Kids of all ages learn about caring for the environment in many different ways.  It is often thought that the best way for people to learn is through “hands-on” teaching methods.  What better way to understand what happens to our garbage than to experience it yourself through working with composting!

 

Vermicomposting allows kids to get “up-close-and-personal” with the food-to-compost process.  They can take responsibility for feeding the worms and will be amazed as the food “disappears” over the days that follow.  Worms eat up to their own body weight in food per day!  That's even more than your average six-year-old eats! Vermicomposting worms are vegetarians and enjoy eating fruit and vegetable scraps, as well as plain breads and pasta. They don't eat candy or chocolate (something parents might want to point out).

Vermicompost bins do require some upkeep. The worm castings (a kind of worm poo) have to be removed every so often.  A properly maintained bin will be pretty much odour-free, as long as it is properly maintained and the worms are not overfed. (Listen for tiny moans and burps. Okay, not really.)

Vermicompost bins cannot handle as much waste as outdoor bins and, thus, a regular-sized bin may not be able to handle all of a household’s organic waste.  If used in conjunction with an outdoor composting system, the extras can be taken outside.   

The finished compost can be used to beautify your yard and in your garden and houseplants.  Growing plants love compost!

Outside Composting 

If your household has an backyard composter, children can help gather up materials for composting. A mixture of "green" and "brown" materials is important for successful production of finished compost. (See Composting under the household category for more information.)

Learning about all the different organisms that do the work of composting is amazing. One information source for adult educators is from Cornell University. The BBC has a page on making compost with kids. Even to a lot of us grownups, the process of producing sweet, earthy compost from yucky organic "waste" is seems like an almost magic transformation.

The organics-to-finished compost may take a bit longer with outdoor composting, but an outside system can handle a greater volume of material, including yard waste.

If a household is not prepared to undertake the task of composting, there are still learning opportunities connected to the idea of composting.  Parents can teach their kids about composting through crafts and games, and can even consider setting up a visit of a neighbour’s compost bin or going on a tour of a composting facility!  Composting offers many opportunities to learn about the natural world and better appreciate the effect that we humans have on the environment!

For more ideas on how kids can learn about composting, contact the Environmental Speakers Bureau and the Compost Action Project!

Composting activities and resources here! (Available for download)

The Adventures of Herman the Worm