Crayons are a creative staple in my household. If the plethora of dinosaurs, electronic gadgets, and books ever got boring (and apparently, they do) the kids will pull out the crayons. I love crayons because they can be used as soon as a child can hold a toy and into adulthood. You see them in the doctor’s office as well as the classroom. Crayola and crayon have become synonymous. Who doesn’t have the yellow and green box etched into their nostalgia bank when the word crayon is said? So, it is no surprise there is a National Crayon Day! National Crayon day is March 31st and is usually the same day that Crayola retires one of its crayons. Cool, right? I most definitely love a good hashtag (#NationalCrayonDay) and more importantly creative time spent with the kids. It also doesn’t hurt that I like to color!
Here are some interesting facts about Crayola crayons
The average American uses about 730 crayons by age 10.
In 1903, Binney & Smith make the first box of eight Crayola crayons; the same eight colors are in today’s box.
In response to the Civil Rights Movement Crayola changed the name the “Flesh” crayon to “Peach” in 1962. And “Indian red” was retired in 1999, the company changed the name to “Chestnut.”
Crayola crayons were first sold door to do. Now you can buy a customizable box with slogans and pictures included.
Cool projects to try with the kids.
Melted Crayon Art
Gather your preferred sized canvas, a box of crayons to complete your design, glue gun, tarp (or a sheet or blanket you don’t mind throwing away) and a blow dryer.
Lay your tarp down and then place your canvas on top. Use the glue gun to secure the crayons to the canvas in whatever pattern you like. Then aim the blow dryer close to the crayons and wave back and forth at the lowest comfortable setting until the crayons begin to melt. Voila!
Crayon Shapes
Gather a silicone mold tray in your preferred shape and all of those used crayons (you can use new ones too) you can find. Peel the wrappers off the crayons and place pieces in the silicone mold about half way to 2/3 full. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and place in the oven for about 20 minutes to melt. Once the crayons have melted, allow them to cool for about 30 minutes. Once cool, the crayons should pop out.
Search for more ideas for National Crayon Day on Pinterest. Share your fun using #NationalCrayonDay and have a good time with the kids!
