Crayola’s core products, including crayons, markers, and colored pencils, are certified non-toxic. They carry the AP (Approved Product) Seal from the Art & Creative Materials Institute (ACMI), meaning a team of board-certified toxicologists has evaluated every formula and confirmed it contains no materials in quantities that could be toxic or injurious to humans, including children.
What the AP Seal Actually Means
The AP Seal isn’t just a marketing label. It’s backed by independent toxicologists at Duke University Medical Center who review the complete formulas of certified products. Every time a manufacturer develops a new product, changes a specification, or even switches a raw material supplier, the formula must be resubmitted and re-evaluated. Products must also comply with the federal Labeling of Hazardous Art Materials Act and the ASTM D-4236 standard, which covers both acute and chronic health hazards.
The certification is designed with a specific population in mind: young children, people with disabilities, and anyone who can’t read or understand safety labels. In other words, the bar is set for the most vulnerable users, not just healthy adults following instructions perfectly. Long before federal law required it, ACMI’s program capped lead content at 100 parts per million for any product carrying the AP Seal.
What’s Inside a Crayola Crayon
Standard crayons are simple products. The base is paraffin wax, a petroleum byproduct that makes up the bulk of the crayon. A fatty acid (stearic acid) is added for strength, typically accounting for 20 to 40 percent of the weight. Color comes from pigments, usually between 0.5 and 25 percent depending on how vivid the shade needs to be. Some formulations include a small amount of polyethylene to keep crayons from softening in warm temperatures.
Paraffin wax is the same material used in some food-grade coatings and candles. The toxins present in paraffin are minimal and do not pose a meaningful health risk, even to small children who chew on crayons. Trace amounts of lead can be detected in many crayons, but studies have found that children’s exposure to lead through crayons, even over time, is not enough to cause harm.
What Happens If a Child Eats a Crayon
This is probably the real reason you’re here. Kids eat crayons. It happens constantly, and it’s almost never a medical emergency. Pediatricians describe the most common outcome as a stomachache. A little water and a light snack usually settle things.
Crayons can also act as a mild laxative. If your child ate a significant amount, keep them home, near a bathroom, and well hydrated, since diarrhea can be dehydrating for small kids. Beyond that, crayons pass through the digestive system without causing damage.
The bigger risk isn’t toxicity. It’s choking. Federal guidelines ban children’s products intended for kids under three if they contain small parts that fit entirely into a test cylinder approximating a toddler’s fully expanded throat. Standard Crayola crayons are sized to reduce this risk, but broken pieces can become small enough to be dangerous. Adult supervision is the key safeguard for very young children.
Markers and Skin Contact
Crayola’s own safety data sheets for their broad and fine line markers list no expected skin effects from normal contact. The markers carry the same AP certification as the crayons, and no irritation data has been published for their components. If ink gets on skin, washing with soap and water is sufficient. The dyes are not designed to be absorbed through the skin and don’t penetrate in any meaningful way during typical use.
Scented and Specialty Products Are Different
Here’s where things get more nuanced. Crayola’s standard crayons and markers are straightforward, but some specialty lines introduce ingredients worth knowing about. The Silly Scents line, for example, includes fragrances and preservatives that carry higher concern ratings for skin sensitivity and allergic reactions.
The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database rates the fragrance ingredient in Silly Scents Bathtub Finger Paint Soap at 8 out of 10 for concern, flagging it for allergy and immune system effects. Preservatives in the same product scored 6 and 7, primarily for allergy and irritation potential. These aren’t the same as standard crayons or markers. They’re bath products with a different formula entirely.
If your child has sensitive skin, eczema, or known fragrance allergies, scented and bath-oriented Crayola products deserve more scrutiny than the classic art supplies. The AP Seal on a standard crayon box is a strong safety indicator, but it doesn’t automatically extend to every product Crayola sells. Check each product’s packaging individually.
Which Crayola Products Are Certified
Crayola’s core art supplies, including crayons, washable markers, colored pencils, and watercolor paints, carry the AP Seal. Other reputable brands like Cra-Z-Art and Faber-Castell also hold ACMI certification. If you’re buying off-brand or imported crayons, look for either the AP Seal or a statement of conformance with ASTM D-4236 on the packaging. Products without either marking haven’t been independently evaluated for chronic toxicity, and there’s no guarantee about what’s in them.
For standard Crayola crayons and markers used as intended, the safety profile is about as strong as it gets for a children’s product. The formulas are simple, the certification process is rigorous, and decades of use have produced no pattern of harm. The practical risks are choking for toddlers and stomachaches for the adventurous eaters.