Have you ever experimented with crayons beyond just coloring with them? An internet search produces some pretty amazing artwork, from melted crayon art to carved crayon sculptures. This particular art project was inspired by a lone red crayon that was left behind to melt in my vehicle. Good times, for sure, but THIS melted crayon activity is actually fun, with minimal cleanup. Read on to learn how to make easy melted crayon dinosaur art using crayon shavings.
For this activity, you will need:
- 2 sheets of cardstock paper and a printer
- masking tape
- newspaper for easy cleanup
- peeled crayons (thick ones are easier for little hands to manipulate)
- something to shave the crayons with – either a vegetable grater* or a plastic knife
- a sheet pan and oven (or a place under the hot sun)
* Graters can scrape little knuckles, so use your own judgement as to your child’s ability.
First, you will need to create your stencils. Choose a dinosaur image below and print it on cardstock.
You or your child may cut out the dinosaur image, then tape the remaining paper – the stencil – onto another sheet of cardstock. Masking tape works well here because you’re going to be removing the stencil when you’re done. Go ahead and tape around all four edges.
Use additional loops of tape to secure any parts of the dinosaur that are sticking up. You don’t want crayon shavings slipping between the two sheets of cardstock.
Once your stencil is complete, choose which colors you’d like your dinosaur to be and begin grating! If you are using a grater, simply place it on top of the dinosaur and let the shavings fall onto the paper.
If a plastic knife is easier for your child, he can hold the crayon in one hand while using the other hand to scrape with the knife – almost like peeling a carrot.
Let your child choose his favorite color or multiple colors, and encourage him to cover the entire stencil with shavings.
When your child declares his masterpiece complete, you – the adult – should place the entire stencil carefully onto a baking sheet and set it in the oven on the lowest setting. Take a peek every few minutes and remove once the crayon shavings are melted. Set aside to cool completely. Once cool to the touch and the crayon has hardened again, carefully remove the tape and stencil to reveal the colorful dinosaur below!
If your child worked over newspaper, then cleanup should be a breeze. To clean the grater, simply wipe with a sponge under hot water. Any remaining crayon will come off in the dishwasher.
