Reusing Broken or Dull Crayons

Reusing trash and recyclables is great for the environment, and frugal as well, but it can be difficult to know where to begin. In this series of articles, I will be examining the possibilities of reuse available for a number a different items, including crafts and other options.

There's something irresistible about a box of new crayons. Their uniformly sharpened tips, the array of colors, the smell of fresh wax and creativity. But they do quickly lose their luster. Well loved crayons can be frustrating for children to use, with dull tips and dirty edges, but this doesn't mean they have to be discarded. Make sure that the most use is gotten from the energy and resources it took to create them by implementing some of these ideas for reusing old crayons.

Old or broken crayons can be made new again by making crayon muffins. To make these, sort the crayons according to color, remove all their wrappers and put them into the cups in an old muffin tin. You can make solid colors, or mix them together to make shades of the same color swirled around, or a rainbow of swirls. The wax can be melted together by using your oven on the lowest setting or even by placing the tin in a sunny spot on a very hot day. Never leave melting wax in the oven unattended, and watch it carefully, because wax is, of course, very flammable. Stir carefully with a craft stick, and allow the crayon muffins to set. These are really fun to use on big sheets of paper, and are great for toddlers, since small hands can grasp them more easily.

Old crayons can be used to color wax for candle making, and some very pretty effects can be achieved by mixing different colors together.

One fun project involves shaving or grating old crayons onto waxed paper, and then ironing another piece of waxed paper on top. This makes a pretty impressionistic type of "stained glass" art for hanging in windows.

Dull crayons can be given new life by using them sideways to create rubbings of different items or textures. Remove the label from the crayon, and then hold it full length against the paper to sweep the color on broadly. By laying the paper over different items, leaves, coins, keys, or different surfaces, bricks, concrete, tree bark, many effects can be made. Rubbings can also be taken of tombstones or cornerstones for an interesting collection.

I hope these ideas will help you to look at that old coffee can or basket of discarded crayons a little differently and find ways to give them a lot more useful moments.