A crayon (or wax pastel) is a stick of pigmented wax used for writing or drawing. Wax crayons differ from pastels, in which the pigment is mixed with a dry binder such as gum arabic, and from oil pastels, where the binder is a mixture of wax and oil. Crayons are available at a range of prices and are easy to work with.

Change in Daily Life The crayon changed the way children grow. It isn’t only used for coloring, but the crayon has also sparked the creation of new and alternative forms of art and promoted early development in children.

They were confident that the pigment and wax mixing techniques they had developed could be adapted for a variety of safe colors. In 1903, a new brand of crayons with superior working qualities was introduced – Crayola Crayons.

But the truth is, nearly everybody alive today probably made their first colorful squiggles with a Binney & Smith Crayola. It was 1903 when the crayon made its debut. Before that a child’s crayon was just a stick of colored clay or chalk.

The wife of the founder of our company, Alice (Stead) Binney, coined the name CRAYOLA Crayons. The name comes from “craie”, the French word for chalk, and “ola” from oleaginous.

The name “Crayola” was coined by Alice Binney, Binney’s wife and a former school teacher. It comes from “craie,” French for “chalk,” and “oleaginous” or “oily.” This Crayola set for “young artists” was one of the earliest produced.

The word “Crayola” was originally thought up by Alice Binney. Binney, a one-time school teacher, combined the French word “craie”, meaning “chalk”, with “ola”, shortened from the French word “oléagineux”, meaning “oily”. Hence, given the origin of the words, “Crayola crayon” more or less just means “Oily Chalk Pencil”.

Mr. Fred Rogers

Crayola did not invent the crayon. Records show that Europe was the birthplace of the “modern” crayon. The first crayons were made from a mixture of charcoal and oil. Later, powdered pigments of various hues replaced the charcoal.

Wax crayons were used in Europe during the 1700s. They were first made in the United States in 1903 by Binney and Smith, a company located in Easton, Pennsylvania. Their first box of Crayola crayons cost five cents and included eight colors – green, yellow, orange, red, violet, blue, brown, and black.

Crayola has a distinctive company name that is trademarked, perhaps the most recognizable name around the globe short of the ubiquitous Coca Cola. Crayon, as a basic word already long in use, cannot be reduced to a specific object and therefore may not be trademarked.

Crayons are quite safe. Crayons are generally made from wax and coloring. The ingredients are considered non-toxic and most cases will not require medical attention. Additionally, crayons can be a choking hazard, just like any toy that can fit into a child’s mouth.

The Crayon colors in 24 count Crayola Box are: blue, black, brown, green, orange, red, violet (purple), yellow. carnation pink, blue green, blue violet, red orange, red violet, white, yellow green, yellow orange.

7 Banana Mania #FAE7B5 (250, 231, 181) 1998 8 Beaver #9F8170 (159, 129, 112) 1998 9 Bittersweet #FD7C6E (253, 124, 110) 1949 10 Black #000000 (0,0,0) 1903 11 Blizzard Blue #ACE5EE (172, 229, 238) 1972 2003 Renamed from “Ultra Blue” in 1990.