Dripping Melted Crayon Art (Easy Project for Kids)

I have something to confess: I’m not very good at art. I know. Here I am writing about art activities when I’m not very good at art myself, but hear me out. Regardless of my personal talents as an artist (or lack thereof), art is important for my kids to learn and to do.

So when I find ways to create an art project that doesn’t involve my clumsy drawing skills, I’m on it. And today I’ve got a great activity that’s both fun to do and something I genuinely am interested in hanging in my house (granted, it’s in the playroom and not the living room).

Supplies

• Crayons (Get a package with at least 24 colors. That didn’t quite fill up the short side of a 9×12-inch canvas, but the melted wax filled the extra space on the canvas. I got these at Walmart for super cheap or you can get the 64 box of Crayolas if you want to fill up a bigger canvas.)
• Canvas (Any size is fine. I was able to get a pack of 7, 9×12-inch canvases from Walmart for pretty cheap. You can find something comparable on Amazon here.)
• Glue (Just about any glue will work. I used white glue, and it worked fine.)
• Heat gun or hairdryer (more on this in a bit)
• Plastic or scrap cardboard (to cover any splattering when we melt the crayons)

Heat Gun vs. Hairdryer

If you’ve read anything Dad Stuff, you’ll know I’m pretty cheap. If you’re of a similar frugal nature, you can by all means use a hairdryer for this activity. It’ll do just fine, but you will need to use it on the highest setting. This means the blower is going to be on high. And when the crayons melt, the higher blower setting is a little harder to control and is going to make a bigger mess.

It shouldn’t be too big a big deal if you do this outside or in the garage with cardboard or plastic to cover the floor. There is a good chance you’ll get some melted crayon on your hairdryer. Something to consider before grabbing your wife’s nice hairdryer.

I’m also a handy guy, so I’ll take an opportunity when I have an excuse to get a new tool. There have been a couple of times that I really wish I had a heat gun, but couldn’t justify buying one. And definitely not a nice one.

This is where Harbor Freight and the cheap unheard-of brands on Amazon are fine. I was able to get this one for under $20 at Harbor Freight. You can find a comparable one on Amazon here.

It melted the crayons super easily, was easy for my kids to use, and made a lot less mess than a hairdryer. It also means I now have a heat gun.

Directions

1. Begin by gluing the crayons to the top of the canvas. You can either leave the wrappers on or take them off. I decided not to use hot glue because I didn’t want to heat gun to remelt the glue. I went with a simple white glue (like Elmers), but really anything will work. Let it dry completely before moving to the next step.

2. Set up an area either outside or in a well ventilated garage (the melted crayons can sometimes smell.) You can do this indoors, but realize it will make a mess. Place a plastic drop cloth or some cardboard boxes to prevent any overspray or splattering. You are going to want something to prop the canvas on so the crayons are on top (so gravity can help it melt downwards).

3. Start with the heat gun on the lowest blower setting (you can always turn it up later) and move slowly in a side-to-side motion. Start by melting the tips of the crayons and then move toward the middle as more wax melts down. Continue for as long as you want to crayons to melt (this is your art after all).

4. Let the wax cool and hang up your new masterpiece!