Free Art Friday !

Free Art or Open Ended Art is crucial! Kids need to be able to have no boundaries and simply create. I get asked often how I schedule my son’s learning and really I don’t have a strict schedule.  We play and the learning comes from that most of the time- I throw in crafts every second day or so and we read all the time. Crayons, markers, paper and stickers are always available for easy creations. Today we didn’t make a craft we made the materials,  recycled crayons. It’s easy and fun. You may notice a change in my son from the making to the using, we popped out and got a hair cut, and sucker !

1. Gather your materials. You need orange crayons, a single black crayon, muffin tin and non stick spray.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 250.
3. Peel the paper off your crayons.
4. Break your orange crayons into little pieces, easily the favorite step for my son.
5. Pop them into the greased muffin tin.
6. Into the oven it took about 10 minutes to melt. While it melts, peel and break the black crayon into small bits.
7. Add small bits of the black crayons to the orange. I tried to make a face but it didn’t work- you could use shavings and place them as the crayons are cooling.
8. Pop back into the oven for a few minutes.
9. Swirl the wax and let cool.
10. Tip if the crayons aren’t releasing from the muffin tin , put them in the freezer for a few minutes and they will pop right off.
11. Now it’s time for fun – use the crayons for some free art! My son was excited to use the crayons HE made !
12. If you can’t tell that is a pumpkin and goblin eating a string cheese.  As per my son’s explanation! Have fun !