By Jaimie Yue
Practically every child today has unleashed their creativity with Crayola products. In fact, color has been part of the brand since it began with industrial colorants– all the way back in 1885! Now, the brand has exploded into every art medium imaginable. At Crayola Experience in Easton, PA, 65,000 square feet and 28 art-themed attractions guarantee a day of fun. Every attraction is hands-on and promotes creativity.
The NEW hours are Wednesday-Sunday, 10 AM-4 PM. Please visit https://www.crayolaexperience.com/ before your visit and also learn about the new GUEST PROTOCOLS, particularly about the Clear Bag Only Policy (which includes purses, diaper bags, and backpacks) and Permitted Face Masks.
I visited Crayola Experience in July 2019 as a camp counselor, and the kids were immediately drawn to the attraction that let you name and wrap your own crayon, called “Wrap It Up!” After choosing a color, the kids could create their own color name by typing it in, and a crayon with a custom label would pop out. Drip Art and Meltdown were more favorites, using melted crayon wax to create pieces. Meanwhile, Modeling Madness was another attraction in which kids could play with Crayola’s Model Magic air-dry clay at large tables.
Of course, Crayola has kept up with modern trends and technology. Several attractions are screen-based, such as Silly Selfies and You Design, where visitors’ drawings on paper or photos were inserted into projector images that covered the entire wall. There is even an attraction called Color Magic that uses VR or Virtual Reality technology to bring drawings to life.
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The highlight of the day was the Crayon Factory Show, a live theater show about how Crayola crayons are made. An employee interacted with two animated crayons on screens as part of the show, and at the end, audience members got to take home a real crayon that was actually made during the show.
Before the day ended, the kids let off steam at the indoor playground, which spanned all three floors. Tube slides, jungle gyms, and net bridges abound in this giant play space.
While I visited Crayola Experience during the summer, the indoor space makes it a great day trip at any time of the year.
Visiting Crayola Experience reminded me why I love the brand, even though I no longer use it– Crayola has always been affordable, accessible, and kid-friendly. With a variety of products in zany colors from “Wild Strawberry” to “Mac n’ Cheese,” Crayola reminds young artists that art is all about creativity, and above all, fun!