Parenthood can be tough, but a simple drawing gifted to you by your child can remind us why it is worthwhile.
As a busy parent, I am constantly on the lookout for new, engaging toys and learning modules that will engage and stimulate my kids.
But sometimes, the best way to entertain your kids can simply involve giving your child crayons 🖍️ and a sheet of paper. In this article, I have listed twenty-something activities that you and your child can do with crayons.
Amazing Crayon Activities for Kids
Did you know that there are many benefits of engaging your child in crayon activities?
Making your child participate in crayon 🖍️ activities can enhance your child’s concentration, improve their problem-solving abilities, foster a sense of accomplishment, and even boost their confidence and self-esteem.
I have shared a variety of art projects below that can be a lot of fun for your children and you.
Crayon Color Sorting Activity
This is an engaging and entertaining activity for toddlers and preschoolers who are learning to identify different colors.
Lay down 12 colors on a table and ask your child to collect 24 items from inside the house and the backyard that match these colors.
All kids love such challenges.
Scribble Art
Coloring is sometimes the only way to engage a bored toddler.
What you need- Crayons 🖍️, markers, and construction paper.
Invite your child to scribble on a piece of paper 📜. Once they have finished scribbling, ask them to fill in every shape or box they created with different colors. Your scribble art is complete.
Crayon Letter Activity
Once your kids are able to recognize letters, the natural next step is to teach them how to write their own names.
There are so many activities with fabulous end results that you can make with your children and even decorate their room.
What you need- Card stock paper, cardboard, crayons 🖍️, a box cutter, and a marker.
Steps-
- Write your child’s name in a large bubbly font on card stock paper 📜. You can write one letter on each sheet with a marker.
- Ask your child to fill in the inside of the letters with their favorite colored crayons 🖍️. Then, carefully assist them while they cut these letters with scissors ✂️. You can also encourage your child to fill in the colors in different patterns.
- Paste the letters on a white cardboard piece.
- Use double tape to secure the letters on your child’s wall or bedroom door.
Giant Crayon
Use a rubber band to make a giant crayon 🖍️ with three different colored crayons. Give your child a blank sheet and ask them to use this giant crayon. My kids loved drawing with the giant crayon as they were able to produce three lines.
Your kids will also enjoy scribbling with the giant crayon 🖍️. You can also ask your child to draw something specific with the crayon, like a flower, mountain, house, or astronaut.
Homemade Crayon Recipe
If you have dogs who like to eat random things or are worried about toxic chemicals mixed in children’s toys and art supplies, then you would love this homemade crayon 🖍️ recipe.
What you need- Carnauba wax flakes, cocoa butter, beet powder, turmeric, annatto powder, chlorella powder, and raw cacao powder.
Steps-
- In a double boiler, melt a quarter of a cup of carnauba wax flakes and a third of a cup of tallow cocoa butter.
- After everything has melted, divide the mixture into different disposable cups.
- Add beet powder, turmeric powder, annatto powder, chlorella powder, and raw cacao powder to each disposable cup, respectively.
- If you are left with some extra mixture, then I recommend mixing two powders together to make a new color.
- Pour the mixture into individual silicone molds (you can find one in many different shapes).
- Let the mixture cool down completely before using it.
Melted Wax Crayon Art
Improve your child’s patience and fine motor skills with this craft, which will also work on your child’s social skills.
What you need- A griddle, an electric stove, paper, and crayons 🖍️.
Steps-
- Cover the griddle in foil and place it on top of an electric stove that is set at the lowest temperature.
- Place the paper 📜 on top of the griddle and ask your children to draw on the paper one by one.
My kids were confused at first to see the crayons 🖍️melt as they touched the paper. You must supervise your kids the entire time they take part in this activity.
Properties of Matter Crayon Activity
Have a discussion about the different properties of matter- like liquid, solid, and gaseous by melting a crayon 🖍️with a hair dryer. Ask your child to write their name on a piece of paper 📜 with a crayon.
After writing their name, there’ll be no residue on your child’s hands because the crayon is solid. Now, melt the crayon 🖍️ a little by holding a blow dryer in front of it for a few minutes. You can also use water to explain the properties of matter.
Melted Crayon Butterflies
My daughter really enjoyed learning about this new coloring method. This activity can only be conducted under adult supervision.
What you need- Crayons 🖍️, sharpener, iron, scissors ✂️, parchment paper, and construction paper.
Steps-
- On a construction paper 📜, ask your child to draw the outline of a butterfly.
- Fold the paper in half so that your child can easily distinguish between the right side of the butterfly and the left side.
- Then, instruct your child to sharpen a crayon and place the crayon shavings inside the butterfly’s outline. Repeat the process with other crayons until the entire butterfly is covered in crayon 🖍️ shavings.
- Cover the construction with parchment paper. I recommend using a large piece of parchment paper and folding it in half.
- Now, set the iron to the lowest possible temperature setting and place it directly on the parchment paper. Move the iron around until the crayon shaving starts to melt. Once they have melted, remove the parchment paper 📜from the sheet.
- You can also ask your child to use a paintbrush to mix the colors.
Leave Secret Messages Crayons
Teach your child how to leave secret messages for their friends with this activity.
What you need- White construction paper, white crayon 🖍️, watercolor paint, and paintbrush.
Steps-
- Ask your child to write a secret message on the white construction paper 📜 with a white crayon.
- After they have finished writing their message, instruct your child to use the watercolors and paintbrush to paint over the sheet.
- As they paint over the secret message, they’ll notice that their secret message is visible. Explain to your child that the wax present in the crayon 🖍️ resists the watercolor paint, which reveals the writing.
Earth Day Crayons
Educate your children on the importance of reusing, recycling, and reducing waste by recycling broken pieces of wax crayons 🖍️to make a new crayon.
What you need- Broken crayons and a silicone mold.
Steps-
- Show your child a picture of the earth, and then ask them to identify the colors.
- Break the crayons into smaller pieces and place them inside the silicone molds. Make sure that the colors are properly dispersed inside the mold.
- Place the mold inside an oven heated at 250 degrees Fahrenheit and let the crayons melt before taking them out of the oven. Let the melted crayons 🖍️ cool down before taking them out of the molds. Your Earth Day crayons are ready to color with.
Crayon Suncatcher
Decorate your child’s windows with suncatchers made from crayon🖍️and paper.
What you need- Crayons, sharpener, iron, and construction paper.
Steps-
- Ask your child to draw a fairy, a wizard, or any monster from their imagination on the construction paper 📜.
- Collect crayon shavings from the sharpener and place them inside the drawing on the construction paper.
- Place a wax paper on top of the crayon shavings.
- Set the iron at the lowest temperature and place it on top of the wax paper 📜. The crayon shavings will start to melt within 15 seconds.
- Remove the parchment paper and let the melted crayon 🖍️ set before cutting the figure from the paper. You can also cut the parchment paper. Your suncatchers are ready. Tape the suncatcher on the window.
Crayon Wands
Recycle old crayons 🖍️with this adorable craft. Your children can use these wants to play with or as crayons.
What you need- Milkshake straws, old crayon stubs, TB Tube, a disposable plate, masking tape, candle warming plate, and small glass jars.
Steps-
- Instruct your child to remove the wrapper from the crayon stubs. You can also ask them to break the crayon into smaller pieces.
- Fill several glass jars with the crayon 🖍️ stubs, preferably of just one color.
- Place the glass jars on the candle warmer to melt the crayons.
- Meanwhile, close one end of the straws with masking tape.
- Tape the straws to the TB Tube so that the straws are standing.
- Carefully pour the melted crayon inside the straws. Let the crayons 🖍️set before removing the straws.
Melted Crayon Ornaments
Help your child make personalized Christmas ornaments for your Christmas tree.
What you need- Wax crayons 🖍️, sharpener, googly eyes, heat dryer, and a transparent Christmas ornament.
Steps-
- Instruct your child to shave different crayons.
- Remove the metal top of the transparent Christmas ornaments and ask your child to sprinkle the shavings inside the ornament. Close the lid.
- Paste two googly eyes on the ornament. You can also paint stickers of the Grinch or other popular Christmas characters.
- Turn on the blow dryer on the hottest setting and turn the ornaments in front of it until the crayon 🖍️shaving starts to melt and has coated the inside of the ornaments.
Wax Paper Crayon Lanterns
These adorable lanterns were a great addition to my children’s room.
What you need- Wax paper, cratons, glue, newspaper, flat iron, and popsicle sticks.
Steps-
- Draw four 10-inch squares on wax paper and cut with scissors ✂️.
- Lay down the squares flat on a work surface and sprinkle crayon 🖍️ shavings on the wax paper.
- Place a sheet of newspaper on top of the crayon shavings.
- Set the flat iron on the lowest setting and place it on top of the newspaper until the crayon 🖍️shavings start to melt.
- Apply glue to four 10-inch popsicle sticks and place them on the perimeter of the wax paper squares to make a square. Repeat the process with the remaining wax paper.
- Glue the popsicle squares into one another to form a cube.
- After the glue has dried down, place a tea light on a table and the popsicle cube on top.
Pro Tip- You can make five squares instead of 4 squares as well.
Melted Crayon Stained Glass
Put your child’s talents to the test by asking them to make stained glass with crayons 🖍️.
What you need- Crayons, a pencil ✏️sharpener, wax paper, iron, and a marker.
Steps-
- Instruct your child to draw anything on wax paper with a marker.
- Ask your child to collect the crayon shavings from the sharpener and place them inside their drawing in their desired pattern or design.
- Place another wax paper 📜 on top of the crayon shaving.
- Set the iron at its lowest possible setting and place it on top of the crayon wax paper. Let the crayon shavings melt properly before removing the iron. Lift the wax paper and let the crayon 🖍️shavings harden. Place the wax paper on the window.
Crayon Transfer Art
My kids loved taking part in this exercise.
What you need- A paintbrush, white paper, and crayons 🖍️.
Steps-
- Instruct your child to color on an entire sheet of paper 📜.
- Place another sheet on top of the paper.
- Start drying on this sheet with a pencil ✏️.
- When you lift the sheet, you’ll notice that the color has transferred from the bottom sheet to the top sheet.
Color Block Candles
Teach your children how to make candles with this simple craft.
What you need- Dixie Cups, wicks, popsicle sticks, crayons 🖍️, and wax.
Steps-
- Fill a microwave-safe disposable cup with wax and melt it in the microwave.
- Pour half an inch of wax into the clear dixie cup and place a wick in the center. Let the wax harden.
- Pour the molten wax into different disposable cups. Place a large piece of used wax crayon 🖍️ and melt them. Pour the molten wax into the dixie cup.
- To make layers of different colored wax, let the first layer set before pouring the second layer. Your color block candles are ready to be used.
Melted Crayon Rocks
These melted crayon rocks make for a great paperweight.
What you need- Clean small rocks and crayons 🖍️.
Steps-
- Place the clean rocks in an oven on a disposable baking sheet.
- Keep the rocks inside the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the rocks from the oven and place them on a heat-safe working station.
- Instruct your child to wear a pair of gloves on their hand. Then, ask them to use the crayons to decorate the stone. When the crayons 🖍️ come in contact with the rocks, they start to melt.
Crayon Salt Dough Recipe
Use broken pieces of crayons 🖍️ to make playdough for your children.
What you need- Crayons, vegetable oil, salt, flour, and water.
Steps-
- In a saucepan, heat up a tablespoon of vegetable oil and a cup of water.
- Slowly add 2 cups of flour and one cup of salt to the saucepan and mix with a wooden spoon until a lumpy dough is formed.
- Pour this mixture equally into three disposable cups.
- While the dough is being formed, break crayons of different colors into small pieces and place them inside disposable plastic cups. Microwave the cups until the crayons have melted.
- Pour the melted crayons 🖍️into the disposable cups with the dough and mix once again until the color has been properly mixed.
- Once the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, take it out of the disposable cups and let them cool down.
Build Shapes With Crayons
Lay down a sheet of paper with different shapes drawn on it. Give your child a bunch of crayons and ask them to build the shapes made on the sheet using the crayons 🖍️.
Crayon Slime
Improve your clear slime with leftover crayon 🖍️ shavings.
What you need- Crayon shavings, clear glue, baking soda, salad solution, airtight container.
Steps-
- To make the slime, combine half a cup of water with half a teaspoon of baking soda, one tablespoon of saline solution, and 5 ounces of clear glue.
- Add crayon 🖍️ shavings to the mixing bowl with the slime solution and mix with a wooden spoon until a slime-like consistency is achieved.
Crayon Pencil Toppers
Help your child make this adorable pencil ✏️ topper, which they can gift to their friends.
What you need- Silicone mold (you can get a silicone mold of different shapes and even cartoon characters), crayons, and plastic pencils ✏️.
Steps-
- Break the crayons into small pieces and place them inside the mold.
- Bake the crayons 🖍️in the oven set at 250 degrees Fahrenheit until they have completely melted.
- Also, melt some extra crayons in a tin can.
- After taking the silicone mold out of the oven, place the ends of the plastic pencil ✏️on the melted crayon.
- Pour the extra melted crayon on top of the plastic pencil topper. Let the crayons completely set.
- The crayon 🖍️toppers are ready to be placed on top of the pencil ✏️.
Practice Counting Exercise
Help your child improve their counting skills with crayons 🖍️. Lay down crayons on your child’s workbench. Say a number out loud and ask your child to collect the same number of crayons 🖍️in their hands.
Repeat the process with different numbers. You can repeat this exercise while teaching your children addition and subtraction as well.
Wax Crayon Etching Craft
My children loved taking part in this craft.
What you need- Paper plate, black acrylic paint, and crayons 🖍️.
Steps-
- Instruct your child to color the bottom of a paper plate with crayons.
- Now, paint over the paper plate with black acrylic paint and let it dry completely.
- Once the paint has dried, give your child a toothpick and ask your child to etch at the paint and draw something on the paper plate.
Molded Crayon Bracelet
This is another ingenious way of reusing broken stubs of crayon 🖍️.
What you need- A metal skewer, a silicone mold, an elastic cord, and crayons.
Steps-
- Melt the crayons and fill them with a silicone mold. Let the crayons set.
- Use a metal skewer to make a hole in the middle of the crayons.
- Thread the molded crayons 🖍️ onto the elastic cord and then tie the ends of the string to form the bracelet.
Trace With a Crayon
Print a letter, number, shape, or drawing tracing template for your child.
Tracing activities are highly encouraged because they allow children to practice their tracing skills.
Sea Shell Crayon Art
My kids love collecting shells whenever we go to the beach. When we come back, we wash them and try to use them in as many art projects as we can.
You can do the same with your toddlers by asking them to carefully color the shells they have found with crayons 🖍️.
Create Crayon Letters
If you are kids are learning to recognize letters, then this would be a great activity for them. Lay down a paper 📜with the entire alphabet in front of your child.
Ask your child to use the crayons 🖍️ to make each letter. You can also ask them to write the letters with the crayon.
Melted Crayon Dot Art
This is a really fun painting and coloring exercise for children.
What you need- Wax crayons 🖍️, construction paper, a tea light candle, matchsticks, and a pencil.
Steps-
- Ask your child to draw anything on the construction paper.
- Peel the paper 📜from the crayons.
- Light a candle.
- Place the crayon 🖍️ on top of the flame. Once the crayon starts to melt, it is time to use it to color the drawing.
- Instruct your child to fill the drawing by making dots with the crayon. Repeat the process with other crayons.
Conclusion
It’s amazing that something as simple as crayons 🖍️can be so educational for children and even bring a lot of joy to some.
Activities involving crayons 🖍️ are a great way to fuel your child’s creativity whilst simultaneously spending quality time with them. Hopefully, your kids enjoy taking part in these activities as well.
In the comments below, let us know which activities your children enjoyed taking part in the most.
I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. Here to help you with play-based learning activities for kids. ( Check my Next startup Cledemy.Com)