Taking care of your own compost system is very easy to do, so much so that even your kids can have a part in it. Let’s face it, kids love to get dirty, and most of them seem to have an inherent fascination for creepy, crawly things such as worms. So why not let your kids have and enjoy their own vermicomposting system as well?
Why Teach Vermicomposting to Kids?
Teaching kids about vermicomposting and letting them take part in their own worm farm composting project is a great idea not only to help you get assistance for your composting system, but also to teach them core values such as responsibilities and respect for life. Give simple responsibilities to your kids such as checking on the compost system once a day and refilling it with fresh biodegradable material.
You can also teach them to better segregate their wastes as fruit and vegetable wastes will be used for the compost system. Another value that you will be able to teach your kids is about recycling. Teach them to turn newspaper and cardboard scraps into foods for their worms. They will also learn to find other food sources for their pet worms, but make sure that they consult you first so that you do not put any harmful material into the compost bin.
Of course, letting your kids take part in your worm composting system will also teach them about the value of life and how they should respect it. After all, worms are such small creatures that are often taken for granted or turned into subjects of disgust. Letting your children know that even these small creatures can produce something that can help Mother Nature grow will help them appreciate all the living things in this world. They will also learn to handle things carefully and hopefully, they will also spread the knowledge to their other friends and playmates.
Through a Child’s Eyes
Vermicomposting is a very simple process that does not need to be overly-elaborate, especially for children of a relatively young age. If you want to teach your kids about vermicomposting, there is no need to go over the whole biodegrading process and the other scientific processes that go on inside the compost bins. Try to explain the process in the simplest way possible or rather, tell it like a story.
After all, composting is simply about feeding the worms with organic material so that they can produce worm castings which are good for the plants and the soil.
You can also introduce the idea of vermicomposting to your kids by bringing them to worm farms that are near your area. Even more simply, ask your kids if their teachers ever discussed composting at school and if they did, are the kids interested?
Prepare your Compost System
Before you start introducing your kids to the world of worm farm composting, you should first make sure that everything is all set up and prepared. Prepare your compost system first by allotting a space in the house or in your garden, and set up the necessary equipment including the worm composting bins, the biodegradable material, and the worms. Make sure that everything is in proper order; otherwise, the kids will explore by themselves and things can get really dirty.
Prepare Your Kids
Your kids can have a part in your worm farm composting efforts, but make sure that they have an interest in it first before you force it on them. As soon as you mention worms their interest will probably be piqued (especially for boys), but if they do not show any interest in worm bins and composting, making them work on compost systems can turn them off even more. Start out slow by showing the kids what you are doing with the compost. You can also show them some of the worms which should get them to wonder what you do with the slimy little creatures.
Another way of developing interest in your children is by allowing them to take simple parts in the project such as making them put their vegetable and fruit wastes into the compost bins. If they are not already interested in the worms and what they are doing with the biodegradable materials, they will become curious over time and then you can teach them about the wonders of composting.
If you want to get started worm farm composting with your kids, check out our various composting worm bins today! We are sure to have one that will fit your needs, and can help you to decide on one if there is any confusion in your mind.
Article by Donny B
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