8 Ways to Reuse Broken Crayons

If your kids are anything like mine, the second a crayon breaks or is worn down it is old news. After all, who can resist a brand new, sharp crayon? Even I can't! Don't let those leftover crayon pieces end up in the bottom of the craft bin or toybox. Here are eight awesome projects for kids that reuse broken crayons.

 1. Give them away for Valentine's Day

You really can't beat saving money on Valentine's cards AND recycling at the same time. To make this craft a bit more kid friendly, skip the knife and let the littles peel the paper from the crayons. 

 2. Create a shower of color

If you do a quick search on Pinterest, you'll see so many amazing examples of melted crayons on canvas. What I love about this one is that Mom or Dad can have just as much fun on their canvas as the kids will with theirs! This particular blog takes a bit to load, but out of all of the tutorials I found, I think she does the best job. It is worth the wait!

 3. Use your crayons as paint

There are plenty of examples of how to use bits of crayon as a paint, but this particular blog uses a warming tray, which seems like it would make it much easier for kids to get the hang of than the other methods I found.

 4. Repurpose broken crayons into candles

The possibilities are limitless once you get the hang of how to make crayon candles. From votives to molds, you can really take what you learn in this fun tutorial and run with it!

 5. Make a name for yourself

How cute would these be in a new baby's room? This craft project is perfect for a rainy day, and so easy even the toddlers can participate. Bonus: You don't even have to remove the paper on this one!

6. Gift them at Christmas

I plan to make some to look like planets to hang in my STEM obsessed kid's room, but these melted crayon ornaments are sure to brighten up any holiday, whether you keep them for yourself or tie them to gifts.

7. Save them for a game of I-Spy

Do you remember those awesome tubes filled with sand and toys? I never could find everything they said was in them, and now I can give my children the same frustration with these DIY I-Spy games. Save a few of those broken crayons to add to the list of treasures to find.

8. Make old into new

If you'd like to save a few dollars on art supplies for your crew, you can always melt down those old crayon nubs into shiny new crayons. Sorting the colors is a great activity to keep little hands and minds busy, too!

Have any others to add to this list? Leave a comment below or tag us in your recycled crayon creations on Instagram!