31st March: Crayola Crayon Day

Each year, on March 31st children and adults alike, pick up their favorite colors for Crayola Crayon Day. Opening up a box of crayons opens up a world of imagination and hours of fun.

Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet…no, we’re not talking about a rainbow, but rather just some of the 400 different shades of crayon colors Crayola has produced since 1903.

Wax and chalk-based crayons have been used by artists around the world for centuries. Edwin Binney created the brightly colored crayons we are familiar with today. He was part owner of Binney & Smith, a company that produced products such as paint, pigments, and slate pencils for schools.

In 1903, Binney & Smith created the Crayola Division and produced colored wax crayons for children for the first time. Then in 1904, they presented their An-Du-Septic chalk at the Colombian Exposition in St. Louis winning a gold medal. The chalk was designed to be dustless at many teachers’ requests and was an immediate success.

Celebrating this day can range from the simple to the extreme! Whether simply picking up a few colors to draw something on a blank sheet of paper, or inviting the rest of the world to celebrate, Crayola Crayon Day can bring lots of joy to anyone involved.