How to Melt Crayons Into Shapes

Looking for a way to recycle broken crayons? There has never been a better time for that. Whether you are looking to find a great little project to do with kids or if you are trying to save money by giving old crayons new life, one thing is certain; recycling is all the rage. Follow these simple steps to get you on your way to a more "colorful" day. If you are working with children allow them to do as many steps as they can on their own, however, never allow small children to handle the heat portion of this project.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Crayons: broken ones, old ones, big ones, small ones, whole ones, whatever you find
• Small shaped molds: aluminum molds, tins, silicone, anything heat resistant
• a preheated oven to 200 degrees f.

1. 

   Remove the paper wrappers from the crayons.

2. Break the crayons into small pieces if they are not already broken.

3. Sort the crayons into colors. You may divide the colors into monochromatic, two tone, multicolor, etc. That is completely up to you. Most children will want to experiment with a variety of options. Allow them to express themselves.

4. 

   Place the crayons into the molds in the color patterns you have selected.

5. 

   An adult should carefully place the molds into the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Keep a constant watchful eye on these. Different brands, different size molds and density of crayons will vary the time needed to melt the crayons.

6. 

   when crayons are completely melted, an adult should remove the molds from the oven and let the crayons cool and harden completely before removing from the molds.

Tips & Warnings

• Recycled crayons like these make great (and economical) party favors.

• Only an adult should place the molds into the oven and remove the molds from the oven. Never allow small children to handle heat. Allow crayons to cool completely before handling them. Safety first.