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Topic: beeswax candles for preK/K will it work?

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KackyK
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Posted: Aug 13 2012 at 8:03pm \| IP Logged

I'm hoping to make some candles next Winter with a gaggle of preK kiddos (24 in our co-op to be exact). I'll have adult help

Now I have never made beeswax candles so I'm not sure if this is even something this little age can do.

I'd like to buy sheets and cut them small to make short tapers. So a couple of questions:

Will 4s and 5s even be able to roll a beeswax sheet?

Can I cut the beeswax sheet so I can get more than one candle out of it, or is it quite likely that will ruin the sheet altogether? I'm trying to determine how many sheets I would need to buy???

Any candle making advice would be appreciated! Please move my message if this isn't the right forum, it's a crafty question, but all within the light of preschoolers?!!!

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KackyK

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MaryM
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Posted: Aug 14 2012 at 2:28am \| IP Logged

KackyK wrote:

Will 4s and 5s even be able to roll a beeswax sheet?

hmmmm...yes...with big wide spaces...

I did this several years ago with a pretty large (40-ish kids) of varying ages from p-K through late elementary. The biggest problem was that many kids really didn't roll them tight or even enough so that there wasn't space between the layers. But you don't want them to roll so tight that they crush the honeycomb or crack the sheet. The older kids did better. The younger kids were less likely to get it tight. With a small kid to adult ratio the adult can help the youngster get started with a nice roll around the wick, then help them keep it going. Even if it isn't perfect, they love doing the project and were really proud of their candles. The issue comes when actually lighting it. If it isn't tight enough (wax layers touching each other with no air spaces, then it won't burn as well. It can burn down the middle, wax dripping inside, etc. And if it doesn't have enough fuel (meaning diameter of a wax area actually in contact with the wick, then it can sputter and go out more easily.

Soooo...anything you can do to help them get a nice compact roll would be good. Just brainstorming here but wondering if I were to do it again with a big group what I might do differently. One thing could be to "practice" ahead of time. Maybe using construction paper. Have them practice making a compact roll a couple times before actually going to the wax sheet. And definitely upping the number of adults per group. I you have a limited number of adult helpers, I would suggest dividing the group into smaller groups and only having a limited number make their candle at a given time. The other students could be working on something else as waiting in line is probably not a strong suit at that age. Then when that group is finished rotate another group through.

The other challenges is that the sheets need to warmed a bit so they are more pliable, if they are cold they are more likely to crack when first rolled. You can heat the end for a few seconds with a blow dryer (don't want it to melt). That part is another reason it would be best to do it with a smaller group at a time.

KackyK wrote:

Can I cut the beeswax sheet so I can get more than one candle out of it, or is it quite likely that will ruin the sheet altogether? I'm trying to determine how many sheets I would need to buy???

Yes it can be cut into small pieces. In fact they recommend getting two candles out of a sheet anyway. If you roll one of those big sheets it will be too thick for a taper. And you can even cut it smaller. We used the 8 X 16 inch beeswax sheets. I cut them into 4 pieces, each 4 X 8 to be rolled up into 4 inch tall candles. Is that what you were thinking? This helps keep cost reasonable as wax sheets can add up. And having a shorter length to roll is more likely to get a tight roll as they can concentrate on more limited surface length, if that makes sense.

Also you want to get the right width of wick for the finished width of the candle. I'll need to go check what size you would end up with and then give you a recommendation on the wick size.

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KackyK
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Posted: Aug 14 2012 at 9:54am \| IP Logged

Awesome Mary

You've given me exactly the tidbits I needed!!!!

I definitely was hoping to cut the sheets in four pieces, but I have never worked with beeswax so I just didn't know how pliable with scissors it would turn out to be!

THANKS!

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KackyK

Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven

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