Bees and Beeswax Candles

Recently we were able to take a trip to a little farm that raises various animals including bees!  All the kids were excited to see the donkey who came up to be petted. They could see goats and pigs keeping cool in the shade, and there were numerous birds: emus, chickens, ducks, geese, and peacocks!

After a tour to look at the animals the owners of the farm gave us a little lesson in bees. We got to look inside their hive and see where they were storing up honey. We also learned more about bees including why they die when they sting you.

Then we got to make a beeswax candle! These were super simple to make too!  You start with a sheet of beeswax and a wick. Lay the wick across the top of the beeswax and press it in gently (just so it sticks).

Fold over the the part with the wick in it to secure the wick. Then using only your fingers, gently (yet firmly) roll the candle down.

Be careful with your candle as the beeswax is soft and gets smushed very easily! (As you can see ours got smushed a bit by little hands.) Always light your candle in a candle holder and blow it out if you aren't in the room with it.

Want to make some candles, but no bee farm nearby? Check your local craft store for beeswax or a complete kit complete with instructions!

They all enjoyed some honey ice cream after their candles were made and their lunch was eaten. It was a sweet end to their fun trip to the bee farm!