Melting crayons is a great way to reuse old crayons and is a perfect item for your toddlers to use while learning to hold a crayon. Plus, crayons are a great item for our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes which is why my friend Mary wrote up this little tutorial for us.
Here’s what I’d recommend: If you are packing Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes with us this year go to your local school before they get out for the summer and ask for old, junky crayons. Sometimes at the end of the year schools pitch crayons like these. Grab a bunch and make some of these melted crayons to add to your box. If you don’t need them would you grab them for us and let me know?! Thanks!
1) Get all unused, broken crayons.
2) Use utility knife, razor blade or box cutter to make a slice down the crayon wrapper. The paper will come off a lot easier that way.
3) Once all crayons are paper-free, break them up into small pieces.
4) Use an old cupcake tin and line with cupcake liners (either foil ones or paper). Fill about 1/2 to 3/4 full of crayon pieces.
5) Put in an oven heated at 250 degrees for about 10 to 12 minutes. Watch to see when fully melted.
6) Let them completely cool and then pop out. Remove the paper liner and they are ready to use.
There you have it, new life for old crayons and perfect for small hands!
Note: Of course you could divide them into colors and make them like that if you didn’t want them tye-died!
For other great Operation Christmas Child homemade ideas check out these links or visit my Operation Christmas Child Pinterest Board.
- Operation Christmas Child Homemade Purse
- Operation Christmas Child Wooden Game
- Operation Christmas Child Homemade Crochet Purse
- Operation Christmas Child Homemade Notepad
Operation Christmas Child fan? Me too! Please sign up for my daily tips email. You’ll get great FREEBIES in your mailbox! If you love OCC like me then you’ll want to pack as many boxes as possible and by signing up for my email you won’t miss out on the deals I write about throughout the year.
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A lot of restaurants give unused crayons to each kid patron. I’ve always wondered what happened to those slightly used crayons if the kids leave them on the tables when they leave. Maybe you could befriend a busboy or waitress to snag the abandoned crayons for you?
I made heart shaped crayons like this for Valentine’s Day for my daughter’s kindergarten class. I didn’t do the total tie-dye though, I sorted the scraps by colors. Since the crayons weren’t all the same shade of color it still had swirls and a cool effect.
GREAT idea Angela!
I like your web site and will be back to read more.
I am going to make lye soap soon and got your
web site from youtube.
Thank you for all the work you have done on
your web site.
Deryl Holcomb