Plan to make sun crayons when the outdoor temperature is HOT! This idea is a way to make shaped crayons for children to use with art activities. Use name-brand crayons such as Crayola® because they will melt evenly. For the record, this was true for all colors except yellow which was slow to melt!
Supplies for Sun Crayons:
- Styrofoam egg carton
- crayons
Note: This is a good way to use crayon pieces, but the idea is worth using new crayons! Preschoolers will en joy using the shaped crayons.
Instructions:
1. Remove the paper on the crayons. Keep crayons separated by colors.
2. Break crayons into small pieces.
3. Drop crayon pieces in sections of egg carton. Start with a few pieces and add more during melting process. Stir with a craft stick if needed. Some pieces may spill into other sections—you might discover multi-colored crayons! (See illustration.)
Teaching Tips:
- Display the shaped crayons on the table with art paper. Talk to the children about the different colors. Listen as a child names his favorite color.
- Enjoy the creativity of boys and girls as they use the crayons on the paper to draw, make designs, or scribble.
- Open the Bible to Proverbs 20:12 and read God gave us eyes to see. Mention seeing the colors in the crayons.
Expand the learning by asking a child to use the crayons to make a picture to send to a friend. Help the child fold the paper to put in an envelope. Address the envelope to an absentee and include a note about the picture that his friend made.
