour
- Take out of freezer until doodlers reach room temperature
- Flip tin over and bang out doodlers (onto a soft surface such as your hand or lap-not a counter)
- Get colouring!
But, you may need to experiment a little. . .
