Family Activity: Starting a Compost Bin with Your Kids!
Hey my parent pals! Today, we're getting down and dirty, and diving into the wonderful world of composting - with a twist – we're bringing the kids along for the ride!
Strap in, because we're about to embark on a fun-filled journey of reducing food waste, spending quality time with our little ones, and maybe even helping to save the planet (no big deal, right?).
Picture this: you're in the kitchen, peeling potatoes for dinner, and suddenly, it hits you – the amount of food scraps you're about to toss into the bin is reaching mountainous proportions. But fear not, dear friend, because we're about to turn that trash into literal treasure with the magic of composting!
Now, I know what you're thinking – composting with kids? Isn't that just a recipe for chaos and a gigantic mess? Well, fear not, because with a sprinkle of patience and a dash of enthusiasm, you'll be turning your mini-me into a composting champion in no time.
First things first:
Let's break it down for the little ones. Composting is like nature's recycling system – instead of sending our food scraps to the landfill where they'll just sit, rot and produce greenhouse gases (ew), we're giving them a second chance at life by turning them into nutrient-rich soil that helps our plants grow big and strong.
It's like magic, but better, because we get to be part of the process!
Even if you’re already sending your food waste to your city’s composting facility (if they have one), think about the amount of carbon you’re helping to save by composting in your own back yard (or even inside!) and reducing the number of trucks needed to collect your household’s green waste!
Now, onto the nitty-gritty:
Setting up your very own compost bin. Don't worry, you don't need a fancy degree in environmental science to pull this off.
All you need is a bit of space in your backyard (or even on your balcony if you're tight on space, or even under your kitchen sink or in the pantry!), a container with a lid, and a can-do attitude.
Oh, and did I mention worms? That's right, folks – we're talking about vermicomposting, aka composting with worms. Trust me, the kiddos will get a kick out of naming their new wriggly friends.
Once you've got your bin set up, it's time to get to work. Get the whole family involved in making sure their food scraps end up in the compost bin and not the garbage. The more you feed your worms, they happier they’ll be, and the more worms you’ll have! These babies reproduce rapidly when all their needs are being met, and you’ll soon have enough worms to share with friends and neighbours, and spread the home composting love! Red wiggler worms are like the sourdough starter of the bug world.
What can you add to a worm composting bin you might ask?
A good rule of thumb is anything that is fresh (uncooked). Think fruit and veggie peels, coffee grounds, yard trimmings, eggshells, cardboard and newsprint - the whole shebang.
You want to avoid anything cooked and oily/salty as the oil will coat your poor worms skin, which is what they breathe through.
Now, here comes the fun part – watching your compost pile do its thing and start exploring the process with your kids!
Get the kids involved in every part of the compost bin:
Such as: turning the pile every once in a while to aerate it and speed up the decomposition process, adding the kitchen scraps to the top of your bin, and collecting your beautiful, rich compost to use in your garden, or for your house plants!
Getting your kids involved with worm composting is also a feast for the senses, and not in as yucky of a way as you probably think!
If your worm bin is taken care of and well balanced, worm composting is almost scentless!
The finished worm castings (aka worm poop, aka rich compost) smells like fresh earth, and the worms typically devour your food scraps so quickly that there’s no opportunity for that food to start rotting and stinking! It’s amazing, really. This is why worm composting can be done almost anywhere - even inside your home!
But wait, there's more!
Composting isn't just about reducing food waste – it's also about teaching our kids important lessons about sustainability and taking care of the planet. Use this opportunity to talk to them about why it's important to reduce, reuse, and recycle, and watch as their little minds light up with eco-friendly enthusiasm.
There are so many topics to explore that relate to worm composting, but here’s just a few big ideas that we’ve talked about so far in our family all thanks to our little worm buddies:
lifecycles
climate change and climate action
growing food
photosynthesis
decomposition
ecosystems
caring for animals
sharing what we learn with friends
And let's not forget about the end result:
Glorious, nutrient-rich compost that will make your plants positively sing with joy. Get the kiddies involved in spreading the compost in the garden and watch as they marvel at the literal fruits of their labor.
Oh yeah:
One last benefit of starting a compost bin with your kids: you get to feel like a super hero as you proudly walk past the EXPENSIVE bags of worm compost that are for sale at the garden centre, knowing you’re saving the planet AND saving money, too!
So there you have it, folks – starting a compost bin with your kids isn't just good for the planet, it's also a fun and educational adventure that the whole family can enjoy. So grab your pitchforks (or, you know, a shovel will do), gather up those food scraps, and let's get composting!
Who knows, you might just inspire the next generation of earth lovers along the way.
Before you go!
I need to know! Have you set up a worm composting bin with your kids? Or want to?? This simple activity has quite literally changed me life and how I look at sustainability. What do you think about worm composting indoors? Any thoughts you have at all about this topic, please share them in the comments section below! This is my VERY favourite topic to talk about, so I am excited to start a conversation here! And as always, thanks so much for being here!
