If your house and car are full of broken and worn-down crayons after a summer of coloring and doing art projects, don't throw them out! Instead, collect them all in a box or basket and try this easy recycling activity. You and your kids can make new "designer" crayons — perfect for fall art projects or for party favors at your child's next birthday party.
Here's how:
First remove the paper wrapper from each crayon. Then, help the kids break the crayons into pieces and put them into piles according to basic colors. Put the pieces according to color, in small, heat-resistant glass jars, such as empty baby-food jars.
With an adult's help, fit a small rack inside a saucepan, and place the jars on the rack. Fill the saucepan with enough water to cover 1/2 inch of the jars. Heat the water until the crayons melt.
Keep an eye on them at all times.
An adult should carefully pour the melted wax into a plastic candy mold tray (available at kitchen-supply stores and craft stores in a variety of fun shapes children like, such as stars, flowers, animals, skates, etc.). Or use ice-cube trays that come in fun shapes.
The wax will harden quickly and pop out of the mold easily. You could put the tray in the freezer for a few minutes to speed up the process.
For added effect, pour a contrasting color into the mold after the first layer of wax has hardened. This will produce a two-tone crayon.
Try out your new crayon shapes on a piece of paper. And for more fun, you can use them as a puzzle. Just let 4- and 5-year olds put the different shapes back into the candy molds.
Extra idea: Keep a crayon handy on the refrigerator for quick note-taking. Simply add a piece of magnet from a magnet strip and set it on the final layer of wax before it completely hardens.
Donna Erickson's new award-winning television series "Donna's Day" is airing on public television nationwide. © Donna Erickson
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