Three Ways to Recycle Crayons

Crafts and Projects the Whole Family Will Enjoy

Love living a green life but struggling to encourage friends and/ or family members to do the same?  Try to find greenliving crafts, events, and activities that everyone will enjoy!

Many items that cannot be traditionally recycled can be "upcycled", a term that means reused, through fun, creative, DIY crafts and projects.  Family members of any age can find DIY projects that reuse household items and, simultaneously, promote a green lifestyle.

Have a bunch of old crayons lying around the house?  Learn about three craft ideas that can turn old crayons into creative, new ideas:

1) Create a melted crayon painting: This unique craft idea (featured right) turns old crayons into the perfect piece of art for gifts and/ or decor.  To make this type of painting, all that is needed is a canvas, crayons, glue, and a hairdryer.  Glue old crayons to the canvas and wait a few hours until totally dried.  Then run a hairdryer on a "low" setting over the canvas.  The crayons will melt and create this colorful effect.  

2) Combine old crayons into multi-colored ones: Red, blue, or green?  Why not all three?  Combine old crayons of many different colors by melting the crayons together.  The best way to do

this is to combine the crayons in an old baking tin and bake in a conventional oven at 200 degrees for a few minutes.  Wait for the tin to cool and remove.  These "new" crayons can be used just like the old ones, but now they contain many colors in one!

3) Experiment with crayon shapes: Similar to the above project, combine several old crayons into metal tins or containers of different shapes.  Melt in a conventional oven at 200 degrees for a few minutes.  Once cooled, the crayons will now be whatever shape of the original tin.

Have other creative upcycle ideas?  Share below!

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