Do You Remember Your First Box of Crayons?

Do you remember your first box of crayons?

It's a simple question, but for many of us, the answer is tied to some of our earliest memories of creativity. Coloring books, construction paper, classroom projects, and kitchen table masterpieces often began with a small yellow box of crayons.

I don't remember my very first box of crayons.

But I do remember these.

In 1983, Crayola introduced So Big Crayons, oversized crayons designed specifically for younger children and little hands. Their larger size made them easier to hold, and their bright packaging made them hard to miss. If you pressed down hard on the paper, like I did, these crayons were able to withstand some serious pressure.

Looking at this vintage box today, one detail stands out immediately: the crayons weren't just colors.

They had personalities.

Instead of simply labeling crayons as brown, purple, orange, or green, Crayola gave them memorable names and characters. Inside the box were Bunny Brown, Bunch A Grapes Purple, Jack o' Lantern Orange, Sunshine Yellow, Birdie Blue, Leap Frog Green, Candy Apple Red, and Kitty Cat Black.

For a young child, these names transformed a box of crayons into something more playful and imaginative. The crayons became characters as much as art supplies.

What makes this even more interesting is that Crayola still sells So Big crayons today.

Comparing the 1984 version to a modern box reveals several changes. Today's crayons are slightly shorter, the character illustrations have disappeared, and the colorful names are gone. Modern So Big crayons focus on simplicity and function, while the earlier version feels designed to spark imagination before a child even begins coloring.

Neither approach is necessarily better or worse, but they represent different ideas about childhood creativity.

The older box feels personal.

The newer box feels practical.

As a collector, I love finding products like these because they tell a story about how Crayola has evolved over time. Small details—like a color name or a cartoon character—can reveal how the company thought about children, learning, and creativity during a particular era.

And perhaps that's why I still remember these crayons all these years later.

They weren't just colors.

They had personalities.

Check out the video below for a closer look at this 1984 box of So Big crayons and a side-by-side comparison with the modern version.

So how about you: Do you remember your first box of crayons?