Multi-colored crayons are easily made by melting and combining different colored crayons together. This process involves several steps, resulting in unique crayon designs and color combinations.
The Process of Creating Multi-Colored Crayons
Here's a step-by-step guide to making your own multicolored crayons:
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Gather Materials: You will need broken crayons of various colors, a heat-safe container (like a silicone mold, muffin tin, or even an old crayon box), and an oven or microwave. [Reference: Multiple sources including How to Make Homemade Multi Colored Crayons Great Earth Day Activity, DIY Multi-Colored Crayon Shapes, and DIY: Multi-Colored Melted Crayon Discs show variations on this process, all involving melting and reforming crayons.]
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Prepare the Crayons: Remove the paper wrappers from your crayons. Break them into small pieces for easier and more even melting. [Reference: How to Make Homemade Multi Colored Crayons Great Earth Day Activity and Crayon Melting: How to Melt Crayons into Cool Shapes explicitly mention removing wrappers and breaking crayons into pieces.]
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Sort by Color (Optional): If you want specific color combinations, separate the crayon pieces by color before melting. [Reference: Crayon Melting: How to Melt Crayons into Cool Shapes suggests separating by color.]
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Melt the Crayons: Place the crayon pieces in your chosen heat-safe container. You can melt them in a preheated oven at 275°F (135°C) for 7-8 minutes, or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring frequently, until completely melted. Keep a close eye on them to prevent burning. [Reference: A YouTube video titled "How to Make Melted Crayons" mentions oven melting at 275°F for 7-8 minutes.]
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Combine Colors (Optional): For multi-colored crayons, you can layer different colored melted crayons in your mold before they solidify. You can also swirl the colors together for a marbled effect. [Reference: DIY Rainbow Crayons suggests creating different color mixes in each space of the mold.]
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Cool and Set: Once the crayons are completely melted, carefully pour them into your molds. Let them cool completely before removing them from the molds. [Reference: Crayon Melting: How to Melt Crayons into Cool Shapes instructs to let the wax cool.]
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Enjoy your homemade multi-colored crayons!
Tips for Success:
- Silicone molds provide easy removal of the crayons.
- Muffin tins create individual crayons.
- Experiment with colors to create unique combinations.
- Adult supervision is necessary when using the oven or microwave.
