Once our brand-new crayons arrive at one of our partner hospitals, it's their time to shine.

Finding Happiness

The children receiving crayons from The Crayon Initiative are facing some of the most challenging circumstances a kid can undergo. A box of our crayons brings happiness, light, and reprieve.

Thank you for providing crayons to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas. I hosted an event where kids made their own crowns to wear while they received their infusion. I provided choices on supplies that they could have to create, and your crayons were a crowd favorite! My favorite thing about these crayons is the size because our littlest friends cannot easily snap them. Here are some sweet pictures of my sweet friend creating a rainbow crown with your crayons! —Allegra Abbey Berckmoes, Periwinkle Arts in Medicine Program, Cancer and Hematology Centers, Texas Children’s Hospital

Thriving through Therapeutic Art

Art-based activities can help children:

• Express themselves in overwhelming situations
• Reduce stress responses and increase calm
• Decrease the feelings of anxiety, depression, and isolation that can come with extended hospital stays

What these kids are actually doing when they color is engaging in therapeutic art. The positive impacts of art therapy on pediatric patients are extensive.

“For those coming into my unit, the emergency department, there are so many unknowns; for many children, this is their first real experience with hospitalization. Not only are your crayons easily accessible in this fast-paced environment, but they are a simple way to instill a sense of familiarity in an often-unfamiliar situation. [Your crayons] truly serve as my pathway into building rapport and trust with children and families in times of stress and uncertainty.” —Mary Dunleavy, CCLS, Pediatric Emergency Department, UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital

Lifelong Companions

When the patients at our partner hospitals finally get to go home, they often take their box of crayons with them. Those crayons represent happy memories during an otherwise uncertain time.

For some, their relationship with that simple white box turns into a lifelong love of art.

When you’re coloring, what kind of things do you think about?
Nothing. That’s exactly why I color.

–NBC Nightly News interview of pediatric patient

We’re proud to do what we can to bring happiness to hospitalized children around the country, all while keeping our planet healthier.

If you’d like to help, please consider making a donation to The Crayon Initiative.