Children love hands-on activities and when you add color into the mix, all the better. Making stained glass window art from crayons is a fun kids' project.
In a "throw-away society," teaching your kids how to make faux stained glass is a creative way to demonstrate the value of using leftover crayons and simple material, such as wax paper, to create something beautiful.
Materials You'll Need for Stained Glass
- Plastic tablecloth
- Crayon ends
- Containers
- Grater
- Waxed paper
- 2 tea towels
- Iron
- Ironing board
- Yarn
Crayons for Kids' Stained Glass
Prior to making stained glass, ask your children to go on a crayon hunt to collect all their old crayon stubs. While they are gathering these, spread a plastic tablecloth over your table to protect the surface.
If you plan on making lots of stained glass pictures, such as for a kids' party project, purchase a couple of packages of crayons.
Sort through crayons and discard dull or dark colors such as grey or black, which are not suitable for stained glass window art.
Encourage your children to pick out their favorite crayon colors for making their stained glass panels.
Carefully grate the crayons and place each color into a separate container. (This is best done by an adult.)
How to Make Stained Glass for Kids
- Measure pieces of waxed paper to achieve the size of picture you desire and cut edges. Alternatively, pull out a long strip and fold it over (accordian-style), to the size desired, then cut along edges.
- Estimate the number of stained glass pictures/panels your children plan to make and for each one, plan on two sheets of waxed paper.
- When you have a stack of waxed paper sheets, give each of your children a bottom sheet and direct them to sprinkle on a mixture of crayon peelings. Make sure that the crayon peelings are spread out evenly and that they cover the waxed paper. Leave a 1-2" space around the edge to allow for melting. (As you iron each panel, crayon material spreads.)
- Place another sheet of waxed paper over the sheet with the crayon peelings and slide these onto a flat surface such as a bread board.
- Turn your iron to a low heat setting and while it is heating, spread out a tea towel on your ironing board. Slide the panel onto the tea towel and cover with another towel.
- Run the iron over the picture, pressing out from the center in the direction of a circle, so that the crayon colors melt and fuse the wax paper sheets. Peek under the towel, checking until the crayon wax has melted. Remove the towel and place each picture on a flat surface to cool.
- Repeat for each stained glass picture.
- Use a pen to puncture a small hole at the top of panels and thread through yarn to hang pictures.
The crayons will have melted into interesting swirls and shapes and each faux stained glass panel will be different. Your children will now have beautiful, stained glass pictures they can display.
Uses for Stained Glass Panels
Brightly colored crayon panels aren't just for front room windows! Kids stained glass creations can be used for any number of projects.
- Stained Glass Window Panes for Play Houses--If your children have playhouses, doll houses, or play churches, they can cut out small squares or rectangles from their panels and use these to make realistic-looking stained glass window panes.
- Brightly Colored Suncatchers--Waxed paper panels can be cut into circles to create sun catchers. (Use a pen to make a small hole and thread yarn through opening to hang suncatcher.)
- Stained Glass Bird and Butterfly Window Decorations--Trace and cut out out birds or butterflies for pretty stained glass window decorations.
- Tree Ornaments--Use Christmas cookie cutters to trace out bells, stars, and other Holiday-themed shapes to make stained glass tree decorations. Glue pipe cleaners around edges to finish.
Making stained glass window art is a good rainy day craft project for children and one that's interesting (and inexpensive) for adults, as well.
Kids Craft Ideas
- How to Make Homemade Christmas Ornaments--Bake and decorate inexpensive tree ornaments.
- Carving Zucchinis for Fall Porch Decorations--A safe and fun project for kids.
- How to Press Flowers for Craft Projects--Delicate flowers make a beautiful crafting medium and can be used to create eye-catching items for both kids and adults.
Melody Rhodes - M. Rhodes is author of the Bedbug Books. She's been published in Canada, U.S. U.K. & NZ and has won awards for her poetry/prose.
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