Activity
Create a Treasure Candle
Candles have lighted family homes for centuries, and today they still bring warm spirit to hearth and table. They're also fun to make for adults and kids alike.
Here's a project that you can do with your kids using simple materials. For second graders studying time, this is a great opportunity to talk about the heritage of candlemaking, and how it was a part of family life for generations before us. It's also a great chance to reinforce some "green" lessons as you recycle and reuse old candle stubs and crayons to make wax for the candles. As an extra surprise, these homemade candles expose hidden treasure as they melt.
What You Need:
- Assorted metal charms (or use coins, seashells, and other non-flammable trinkets)
- Wax: either candle stubs in assorted colors, broken into pieces with a hammer and the wicks removed, or candle wax purchased from a craft store
- Wick made by dipping a length of kitchen twine in melted wax, or one purchased from a craft store
- Metal mold or coffee can, wider at the top than the base to make removal easier
- Vegetable oil
- Candle dye or crayon stubs in assorted colors (optional)
- Double boiler
- Clear gift wrap
- Metal iced-tea spoon or chopsticks
- Ribbon for packaging
What You Do:
- Lightly oil the inside of your mold and set aside. Tie the top of your wick to the middle of a pencil and balance the pencil over the top of the mold, making sure the bottom of the string reaches the bottom of the mold.
- Melt wax in double boiler above simmering water. If you’d like to make your candle with layers of different colors, melt one small batch at a time, adding either dye or crayon stubs until the desired color is achieved. When wax is thoroughly melted, pour a few inches into the mold. Add a few charms.
- Let cool until the first layer is slightly hardened, then add another layer of melted wax and more charms. (Don’t rush the process; all the charms will sink to the bottom if the lower levels aren’t firm.) Repeat until mold is full, then let dry for several days before removing from mold. (Wax will shrink as it dries and slide out easily.)
- To give as a gift, wrap candle in clear wrapping paper and tie a long iced-tea spoon or set of chopsticks to the package with a pretty ribbon. (Remember that wooden chopsticks are flammable and should only be used to push charms out of the wax, not to touch the flame.) As the candle burns, the charms will appear and can be picked out with the utensils (the wax will be hot). Remember: candles are a lot of fun, but only with adult supervision!
Related learning resources
Pumpkin Candle Holder
Activity
Pumpkin Candle Holder
Help your child create an adorable -- or gruesome -- miniature pumpkin candle holder that will shed some tiny pools of light on your dining table or counter.
2nd grade
Arts & crafts
Activity
Hand Print Family Treasure
Activity
Hand Print Family Treasure
With this activity, you'll create a family treasure...and reinforce social studies basics while you're at it!
2nd grade
Social studies
Activity
Mother's Day Treasure Hunt
Activity
Mother's Day Treasure Hunt
Your mother is a treasure, so celebrate her with a fun Motherâs Day Treasure Hunt.
2nd grade
Activity
Create a Story Map
Worksheet
Create a Story Map
Read a simple tale about pirates and stolen treasure, then chart the story on a map.
2nd grade
Reading & Writing
Worksheet
Scenes from Treasure Island, #4
Worksheet
Scenes from Treasure Island, #4
What would you do if you found a treasure map? This coloring page features three characters from Treasure Island looking at their buried treasure map.
2nd grade
Worksheet
Scenes from Treasure Island, #12
Worksheet
Scenes from Treasure Island, #12
Color in a scene from the classic novel Treasure Island in our coloring page. This Treasure Island coloring page depicts Jim finding Ben Gunn's hidden treasure.
2nd grade
Worksheet
Treasure Island Coloring Page
Worksheet
Treasure Island Coloring Page
In the first page in a series of Treasure Island coloring pages, Jim meets Billy Bones and learns about Captain Flint's buried treasure.
2nd grade
Worksheet
Treasure Island Crossword Puzzle
Worksheet
Treasure Island Crossword Puzzle
If your child fancies herself a pirate, this Treasure Island crossword puzzle is for her.
2nd grade
Reading & Writing
Worksheet
Treasure Map Grid
Worksheet
Treasure Map Grid
To be a proper pirate, every child must learn to read a map. With this basic treasure map grid, help your child identify and locate sites!
2nd grade
Social studies
Worksheet
Creative Writing for Kids: Treasure Map
Worksheet
Creative Writing for Kids: Treasure Map
Imagine that you've hidden treasure somewhere and write down each step you would need take to find the hidden treasure.
2nd grade
Reading & Writing
Worksheet
Scenes from Treasure Island, #8
Worksheet
Scenes from Treasure Island, #8
Jim is trying to get away from an angry pirate in this Treasure Island coloring page. Add some color to this scene from Treasure Island.
2nd grade
Worksheet
Scenes from Treasure Island, #6
Worksheet
Scenes from Treasure Island, #6
In this Treasure Island coloring page, Jim overhears some pirates planning to take over the ship. Decorate this scene from Treasure Island with bright colors.
2nd grade
Worksheet
See this activity in a set:
Wax On, Wax Off! 8 Wax Crafts