I have always loved Crayola crayons. One Christmas my brother and sisters and I got the big set of 64 colors with the sharpener built into the back of the box. We were in heaven. The number of crayons have increased and some of their names have been changed, but crayons are still a fun creative activity.

On occasion we power off the home entertainment center, leave the computers alone and grab a stack of paper and our huge collection of crayons (mostly Crayola still, some alien crayons). A rainy afternoon seems to be the most appropriate time. We have a few coloring books, but mostly we just draw and color freehand. A theme is suggested and the kids and I try our best to create the animals, sailboats, landscapes or architecture. My wife, who claims to have no artistic talent, often joins us, and usually turns out some nice work. The drawing and coloring is easy and cooperative, leaving us plenty of time to talk, to share, to discuss and to learn about each other. Sometimes an old fashioned simple activity is the best way for a family to draw close together.

Not that we ever have this problem (oh no, of course not!), but Crayola has a nice website that happens to contain some excellent tips for crayon stain removal. The tips we have tried work well.