Where crayons came from
Few art supplies are as universally loved as the crayon. The modern wax crayon is often credited to the early 1900s, when a company mixing paraffin and pigment realized the sticks were safe and cheap enough for schoolchildren. The famous eight-color box arrived, more colors followed, and generations of kids learned that a blank page is an invitation. If you can remember the smell of a fresh box, you already understand why this day exists. That smell is famous enough that people regularly rank it among the most recognizable scents there is, a small testament to how deeply crayons are wired into childhood.
National Crayon Day lands on March 31. It is a small, cheerful observance with no agenda beyond reminding you that making marks in color is one of life’s easy pleasures, and that you do not age out of it.
How to celebrate National Crayon Day
The obvious move is to color, and you should. Grab a box and a coloring book, and there are gorgeous ones made specifically for adults now, and spend twenty unhurried minutes filling in shapes. If there is a kid in your life, color alongside them and let them boss you around about which color the sky should be. Coloring with a child is a rare activity where they are the expert and you are the beginner, and that small reversal is good for both of you.
Want to do more than color in the lines? Try crayon resist: scribble in wax, then wash a watercolor or diluted paint over the top, and watch the color bead away from the crayon. It is the kind of small magic that delights children and adults equally.
Beyond coloring in the lines
Crayons are more versatile than their reputation suggests. Melted gently, they can be poured into molds to make chunky new crayons, perfect for little hands. Shaved and pressed between wax paper with a warm iron, they make stained-glass-style suncatchers. Artists have even built entire pieces from melted crayon drips.
There is no wrong way to use a crayon, which is exactly the point.
If you are restocking, a large assortment is worth it simply for the range of colors, and a caddy or storage box keeps them from rolling into every corner of the house. Washable versions are a sanity-saver for younger children and walls everywhere. A fresh box also makes a small, thoughtful gift, and crayons cost so little that generosity is easy. However you spend March 31, treat it as permission to make something colorful with no goal other than enjoying it.
How to celebrate
- 1Color, unironically
Grab a box of crayons and a coloring book and spend twenty unhurried minutes filling in shapes. Adult coloring books make this genuinely relaxing. There is no goal beyond enjoying the color.
- 2Color with a kid
If there is a child in your life, sit down and color alongside them. Let them make the rules about which color the sky should be. It is time together with something to show for it.
- 3Try crayon resist
Scribble firmly in wax crayon, then brush a watercolor or diluted paint over the top. The paint beads away from the waxy lines, revealing your drawing. It is simple magic that delights all ages.
- 4Melt and remake
Gather broken crayon stubs, sort them by color, and melt them gently into molds to make chunky new crayons. They are perfect for small hands. It is a satisfying way to rescue a battered box.
- 5Frame a favorite
When a drawing turns out well, put it in a frame and hang it. A child's artwork looks wonderful matted on a wall. Even your own doodles earn a new dignity behind glass.