Maker Monday: Kids can make their own recycled candles

Hello, Kidsburghers! Welcome to another fun and easy “Let’s Try” Maker Monday project, courtesy of our creative friends at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. We’re glad to be kicking off another week by bringing you a free maker activity that your kids can do with items you likely have around the house or can get at a dollar store.

This week’s project will teach your kids about upcycling — taking old items and putting in a bit of effort to turn them into something new. With this project, kids will learn to turn old, mostly used candles into lovely new ones.

You’ll find all the details on materials and instructions below, and you can follow along on the video below to learn each step.

A note to kid makers: Please work with a parent or caregiver on every project, including this one, and always be very careful when using tools of any kind. This is especially important on a project like this one, which involves using your stove.

Maker Monday materials you’ll need:

• candle ends and scraps of wax from old candles (they can be lots of different colors!)
• heat-resistant containers for your new candles (for example, used cans that held things like vegetables or tomato paste or tuna or glass jars)
• a cooking pot
• scissors
• undyed cotton twine (available at most dollar stores)
• a binder clip
• tape
• a penny or other small coin
• a pencil or pen
• baking soda and/or a fire extinguisher (just in case, have nearby for safety!)

Instructions:

• Put several candle ends and wax scraps in a clean metal can.
• Place an empty can upside down in your cooking pot, then place the can of wax pieces on top of the empty one.
• Fill the pot with a few inches of water (the water line should come about halfway up the side of the can of wax pieces).
• Bring the pot to the stove and turn it on low. As the water heats up, it will begin to melt the wax. (For safety, do this step with an adult and never leave melting wax unattended.)
• You want the wax to soften and melt, but not get so hot that it boils. So keep the water temperature low to prevent the wax from boiling. Be patient — the wax will melt slowly. (Caution: It’s very important that you don’t let your wax get too hot, because if your wax boils it will become flammable. In the unlikely event of a fire, pour baking soda on the fire or put it out with a fire extinguisher. Never use water on a wax fire.)
• Once the wax is warm and melted, you can create your candle wick. To do this, cut a piece of cotton twine about that’s a few inches longer than the container you will use for your candle. Attach a binder clip to one end of the twine and hold the twine by that binder clip. Then dip the end of the twine into the melted wax.
• Take the twine out of the wax and quickly dip it in cold water to harden the wax.
• Once the wax is hard, remove the binder clip, straighten the wick and roll it in a paper towel to dry.
• Now you will attach the wick to the bottom of the container that will hold your candle. Put a spoonful of melted wax at the bottom of the container, then put the clean end of your wick into that melted wax. Use your penny to hold that end of the wick down.
• Next, lay a pencil or pen across the top of the container and wrap the top of the wick around it. (The wax on that end will crack and that’s OK. It may help the wick stay wrapped around the pencil or pen.) This will position the wick straight down the center of your candle.
• Now, have an adult help you slowly pour your liquid wax into your container ALMOST as high as you’ll want the candle to be. Be sure to save a little wax. (Definitely have an adult help here. Melted wax is hot and can burn you.)
• Leave your candle to cool and harden.
• Once the candle is firm, add a little more melted wax to the top of your candle to ensure a smooth, flat surface.
• When this new layer of wax has cooled and hardened, slide out the pencil and cut the wick so it extends approximately 1/2 inch above the top of the candle. You now have a beautiful candle that you can enjoy or give as a gift to someone you care about!