Geo : Cool Projects : Sand Candles

Did you know that electric light bulbs were invented in 1879? Before then, families made and used candles for light. Now you can too with a little help from Mother Nature! Have fun and don't forget, you'll need an adult to help you.

What you will need:

Trash Treasures:

• a small, washed coffee can
  
• old candle stubs or broken candles of the same or different colors (or paraffin wax)
  
• a shoe box (or a bucket listed below)
  

Other things you'll need:

• an adult to help you
• paraffin wax (or candle stubs listed above)
• cotton string or wick (from your local craft store)
• a bucket (or a shoe box listed above)
• a large pot
• a drinking glass to help shape the mold
• a ruler or tape measurer
• a stove
• sand
• a full size pencil
• small shells or pebbles (optional)

Nature's ingredients:

Wax comes from bees and plants. The carnauba palm from Brazil and the candelilla shrub from Mexico and Texas are both useful sources of wax. Did you know that the candle wick also comes from a plant? A cotton plant. Sand is another wonderful gift from the earth. Have fun creating your candle using nature's special gifts!

Instructions:

1. Fill your box or bucket with sand.
   
   
2. Add enough color water to make the sand damp but not too soggy. The dampness will make the sand ersier to mold.
   
   
3. Dig a mold for your candle in your box of sand. Use a drinking glass to form the mold and try to make the bottom flat so your candle will stand upright.
   
   
4. Once you've dug your mold, you can add shells or rocks to the edges. Remember to place your treasures with the prettiest sides facing into the sand, since they will form the outer edges of the candle once it is done and removed from the mold.
   
   
5. Measure the height of your sand mold. Cut your wick or string 3 inches longer than that height. Tie your wick or string to the middle of the pencil and allow the pencil to rest across the top of the sand so that the wick hangs down straight to the bottom of the hole. You may need to use a rock to keep the bottom of the wick in place or bury the wick in the sand.
   
   
6. Have an adult do the next steps for you:
   
   
   1. Place the wax in a coffee can. Hint: Estimate the amount of wax that will fit in the mold and add a little more wax just to be sure.
      
      
   2. Put a large pot on the stove. Place the coffee can with wax in the pot. Add enough hot water into the pot so that the water rises to just under the height of the wax in the coffee can (like a double boiler).
      
      
   3. Allow the water to slowly melt the wax at a low heat. It may take a while. Do not place the wax directly on the heat.
      
      
   4. Once the wax has melted, have an adult carefully pour the wax into the mold. Make sure the wick stays in position. Remind your adult to be careful, the wax is very hot.
      
      
   5. Allow the candle to cool completely. Hint: It's best to let it cool overnight.
      
      
   
7. You'll know your candle has cooled completely when the wax is hard and cool to the touch. Now, you can take it out of the sand. Congratulations! You've just made your own sand candle!
   
   

Tip #1:

Sand candles are great to make on beach camping trips. You can make your candle right in the sand and your parents can use a camp fire instead of a stove to heat the wax. Be sure to keep the beach beautiful by cleaning up afterwards!

Tip #2:

You can also create a candle that has multicolored layers. All it takes is a little more patience and candle stubs or wax that are different colors. Follow steps #1 through #4 as shown above. In step #5, melt a small amount wax, enough to make a single layer in your candle. Once that wax is heated, carefully pour it into the sand mold. Allow this layer to cool as you slowly heat another batch of wax that is a different color. Pour the heated wax onto the hardened wax layer that has already cooled in the mold. Repeat this process until you have filled the sand mold to the top with different wax layers. Once the last layer has completely cooled and hardened, you can remove your beautiful, colorful candle!