I have worked with youth in some fashion or another nearly all of my professional life. There never seems to be an end to what activities you can do in the gardening world. One of these activities is Worm composting, also called vermicomposting, is the use of worms to recycle food scraps and other organic material into a valuable soil amendment. One of the things that makes this a great activity in the winter is because it is an indoor activity!
This activity will produce incredible nutrients for your garden in the form of castings. All you need is a box, moist strips of newspaper, and worms. Purchase red worms or red wigglers online from a worm farm. Use a shallow plastic or wooden 5- to 10-gallon container that you have rinsed out. Put plastic on the bottom if it is made of wood. Add bedding made of newspaper strips or leaves. Fill the box strips of moist newspaper and a few worms. Cover the bin with a loose fitting lid that allows air to circulate. Keep it shady and moist.
The child can add kitchen scraps, preferably raw fruit and vegetables (except for orange rinds, citrus fruits, onions, and broccoli.) In a favorable environment, your worms will work tirelessly to produce compost. It is an easy, fun way for children to learn the importance of composting, to discover the value of worms, and to learn about the interdependence of plants and organisms.
