The Crayola Experience in Chandler is a colorful adventure of unique activities that children and adults will love! With 19 different stations, plus free coloring and a few paid extras, visitors can bring out their inner artist and explore with hands on projects. Crayola has been loved by families for decades. Now they invite you to their world of color and make memories together!
We watched a few YouTube videos of other Crayola Experience locations before visiting. But we were unprepared for just how visually fun and entertaining the place is! It’s more than just coloring pages, although there are some fun projects with that focus. Maybe that’s why it’s called an “experience” over a “museum”. It’s hands on fun that anyone will enjoy and worth every penny!
Here’s our video tour from YouTube:
The layout is similar to Legoland Discovery Center (minus the rides) – it’s one one large open area with stations scattered around. When you first enter you’ll see the label making station. This is a two part experience, and requires one token (you receive two with admission). First, you’ll choose a design and name for your label. There are a couple different crayon colors so walk around both stations to choose your favorite! Once the label is printed, you take it and your crayon to the next station The kids loved the simple process of attaching the label! Now you have your own personalized crayon!
In this area is also an interactive floor opportunity (similar to the one at Odysea Aquarium!) and two vending machines to get a sample pack of Crayola’s model magic sculpting clay. This also takes a token and you can choose from about half a dozen colors! There are tables and tools to play with clay immediately, or save it for home. Either way, be sure to take time to read the wall art here, and around the whole area. You’ll learn a lot about the history of Crayola!
Next up on your experience journey can be the frog dance! Sound crazy? Well, you’ll just have to see it. Find the color station with the frog pages and color, punch out the two frog halves and then take it to the stage where an employee will make the dancing magic happen! Dance along with the music and your paper creation – our little guy did several times, ha.
On the opposite side of the area is a selfie station. Pick your background and then squeeze your group into the camera area to take a photo! The pages prints within a minute and you can make as many as you like. This is so fun and a great souvenir to take home! There’s a huge coloring station nearby with hundreds of crayons; color your selfie page immediately, or take it home to enjoy later.
One of our top favorite stations at the Crayola Experience was the Drip Art. By controlling the speed of a rotating paper, you can make eye popping designs with dripping crayon wax! The possibilities are endless! There’s also a station where you choose your crayon and either a car mold or ring mold. Watch melted crayon wax fill the mold and presto, you have your own shaped crayon.
Nearby is the 3D art pages and scanners. We had some trouble with this – the screens kept freezing at various points. Hopefully this is resolved soon because what little we experienced was cool. Our daughter colored a fairy, scanned it, then saw it animate on the screen. You can also email the image to yourself.
Around the corner is a fun chalk wall for anyone to decorate, and another selfie station. You choose hair, eyes and mouth, add your own face through the camera, and then watch it appear on screen! (You can also email selfie to yourself.) Don’t miss the melted crayon art station too. Slightly different from the drip art, this area lets you use a special oversized device which melts a crayon to let you draw instantly on paper. There are four colors to choose from. The devices seemed to jam up frequently, but it was still really unique and fun.
For the last area to explore, you’ll find several fun activities. One wall has a near floor to ceiling screen with vertical rainbow colors. If you walk towards it, you’ll see yourself – and the colors will move! This is so fun for adults and kids. (And helps get the energy out!) Around the corner are two more screens and tables. Find the papers and color either a car or an outfit. At the scanners, you can add some accessories and then watch your creation appear on the screen. Our daughter absolutely loved the dress design! Who wouldn’t want to see it their outfit in a fashion show?
There are also some pages to paint, along with a dryer. Two thumbs up for this idea, Crayola. It’s so hard to know what to do with still wet art projects; now, in just about a minute, the painted paper will be easily rolled up to take home, no mess!
The snack bar is in this section too, and an option to make your own wax hand for $12.99. We also briefly stopped at a gem experience; the station looked cool, but purchasing dirt/gems to mine (sift) was also an extra cost at $5/bag. If this interests you or your children, factor it in to the price of your visit.
They also host birthday parties! You receive one hour in the private birthday room, all day access to the Crayola Experience, and a free gift for the birthday children! Contact them for more details.
The Crayola Experience is located by the food court in the Chandler Fashion Center. They are open 365 days a year; hours are Monday-Saturday from 10am-8pm, and Sunday from 10am-6pm. Admission is $14.99 ($1 cheaper if purchased online) for children and adults. Ages 2 and under are free. At the time of this published post, there is also a deal on annual passes: $29.99/person for 365 days of fun, plus discounts for a three or four pack! This is perfect for the summer!
Click here to purchase discounted tickets to the Crayola Experience! (affiliate link)
No food or drink (beside water bottles) are allowed. There is a cafe on site that sells snacks and drinks. There is also a restroom, and a nursing room for mothers. The gift shop is fabulous!! Browse around and you’re sure to find some needed art supplies (and more, ha!). We were surprised that the prices were decent. For example, you can purchase a basic Crayola painting set for $2, or get a pack of oversized coloring sheets for $5. As far as gift shops go, this one is worth letting your kids pick out something to take home. The gift shop is also open to browse without paying admission to the experience.
With admission you’ll receive two tokens. These are used for the label making and modeling clay. Additional tokens can be purchased for 2/$1. Admission is good for all day access. Get a hand stamp on your way out, grab lunch or shop at the mall, then return to experience your favorite stations all over again.
Crayola Experience
Chandler Fashion Center
3111 W Chandler Blvd
Chandler, AZ 85226
(484) 894-3813
chandlerexperience@crayolaexperience.com
Looking for more indoor activities this summer? Check out our popular article, Summer Survival Tips in Phoenix With Kids, or browse our list of reviews on the best indoor places in Phoenix!
