How To Melt Crayons Into New Shapes

Recycling is an important money-saving skill we all need these days. Learn how to melt crayons and save extra money while making beautiful, fun new crayons for your kids.

I will be the first one to admit that I have been guilty of throwing away the broken crayons my kids bring home from school or the tiny bits in the crayon bucket at our home.

But once I realized how extremely easy melting crayons was, it became my mission to recycle, save money, and have a fun activity to do with the kids (that teaches them to reuse and recycle).

Make melting crayons a science experiment by making a hypothesis, observing, asking questions, and the outcome.

This is the perfect craft for summer days, winter days, rainy days, or whenever you want to experiment and try a little experiment by seeing how crayons change when they melt.

Recycling old crayons by melting them into new colors and shapes turns them into a usable work of art. And it’s SO much fun!

If you want more DIY kids’ activities, try my Egg Carton Painting Activity, Salt Dough Dinosaur Fossils, or Fireworks In A Jar Experiment.

Ingredients needed for how to melt crayons recipe

• Crayons
• Silicone Molds – you can find some great choices by following this link

How to melt crayons into new shapes

Are you ready to get started? Let’s dive in and make some new shapes!

Step 1

Begin by preheating the oven to 275 degrees.

Step 2

Take any paper or coverings off of the crayons.

Step 3

Using a knife or your hands, break or cut the crayons into small pieces.

Step 4

Set the mold(s) on a baking sheet. Fill each of the mold cavities with small pieces of crayons. Add a single color, two or three colors, or a variety of colors for a rainbow effect.

Step 5

Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until the crayon pieces are completely melted.

Step 6

Once the crayons are completely melted, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely.

Step 7

Finally, remove the crayons from the molds and start creating!

How to melt crayons recipe notes and tips

• IMPORTANT: Adult supervision is highly recommended if children are present and helping with the process. The melted liquid will be VERY VERY hot!

• Placing the molds on a baking sheet will allow them to remain sturdy when moving them in and out of the oven.

• Place the molds in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to expedite the cooling process.

• Keep a bag or bucket for broken or old crayons in your cabinet or drawer. When you find a broken crayon or one of the kiddos accidentally breaks one, you can toss it in the bag or bucket. Once you have collected a good amount, you are ready to melt another batch.

• In order to remove the paper from the crayons, I have found 3 ways that work well for me and my kids.
  • Simply peel off the paper with your fingers.
  • Use a knife or utility blade to cut the papers off.
  • Place the crayons in a bowl of cold water and allow the papers to soften. This will make them easier to peel.

• Be sure to find silicone molds that are oven-safe or microwave-safe, NOT the ones that can be used in the freezer.

Variations on how to melt crayons

• Use a variety of different silicone mold shapes. You can find some super cute ones such as flowers, dinosaurs, seashells, holiday-themed or character shapes.

• Use a silicone letter mold to make the letters of your child’s name or their friend’s name. Wrap them up and give them as a birthday or Christmas gift.

FAQs

More fun DIY kids activities to try

• How To Make Fluffy Slime With Only 4 Ingredients
• Snow Volcano Experiment STEM Activity
• Snowflake Apple Cinnamon Dough Ornaments
• 5-Minute Non-Toxic Easy Homemade Playdough Recipe
• Easy DIY Nutella Edible Playdough