This Diwali it is important to lay extra emphasis on social distancing and hygiene protocols to ensure the safety of our children and members of the family.

The enthusiasm in the air feels a little different; with the pandemic taking over our lives, celebrating the festival of lights with the same vigour looks far-fetched; for our children it is nearly impossible for them to play with sparklers, firecrackers and fireworks. Having said that, can the spirit of celebrating a prosperous Diwali ward-off evil from the air? Is it time, we win over darkness, once again?

Well, we will have to wait and see, but for now, we bring you one DIY activity, turning old crayons into new colorful candles. Candles offer a warmth and shine to add that festive touch. You can make the crayon candles with your child; If you have school-age kids, you probably have a small stockpile of crayons. Crayons are great art supplies because they are inexpensive and mostly non-toxic.

Making candles from crayons is a fun way to use your child's old and broken crayons. However, since crayon wax is different from candle wax, you will need to add some regular wax into the mix as well. If you don't, the candles won't burn very brightly, or for very long.

Setting up - Measure out enough wax to fill your candle holder, plus some extra and set it aside. Try to get the kind of wax that comes in flake or pellet form. It will melt a lot quicker. If your wax comes in blocks, ask your child to cut it into smaller pieces with a butter knife so that it melts quicker. You can also use old used candles lying at home, specially those birthday candles.

Peel and break crayons - If the wrapper does not come away easily, you can ask your child to cut it off using a craft blade, or you can soak them in water for a few minutes. Break the crayon into smaller pieces and set them aside You will need 6 crayons per 1 cup (225 grams) of wax.

Ask your child to carefully place a tabbed wick in the middle of the glass candle holder and secure it with a drop of hot wax. You can also use a drop of super glue or a piece of double-sided tape. You can also place two ice-cream sticks to either side of the wick to hold it steady.

Set up a double boiler - Fill a saucepan with 1 to 2 inches of water. Place a heat-safe measuring cup into the pot. Place the crayons and wax into the glass measuring cup. Melt the crayon and wax over medium heat, stirring often. This will help the wax and crayon melt more evenly. You can use a spoon to stir Put the colour wax into the glass cup. Ask your child to pour colored wax into it. Let the first layer dry for a few minutes and then pour layers of colored wax into each jar, making sure to let them dry between each layer. Ask your child to repeat this process and continue to pour layers of different coloured wax into each jar and let them dry individually. And your beautiful crayon candles are ready!