Five Creative and Crafty Things to do With Crayons

Back-to-school season always brings a wave of nostalgia. Fresh lined paper, a new binder, and of course—a new box of crayons. But what do you do with those stubby, broken crayons from last term? Don’t throw them out! There are different ways to reuse them that are perfect for craft projects with older children and younger kids alike (just make sure there’s adult supervision when heat is involved). These crayon crafts are not only fun but also make great gifts or party favors. Here are a few of our favourite crayon art ideas.

Crayon Candles

Adventures in Making

One great way to reuse crayon pieces is by turning them into colourful decorative candles. Just peel off the crayon wrappers, break the crayons into small chunks or use a cheese grater for finer crayon shavings, then melt them on low heat. You can add layers of colour by melting one at a time. A tip from TikTok—make sure to keep these candles for decoration only, as crayon wax doesn’t burn like traditional candle wax.

Remolded Crayons

 Kiwi Crate

Melted crayons and silicone molds are a perfect match. Use themed shapes for holidays (hearts for Valentine’s Day, leaves for autumn) and melt down all those crayon bits using your oven and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or tin foil. Let them cool and pop out your new chunky crayons—great for little hands! They also make great gifts or classroom goodies. You can even drop in a few drops of essential oils before they cool to add a gentle scent.

Kids Art: Suncatchers

 Crayon Box Chronicles

Want a fun, mess-free option for younger kids? Try making colourful suncatchers using a sheet of wax paper, crayon shavings, and a hot iron. Simply sprinkle the shavings between two sheets of wax paper, cover with parchment paper, and melt them with a little heat. Once cooled, cut out shapes (a hole punch works great for stringing) and hang in the window. Bonus: dinosaur templates or hearts make this extra adorable for birthdays or class parties.

Crayon Rocks

 Say Yes

Use the oven or a hair dryer on low heat to melt crayon pieces into smooth, colourful crayon “rocks.” These are not just cute—they’re also excellent for developing grip and control. Use a muffin tin or small molds, or even shape them by hand once slightly cooled (carefully!). It’s a creative, therapeutic option for rainy afternoons.

Mosaic Art

 ReThink Crafts

No melting? No problem. Cut full crayons or broken crayons into various lengths and glue them onto canvas or sturdy cardboard with a hot glue gun to make striking mosaic designs. This is one of those melted crayon art projects—minus the actual melting! It feels like assembling a puzzle, and the finished product looks surprisingly modern. Pick up a canvas at your local craft store or dollar store, and you’ve got a DIY masterpiece.

Crayon Creativity

Whether you’re making crayon rocks, crayon heart pencil toppers, or experimenting with crayon molds, there’s no shortage of ways to revive your stash of old crayons. Next time you’re doing back-to-school shopping, grab that new box of crayons, but don’t forget to keep the old ones too—you’ll be surprised what a little heat and creativity can do.

In what other ways have you recycled your old crayons?