How To Melt Crayons

Easily an upcycled or repurposed project! Turn your jumbo box of broken and worn down bits of crayon into these new homemade crayons. Or use a box of new crayons if you want to test out the DIY crayon recipe and you don’t have a stash. Fun to add to a space theme, give as a party favor, or pull out as a rainy day activity! We love simple science activities!

What To Do With Old Crayons?

Do you remember the delight you felt opening up a brand new box of crayons? Do you remember how sad you felt when that favorite crayon broke in half or was worn down so far you could barely use it?

Let’s show the kiddos how to make these fantastic DIY crayons from old crayons instead of throwing away all those bits and pieces. These recycled crayons are a great way to show how you can take something used and re-purpose it into something fun again!

We also made a fun homemade playdough with crayons as well!

Think melting crayons is tricky, think again! It’s super easy and safe to melt crayons in the oven. Also, as an alternative check out how you can melt crayons in the microwave too!

ALSO CHECK OUT: Recycling Projects For Kids

Plus, making crayons from old crayons is a simple science activity illustrating reversible change or physical changes. Read more below!

The Science Of Melting Crayons

There are two types of changes called reversible change and irreversible change. Melting crayons, like melting ice is a great example of reversible change. See more examples of physical change!

Reversible change occurs when something is melted or frozen for example, but the change can also be undone. Just like with our crayons! They can be melted into a liquid and reformed into solid new crayons.

Although the crayons have changed shape or form, they did not undergo a chemical process to became a new substance. The crayons are still usable as crayons and if melted again will form new crayons!

Baking bread or cooking something like an egg is an example of an irreversible change or chemical change. The egg can never go back to its original form because what it is made of has been changed. The change cannot be undone!

Can you think of any more examples of reversible change and irreversible change?

ALSO CHECK OUT: States Of Matter Experiments

Get Your Free STEAM Activities Guide!

Melting crayons to make new and much cooler crayons is also a great STEAM activity. What is STEAM? STEAM combines science, technology, and engineering, and math with art. If you want to learn about more STEAM activities, grab the free STEAM Activities Guide.

How To Make Crayons

There are so many different shapes of crayon molds out there! You can even get alphabet letter molds and pair the activity with a favorite book. See here how we used LEGO molds to make LEGO crayons!

We love to use silicon molds. Yes, silicon can go in the oven! Don’t have silicon molds? Read below on variations for how to make crayons in muffin tins, with cookie cutters, and even in the microwave!

Supplies Needed

• Silicon Mold 
• Crayons

How To Melt Crayons In The Oven 

Adult supervision is highly recommended. The melted crayons will get very hot!

STEP 1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

STEP 2. Peel the paper off the crayons and cut into tiny pieces.

STEP 3. Fill each crayon mold with different colors, anything goes! Similar shades will create a nice effect or try color mixing by combining blue and yellow!

STEP 4. Place in the oven for 7-8 minutes or until crayons are completely melted.

STEP 5. Remove the mold carefully from the oven and let it cool completely.

STEP 6. Once cooled, pop out of molds and have fun coloring!

How To Melt Crayons In The Microwave

Adult supervision highly recommended. The materials will be hot!

You will still want to peel the crayons and break into pieces. However, your best bet is to separate by color since you will be doing a melt and pour style of making crayons here.

Place the crayon pieces in paper cups and heat on high in the microwave. Ours took about 5 mins but you may want to start checking around four minutes depending on the microwave.

Then you will pour the melted crayons into your silicone molds! This is when you can combine colors if desired. Place molds in the freezer to speed the cooling process! 30 minutes should do the trick.

Alternatives To Silicon Molds

Can you melt crayons in muffin tins instead?

Absolutely! You don’t need silicon candy molds to make crayons. Simply spray the muffin tins first with a cooking spray and use them the same way!

What about melting crayons in the oven with cookie cutters?

This is another great alternative to melting crayons in candy molds. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Lightly spray metal cookie cutters and place them on the tray. Add crayons and pop in the oven!

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