Candle Making for Kids  

Candle making is an ancient craft and a very popular one at that. Candle making craft is a fun filled activity for people of all ages and kids especially love making candles. Home made candles make wonderful gifts. Candle making can also become a profitable home business. Your creativity can come to the fore with this lovely and interesting craft. Candle making is slightly messy and dangerous project. However, it can be fun as well. You have to be careful when kids are involved in the project of candle making. The kids are surely going to love the candle making craft that is both easy and beautiful, at the same time. This craft project of candle making will keep your children engaged through their vacation.

Care and Safety during Candle Making: Care and safety are of utmost importance in candle making, more so when kids are involved. Candle making projects involving kids will require supervision of adults. Proper tools should be used for candle making.  Safety rules and regulations must be explained to kids and the importance of following these should be stressed on. The burning candle should never be left unattended and it should be lighted only on surfaces that are heat resistant and not flammable. Candles should always have a proper candle stand. You must use newspapers or drop clothes for the purpose of catching splatters and drips and wear an apron for protection of your clothes. Always use double boilers for melting wax and keep some sort of fire extinguisher in the vicinity.

Candle Making from Crayons: Children love to make candles out of wax crayons. Half used and  wasted crayons can be put to good use by transforming them into lovely candles. Thus children can also be taught recycling in the process. You have to inform the children about the safety guidelines and the use of high heat for melting the wax and crayons. Its advisable that kids don't perform this particular activity. However, they can get actively involved in collection of material and other activities.

The materials required include one pound paraffin wax, empty milk or juice cartons, ice cubes, candle wicks and a double boiler. The top of the milk of juice container is cut off and can be kept at about six inches in height. Then, prepare the wick by using a ready made one or by tying packing strings together and dipping them in the wax. The wick should be at least eight inches in length. Now melt the paraffin wax in a double boiler for about twenty minutes. Afterwards, you can color the wax by putting the crayons in the molten wax. Fill up the carton with ice cubes and place the wick in the center. Now, pour the wax mixture in the carton containing the ice cubes and wick. If you want a scented candle, you may add a little vanilla or rose essence to the wax mixture.

Other Ideas for Candle Making: You can use different molds for making candles like glasses, bowls and empty egg shells etc. There are various types of candles that can be made by using alternative materials like gels etc.