EnviroKids is brought to you by
 
        City of Tacoma  
   Environmental Services
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Recycled Crayons

Remember your old, broken crayons? Now you can make new crayons out of them!

Rating: HARD
Adult Supervision Required? YES

What you need 
  • Old crayons
  • Assorted cookie cutters (small, metal ones work best)
  • Sauce pan (because wax may ruin the pan, it is best to use an old pan)
  • Clean, empty tuna fish cans (use a different can for each color combination)
  • Aluminum foil
  • Cooking stove
  • Hot pads
  • Hard, flat counter

How to make it

  1. Take the paper off the crayons and sort into piles of similar colors (such as piles of blues, reds, greens, etc. ) If you melt certain colors together they may turn out brown. Avoid mixing orange and green, red and green or blue and orange - unless you want brown.

  2. Break crayons in half or into smaller pieces. 

  3. Fill sauce pan halfway with water and turn the stove on low heat.  

  4. Place 3-4 crayons from one pile into a tuna can and set into the pan of warm water. It should float on the water. Be careful not to let the water mix into the wax. Use different cans for different colors. 

  5. Allow the crayons to melt. While you're waiting, set out a sheet of aluminum foil on the counter to use as a placemat.  

  6. Select your cookie cutters and tear off another sheet of foil about twice the size of each one. Set your cookie cutter on top of this small foil sheet and wrap it up around the edges of the cutter so the melted wax won't leak out underneath. Set this on top of the big placemat of foil on the counter. 

  7. Have an adult use a hot pad to pull the can of melted wax out of the water and pour it into one of the molds. CAUTION: The wax will be very hot. Do not touch the wax while it is cooling. 

  8. Allow 30 minutes for wax to cool and then remove the foil from the outside of the cookie cutter. Pop your new crayon out!

    TIPS: 
  • If you wish to make "double-decker" crayons, allow wax to cool, pour a different color of melted wax on top, then let cool again. 
  • These make great gifts for yourself or for friends. 
  • Try giving your new color a name (like "Sarah Amber’s Sunset.") 

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