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Primary Color Camp: DIY Sun Melted Crayons

The new box of crayons you bought doesn't have your kids favorite shade? No problem, make your own.

by Team Primary
Primary Color Camp: DIY Sun Melted Crayons

Today's Color Camp activity is another colorful upcycling project, perfect for hot, sunny days. Using different pieces of old crayons, our friends Sruthi and Arka made some exciting new shades to draw with! Melt different shades together in the hot afternoon sun, and you'll have a new rainbow of crayons ready to use by dinnertime. We used yellow to celebrate our color of the week, but you can use whatever shades your heart desires. Every Franken-crayon is beautiful in their own way.

Materials:

  • Crayons, preferably old ones
  • Silicone mold – there's a ton of fun shapes out there like this one
  • Oven sheet tray
  • Tinfoil 

Step 1: Remove labels from crayons

GIF of someone removing labels from yellow crayons

Soaking the crayons in soapy water for a few minutes make it easier to peel off stubborn labels.

 

Step 2: Cover a sheet tray in foil

GIF of little boy covering a tray with tinfoil

The tinfoil helps protect if there's any sticky wax spills, and helps the tray heat up faster to melt the crayons. Is two birds, one piece of tinfoil a new saying?

Step 3: Break into pieces and place crayons in mold

GIF of little boy taking pieces of broken yellow crayons and placing them into a red silicon mold

This is the best part – kids can be creative picking different colors to blend together and make their favorite shades. We love this tonal collection of yellow and light green shades that Sruthi and Arka chose.

Step 4: Place tray and mold outside in a very sunny spot

GIF of a little boy carrying a tray outside and placing in the sun

You could also place the tray in a 200 degree oven for about 10 minutes, but we thought this was a fun way that avoids heating up the kitchen.

Step 5: Check on crayons repeatedly, and bring inside once wax is completely melted

GIF of melted crayon wax in a silicon mold

Melt time will vary depending on your area – it took about 4 hours in 90 degree heat for Sruthi and Arka's crayons to be completely liquid.

Step 6: Let wax sit until completely hardened, and un-mold!

GIF of hardened crayon wax in a snowflake mold

Now comes the hard part – waiting for your creations to be ready. We recommend moving the silicon mold to a cold place, and checking every 30 minutes to see when crayons have completely solidified.

Pull the crayons out of the mold and get drawing! 

Share your drawings and homemade crayons with us on social at @primarydotcom with #yesprimary and #primarycolorcamp for a chance to be featured! Check out our entire lineup of easy, DIY Color Camp activities for kids, and don’t forget to visit the Camp Shop for outfits, essentials, and more camp picks from Team Primary. 

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