Turn old unwanted crayons into new candles.
Children will often discard the nubby bits of crayons for newer, sharper crayons, leaving their parents with a plentiful bounty of wax scraps. While these could easily be thrown away without hesitation, there is another solution -- turn them into something else. Crayons are made from wax, which makes them ideal for recycling into candles. Kids can also get involved in certain aspects of the activity, allowing them to bond with their parents, as well as become introduced to the concept of recycling firsthand.
Instructions
1. Have your kids gather up their old unwanted crayons and put them together in a pile.
2. Cut your wax carton so that it stands only six inches high.
3. Cut your string so that it is 8 inches long.
4. Put your paraffin wax into a coffee can, and then put the coffee can into a pan filled with water. Boil the water, which will indirectly melt the paraffin wax. This is much safer than heating the paraffin wax directly over the stove's heat, as paraffin wax is extremely combustible. The barrier between the wax and pan is a safety precaution.
5. Have the kids tear off all traces of paper from the crayon stubs while the paraffin wax melts. Have the kids break the crayons down into smaller chunks during this time to help the crayons melt more quickly.
6. Add the crayons to the coffee can, once the paraffin wax has been completely melted. Heat the mixture until the crayon chunks have been completely melted.
7. Wrap your string around the end of your scissors and then dip it in the melted wax to coat it. Meanwhile, have your kids fill the carton with ice cubes.
8. Tell the kids to step back while you add the melted wax to the carton. Before you pour the wax, hold the string down the center of the carton, dangling it from the pair of scissors. Pour the hot wax over the ice cubes, filling the carton. Let it sit for a few hours, notifying the children that it's unsafe to touch, and that it must cool.
9. Pour any melted water (from the ice cubes) out of the carton, and then tear the carton apart. Your old crayons should now be in the form of a new candle.
