This is my son, Noah. He is two years old and absorbs information around him like a little sponge. He his a very spirited little guy and while I think this is a good trait to have, I also want him to be able to stop, wind down and take a moment to appreciate the small things the world has to offer, by getting down to the basics.

It was his Play Group that inspired me with the idea to build a worm farm, since this is one of the tasks they give the littlies at their school. It is the perfect opportunity to first of all, do an activity with kids by building your very own worm farm, but secondly, you can use this avenue to help children appreciate nature and the circle of life. They can also learn how to recycle their food and grow new food! Their are actually many teaching opportunities! Most of all, they will get to appreciate the little worms, as slimy and as squiggly as they are, they play a very big role in the world!

So firstly, you'll need to plan the activity, either for your own children or for the kids in your class. I'd say the age appropriateness is anywhere from two years old and upwards.

Here is a list of the materials you will have to have readily available:

• Moist bedding material (soil, sand and newspaper can create a nice visual effect)
• Two or three plastic containers (size is up to you, if you can find see-through containers then the children can view how the worms dig and mix up the different layers of bedding i.e. soil, sand and newspaper. I used three containers to rotate the top two trays, but you really only need two)
• A drill 
• A tap
• Worms, worms and more worms (either found in the garden or bought from the pet store)

The steps:

1. Drill holes at the bottom of one of the containers for drainage.
2. Layer your bedding in the drilled container, with a layer of loamy soil on top
3. Drill a hole for the tap and insert tap into the second container
4. Place the container with the soil on top of the container with the tap
5. Add the worms to your soil
6. Cover with an airrated lid to keep in moisture and to prevent they wiggly creatures from escaping

Now you are ready to start farming!

Your worm farm needs to be placed in a sheltered spot, this will help keep the soil moist, which is important for successful farming. Dry soil will dry out the worms, if the bedding does seem to start drying out, spray with water. You can now start adding your organic waste to the top layer of soil. Try avoid adding highly acid foods, like tomatoes. It is also best to avoid adding things like meat and dairy, these could end up attracting a bad case of maggots! Things that can and should be fed to the worms include:

• Fruit and vegetable peels and off-cuts
• Tea leaves and coffee grounds
• Egg shells

Encourage your child to feed the worms with these scraps daily. Once the soil has become quite aerated, it can be used to fertilize plants, especially vegetable gardens. Once emptied this bedding needs to be replaced. The "juice" (this is actually worm wee) captured in the bottom container can also be used as a fertilizer (it actually has amazing benefits for plant growth). 

Tip: You cold grow a veggie garden alongside the worm farm to teach another "cycle of life".

Last, but not least, I have included a simple "chore chart" adapted for toddlers below. This chart helps teach little ones responsibility. I have included an image of a worm as part of the chart, and it can become the kid's chore to feed, check up on and care for the worms daily - this creates a sense of ownership and appreciation for the worms too! The chore template can be downloaded HERE.

Did you know?

The scientific name for worm farming is -  vermiculture 

Worms breathe and absorb (drink) water through their skin

There are more than 34 000 worm species on this planet

Thank you and much love - @sweetpea

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