Composting is a blend of science, nature, and connection to our food sources from start to finish. (It’s also a swirling mixture of kitchen scraps and organic material that forms healthy soil.)
There’s serious science behind composting, but it’s also a lot of fun. Composting with kids gives us all a hands-on way to learn how food scraps and organic matter become nutrients for the garden.
Whether you are looking for Start a family composting system Or try a quick activity for kids – there are lots of possibilities to incorporate compost into interesting and useful shared learning opportunities.
Bring the bugs
We all feel like children when it comes to earthworms. Vermicomposting is an easy and interesting way to observe natural decomposition cycles. Worms eat organic matter (or microorganisms that feed on it) and create compost that Provide exceptional nutrition for plants and soil.,
I first saw a successful vermicompost installation in college, when we visited a sustainable inn during orientation. When the gardener lifted the lid of a large, tall, wood-framed box in the basement, he revealed a bed of black soil (mold), some food waste, and the brass buttons from a pair of Levi’s. The worms ate the jeans. I was obsessed.
Successful Worm Bins Take a Little Research Provide the best accommodation and food.If children are old enough, they can help find and build the worm house. You can also buy one ready to use. vermicompost container To facilitate children’s access to the battery. I started with an old dresser on the back porch, using the drawers as containers. I wouldn’t recommend this as all the bugs fled to greener pastures. A modified plastic tub or wooden box works.
You will sometimes find worm bins in public parks, often playgrounds, where children can watch the worms work and even feed them. Young visitors delight in their progress.
Create a floor-aerium
Like a terrarium but for decomposing materials, Soil-Air Use a clear container so children can observe the composting process while they work. Manufacturing of clay pots This is a simple and easy way to keep young children busy.
Microorganisms in the jar break down kitchen scraps, paper, grass clippings and leaves. Although we cannot see the organisms, they are very useful to us. Children observe the changes that occur when making clay.,
Start with a wide-mouth glass or plastic jar with a lid. Add a handful of soil to introduce the microorganisms. Cover the jar with newspapers, fruit and vegetable scraps, dried leaves, and grass until it is almost full. Add a cup of rainwater, cover the jar with the lid and poke holes in the lid for oxygen to enter. Place the mixture on a sunny windowsill.,
Every two weeks, use a marker to measure the height of the material as the entire mixture breaks down. In about 12 weeks, you will have pure compost ready to use.
take a bucket
Like the jar activity, Bucket EITHER Bucket This is an easy way to start a mini composting experiment because kids can collect kitchen scraps. They can also use a coffee can, Container with lidEITHER resealable bags,
When the bucket has enough leftovers (no meat or dairy), pour them out. Add brown matter (leaves, pinestra, wood chips) and green matter (vegetable scraps, grass clippings, tender plants). Wear Three to four times more brown than green,
Once or twice a week, turn the contents or shake the bucket. The fresh soil amendment will be ready in about a month.
Create a container
To start composting regularly, set up your overall system, including a bin or pile where kids can place supplies regularly. There are several ways to make compost at home.
Piles work well in areas where cleanliness, space, and wildlife (including rats) are not concerns. Batteries are easy to flip, inspection, AND accessBins, available in various configurations or constructions, keep contents organized Supports a variety of sizes and configurations,
Nine cubic feet is fine for most household tasks, and a three-by-three box with mesh and a lid is a useful option. You can also choose a larger option with a triple bin system for easy access to the various stages of decomposition.
Let the kids help build the system, help set up pre-made modules like the tumbler, or help build the container. It’s a fun way to start the project from the beginning.
in the kitchen
Kitchen systems offer innovative, clean, compact and odor-free ways to use waste and food scraps for the health of the garden. From small countertop systems to large containers, The internal process is convenientSimple, accessible and easy to use in daily life.
Children play an equally important role kitchen system Like adults. They can probably teach us a thing or two about it, and once they get used to it, they’ll be able to stay the course.
feed the battery
Because of your new trash can, kitchen system, or hungry worms, composting in the compost pile may become a regular practice.
Aim for brown and green layers to promote healthy microorganisms and get a clean, soil-like result. Brown colors are rich in carbon. And this includes straw, dried leaves, plant materials and paper. Green vegetables are rich in nitrogen. and includes kitchen waste (other than meat or dairy), grass clippings, animal manure, coffee grounds, and garden vegetation.
in a balanced system There are more brown colors than green.Keep three to four times as much sawdust to avoid a wet, smelly pile.
With regular aeration (turning and turning) and consistent moisture, a healthy system works to create the rich compost we need. Involve children in the most rewarding part of the process: using the result to nourish new growth and create healthy soil. If you have a gift, maybe they can even share it with friends and neighbors.
play in the leaves
Fall is the season for jumping on piles of leaves. (After playing!) Put those batteries to good use. protecting them like gray matterLet them decompose into leaf mold as well. Leaves are a renewable resource and are at the same time mulch, fertilizer and soil conditioner.
It takes about six months for the leaf matter to completely decompose. Use them as leaf mulch at any stage. Protect roots and improve soilWhole torn leaves produce mold, a valuable resource for amending native soil and as a dressing when planting.
Enjoy the season and when the leaves fall, don’t rush to pick them. Keep them where they fall, spread them between the beds, save them for compost, cover the leaves with mulch and yes, pile on some fluff.
