Express Yourself: Crayola's 1986 Door Signs Kit

One of the things I enjoy most about collecting vintage Crayola products is discovering items that remind us how creativity was encouraged in different eras. Crayola's Door Signs Kit, released in 1986, is a perfect example.

At first glance, it looks like a simple craft activity. Inside the package are five door signs ready to color, along with a small box of six crayons. But the idea behind the product was bigger than that. Rather than simply coloring a picture, children were invited to personalize their own space by creating signs for their bedroom door.

It was a small project with a lot of personality. The back of the package even encouraged kids to "express yourself," a fitting message for the mid-1980s when personalized bedrooms, colorful decorations, and homemade crafts were becoming increasingly popular.

One detail in particular made me smile. The instructions recommend using Crayola Fluorescent Crayons for "even brighter and more vibrant colors." As luck would have it, I happened to have a vintage box of Crayola Fluorescent Crayons from the same era sitting on my shelf, so naturally I took their advice. Sometimes being a collector has its advantages!

In fact, I was fortunate enough to own two copies of this kit. That allowed me to preserve one unopened for my collection while opening the other to experience it exactly as a child might have in 1986. It's one of my favorite parts of collecting. Whenever possible, I enjoy preserving one example while using another to better understand how these products were originally intended to be enjoyed.

Nearly forty years later, this little craft kit still succeeds at what it was designed to do: encourage creativity, imagination, and a little personal expression.

It's also a reminder that Crayola has never been just about crayons. Throughout its history, the company has continually found new ways to inspire children to create, decorate, build, and make everyday spaces a little more colorful.

🎥 Watch the Video

I put one of my Door Signs Kits to the test, colored a sign using vintage Crayola Fluorescent Crayons, and shared a closer look at this charming piece of Crayola history.

One question before you go...

If you had one of these in 1986, what message would you have put on your bedroom door?