Homemade Crayons that are colorful, beautiful, giftable, and made quick and easy in the Instant Pot. This project is cheap, ultra entertaining, and fun for all ages. You'll never look at a broken crayon the same way again!

You better start getting used to wearing a crown, because after you present this project to your kids, you're gonna earn yourself the BEST MOM EVER AWARD for life.

Not a mom? No worries, you can also win the BEST DAD, GRANDMA, GRANDPA, AUNT, NEIGHBOR, SISTER, ETC, ETC AWARD.

Whoever or whatever you happen to be right now, kids everywhere are going to praise your name when you show them what beauty can be found in the depths of their broken crayon bucket.

You all know the bucket I'm talking about, right?

The bucket full of rejected crayons because your kids have either compulsively broke them in half, accidentally stepped on them, or used them until they are so short that it's nearly impossible to color with them anymore.

It hurts a little to admit defeat and throw them in the trash, but month after month the bucket sits there, getting fuller and more rejected.

My husband says I have an incredible talent for throwing away or donating things that haven't been played with in the past 2 months (what can I say, I can't stand clutter), but for some weird, nonsensical reason, I JUST CAN'T DUMP THE REJECTED CRAYON BOX!

Well, this strange quirk has finally revealed its purpose in the form of ridiculously cute, super fun, Homemade Instant Pot Crayons.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT CRAYONS

Ripping off crayon wrappers and intentionally busting crayons is surprisingly therapeutic (said no one ever, but you'll soon agree).
Unless you need to go buy a box of crayons for this project, it is essentially free and makes good use of what would otherwise be garbage. Look at you little Miss (or Mr.) Thrifty!
This project will keep your kids busy for 3 days straight. Yep, my kids were busting every crayon in the house and making new colorful crayons for THREE DAYS. Peace and harmony like I haven't witnessed since the birth of my twin boys!
Remember the Lemonade Stand your kids want to have every summer? Let's just say “NO” to buying lemons and cleaning up sticky kitchen counters for days because a Homemade Crayon Stand is going to put every Lemonade Stand on the block out of business (so my kids think – they've got big plans).
Aside from trying to sell them, these colorful, homemade crayons are the cutest gift ever. Stack them high in a clear cellophane bag, tie it shut with a pretty bow, and watch the receiver's eyes light up.

HOW TO PEEL CRAYONS (WITHOUT WANTING TO CRY)

There is no way I'm going to let you to this project without teaching you the easiest ways to get the wrappers off. There will be no cussing, no crayons stuck under fingernails, or 10-minute-project-turning-into-an-hour situations here.

I've discovered 2 methods that make this much easier.

KNIFE METHOD: Use a craft knife, straight razor, or paring knife to cut the wrapper from top to bottom. Of course, I suggest (insist) an adult do this task. I like to slice all the crayons and then let the kids have the satisfying job of simply pulling the wrapper off. This is my go-to method because it is quick and clean.

SOAK METHOD: Fill up a bowl with warm water and let the crayons soak in it for 10 minutes. Drain and let the kiddos pull the wrappers off. This method is easy, knife/potential-injury free, and the kids can do it without supervision. It does take a little bit longer and you will need to dry the crayons before pressure cooking them.

BEST MOLDS FOR HOMEMADE CRAYONS

To make perfectly shaped crayons that can easily be removed, I suggest using a silicone container. The shape and size is totally up to you. I prefer the size and shape of the square molds shown here that I bought to freeze giant ice cubes of Infused Water. However, I did have to trim them to make them fit, but I was okay with that.

Most people have silicone muffin holders on hand and these will work great as well. My one complaint with these is that the jagged edges tend to chip while coloring, resulting in a bit of a mess. It's possible I'm the only one that this would drive crazy though . . .

I have a variety of silicone containers (I'm not exactly sure why – might have something to do with my Homemade Chocolates obsession) so we've made these crayons into snowflakes, owls, lions, bugs, etc.

Another option is the egg bite trays seen here. This would make a fun round shape.

You could also use small foil bread loaf pans if you don't have any silicone liners handy.

HOW TO MAKE COLORFUL CRAYONS IN THE PRESSURE COOKER

Use one of the above methods to remove the crayon wrappers
Break crayons into about 1 inch pieces
Place broken crayons in the molds
Set mold on a trivet and pressure cook to melt
When done, carefully remove the molds from the pot, being careful not to tip them to prevent the colors from mixing
Let them harden (30-45 minutes) then remove the crayons from the molds

SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST HOMEMADE CRAYONS

Depending on how worried you are about how they turn out, you want to combine colors that will look nice together. There can be some mixing of the colors when they melt so you want the colors to compliment each other. We especially like mixing crayons of like colors (navy blue, sky blue, turquoise, aqua, etc) because it makes a beautiful crayon and it's pretty to color with too.
If your crayons aren't completely melted after 4 minutes, cook them for another minute. Times may vary with different molds or brands of crayons.
Make sure you wash the mold thoroughly before using them again for a food creation. I know this is obvious, but it wasn't to my kids, so I thought I better point that out.
Mixing different types of crayons can make a beautiful final product. Metallic, fluorescent, glitter, scented, and glow in the dark crayons really kick things up a notch!
Have fun with the shapes! Silicone molds are typically quite cheap and come in all shapes and sizes. Especially for gifting, try customizing your crayons with a shape you know your giftee will love (animals, hearts, stars, etc.)
If your silicone molds don't fit in your pot, use scissors to trim them. This is what I did with the square mold you see in these pictures.
Add glitter! I say this with hesitation because glitter is the bain of my mom existence, but it's so pretty! Add a little bit of glitter to the empty mold before adding the broken crayons, then add another sprinkle right after they are melted. This will help to seal in the glitter so it isn't such a mess.

HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE CRAYONS

As with any crayons, store them at room temperature. Whatever you do, don't let your kids take crayons out on a hot summer day and forget about them for 3 days.

VARIATIONS OF HOMEMADE CRAYONS

As mentioned above, all kinds of crayons are welcome here:

Metallic Crayons
Neon Crayons
Glitter Crayons
Scented Crayons
Pearl Crayons

Mix and match or make a separate batch of each! The anticipation of what they can become is really a ton of fun!

To be honest, I struggle to sit down and do long, messy projects with my kiddos. Call it the uptight adult in me, but I've decided I can be a fantastic mom without having this talent.

Quick, easy, and clean projects like these crayons that require minimal prep are just the thing for me and I hope you all can find excitement and joy in it too!

I'm dying to see what your kids create!!! To share your creations, post your pictures on Instagram and tag @marcitidbits. I'll be sure and celebrate and share each and every one! I can't wait to see them!

Have fun with the kiddos in your life. These precious souls deserve all the love and memories we can possibly bring them. More joy, more hugs, more laughter – that's what we all need, right?!

MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES KID WILL LOVE TO HELP YOU COOK

TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT HOMEMADE CRAYONS

Instant Pot
Silicone Molds (some of our favorites): Square, Muffin, Snowflake, Bugs
Red Silicone Sling