Why a worm farm is a great homeschooling activity

The squiggly worm is loved by some and unfortunately feared by most! Yet the worm is one of our best allies. Who would be crazy enough to study worms for forty years, well Charles Darwin of course.

Teaching children to care for worms not only helps the planet but helps us too! Worms create free fertiliser for organic gardens, making your veggies taste better.

Worms have played a more important part in history of the world than humans would at first suppose. Charles Darwin

Cool facts about worms

• The earthworm has 5 hearts! Their hearts aren’t multi-chambered heart like mammals or reptiles, they are a series of single-chambered aortic arches and they have five of them.
• Worms have no head, eyes or teeth. So they don’t bite!
• The earthworm “breathes” through its skin.
• Worms are so strong that they are capable of digging as deep as five meters down and can move a stone fifty times its own weight.
• Worms are hermaphrodites, which means they have both male and female organs of procreation, and must perform a reciprocal act of copulation to fertilise and be fertilised.
• Worms throw their bodily excrements, known as castings or worm humus behind them. This is free fertilizer for nature.

Earthworm and mini egg

Why make a worm farm

Charles Darwin states that all the fertile areas of this planet have at least once passed through the bodies of earthworms. His book “The Formation of Vegetable Mould” summarizes his studies on earthworms.

Darwin states that the worm is the plough, the chemist, the fertilizer, the cultivator and distributor of nature’s plant food. In any case, the worm surpasses any instrument invented by man to plough, cultivate or fertilize the soil.

Feed nature and she feeds you.

Lesson plan

So it makes total permaculture sense to introduce the element of a worm farm into your home garden, and better still it’s a homeschooling project that benefits the planet and your children.

What worms to use for your worm farm

There are several types of worms. The three main categories are:

Epigeic – worms that live close to the soil surface and feed on plant litter. These are the worms we usually use for a worm farm, as they love to munch things for hours on end. Californian red worms are easy to find or ask a friend to gift you some. My first worm farm was created with worm eggs that my daughter and I found in some compost.

Anecic – worms that feed on plant litter, soil and form vertical burrows. These are the worms we usually call earthworms. They prefer to live in nature and are not fond of worm farms, as they like to dig deep. These are the  worms that like to throw their castings above the surface of the soil, forming small mounds.

Endogeic – worms that live deep in mineral soil horizons and feed on soil. Hard to find but you may find these worms when excavating a site.

Worm projects

If you are tight for cash, this model of worm farm works fine. It’s really cheap and has been tried and tested. It is also possible to make a worm farm straight on the ground but a little difficult to conatin them. Watch the video here to see the system we use in a home garden.

The power of change

This is a moment for change. The Covid-19 virus has reminded us that we too, need to be in sync with Mother Nature.

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change. Charles Darwin

Educating your child/ren to work with nature rather than against nature is a precious gift for the future well being of your child/ren. Good Luck, and send in any questions about worms here! Also sign up for our newsletter.

9 Ways to Teach Children to Love Nature

Children are naturally born with a sense of wonder. When left alone, many children often explore the world with all their senses. They may experiment eating mud pies, shove their noses into flowers or try to catch ants and other bugs. Many children will communicate their discoveries to those around them and demonstrate an affinity for Nature.

Carefully cultivated, the feelings of appreciation forms solid values which can mature into ecological literacy and in the future into conscious green patterns of living.

Most of us live comfortably in our environment. Yet we often taken some things for granted such as the air we breathe, the plants that feed us, the animals that are our companions. Sometimes we do more, we “appreciate” our environment meaning to recognise the value of that “something” and go about protecting and preserving that environment.

So how do we educate for appreciation and gratitude?

A Sense of Appreciation

There are many things you can do to encourage children to appreciate nature. One of the most important tasks is to be a positive role model, set an example and show interest in nature. Researchers have presented two implications for early childhood learnings with the natural world.

1. It is critical that we take children outside to play and that we bring the outside world in. According to researchers, the access children have to the natural and outdoor world is fundamental for the translation of knowledge into active concern for our world.
2. We should offer small children activities specifically designed to appreciate and to explore nature and the environment. These activities will help form the foundation for later, deeper understandings of the natural world.

 

Appreciation Activities

There is some truth in the old saying “If you love nature, you will never be alone”. It is a beautiful gift that we can give to children, the ability to dissolve the feelings of loneliness by taking refuge in nature. And this gift starts with helping them develop a sense of nature.

Be Curious

Take your child/ren on walks through a forest, park or wooded area. Discuss such things as what the forest looks and sounds like, what animals can be seen, and what it feels like to walk through the forest or park. Use you phone to make recordings of bird song or the whistling of the wind to play back to the child/ren at a later date.

Be Quiet

Keep your eyes and ears open when walking in nature. This means less talk at first. Teach children to be quiet and still around animals. No touching of small insects or reptiles. It is important that students don’t harm bugs or small reptiles. This is a great moment to teach kindness.

Notice Small Things

Sometimes a combination of pretty leaves is enough to create interest. Show child/ren as many details of nature as you can. Show them parts of a leaf or flower, the special colours of birds or the strange appearance of bugs. If the child has no fear, be gentle with your words and your fears. As adults we don’t want to impose our fears onto children.

Ask Children Questions

Help your child/ren notice certain aspects of nature through guided questioning. Encourage them to ask you questions. Show them the habit of questioning and being curious is a positive educational experience.

Use Your Senses

Urge children to use all of their senses. Ask them not only to see but also hear, smell, touch and if it is safe, to taste. Ask them to describe each kind of sensory impression. Be careful of tasting unfamiliar plants, though!

Reflection

Who doesn’t love a picnic in nature? Make picnics in nature a special occasion. Lie on blankets and watch the clouds float by, smell the breeze, observe flight patterns of birds and insects. Help children to summarise what they have seen at the end. To stimulate discussion, ask your child/ren what they enjoyed most. Ask the child/ren what they want to know more about. Personal reflection is important at any age!

 

Responsibility

Touch on the subject of ecology and introduce responsibility. If you find rubbish on the Nature trail, talk about it. Carry a bag and a glove to collect rubbish from your favourite natural spot whether it’s a beach, park or forest.

Grow a Veggie Garden

Encourage your child to plant seeds of their favourite veggies and flowers in garden soil. Motivate your child/ren to help you water and take care of the little patch of seeds. And when there are fruits to collect, share with family and friends. Thank Mother Nature for caring for us by leaving out water for birds or planting extra flowers for butterflies.

Ecology

Make a plan with your child/ren to plant a tree in an appropriate area. Can you imagine what the tree might be like when it’s fully grown? Draw pictures and take photos. As the tree grows, encourage the child/ren to place ribbon wishes on the branches or decorate the tree with an alter of gratitude, made with painted rocks, flowers and seeds for birds.