How to Reuse Broken Crayons

Kids go through an exorbitant amount of crayons through childhood, but they never seem to use them all the way through. This typically means there are little stubs of crayons everywhere. Instead of tossing them out into the garbage, consider reusing them for one of several eco-friendly art projects.

Cover a Box

Your children likely have a large box they keep crayons in so instead of having it boring and plain, take your crayon stubs, remove any wrappers and use a strong glue to adhere each piece onto the lid of the box. You can attach them haphazardly or line them up piece by piece - either way it will be a bright colored masterpiece. One option is to attach them only onto the lid or over the sides of the box as well.

Crayon Shaving Pictures

The first step isn't something safe for a child to do, but you can get this done in little to no time. Remove all the paper off the crayons, hold it lengthwise, then use a peeler or a pairing knife and scrape the crayon little-by-little - similar to how you would peel a carrot. Put each color shavings in a different bag or container. When you finish, your children can create bright-colored pictures by putting glue onto paper, then dropping the shavings onto it. The shavings are especially useful for when your child wants to do abstract art and mix all the colors together in various designs.

Larger Crayons

Take all your old crayons, remove the paper then toss them into a large bag. Use a hammer to break all the pieces until they're tiny chunks, then put them into a muffin tin - opt for tins that come in shapes such as circles, stars or hearts. Put them into the oven and let them bake until the crayons are liquified. Immediately take them out and let them sit until they harden and cool. Instead of creating plain, boring crayons, you'll create a piece of artwork out of the mixed colors with each crayon you create.

It may seem pointless to try to save little stubby crayons, but each one you reuse is another one that doesn't end up in the landfill. It not only teaches your children an important lesson about recycling, but you also help teach them that there are many forms of art, including those involving items that are stereotypically considered trash, and that almost anything can be turned into something beautiful.