Turn Table Scraps into Ooey Gooey Wormy Goods

Have you ever wondered about a better use for scraps left over from preparing meals? As I was preparing dinner one night, I noticed how much waste comes from our family's kitchen scraps: egg shells, potato peels, celery, carrots, squash, and more. That observation led me to research something called vermicomposting, which is simply using worms to break down food waste.

Did your homeschool mind shout "Science project!" as you read that? Yes, this practical life activity can also check off the homeschool science fair box. Worms produce castings that are used to fertilize plants. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, vegetables nourished with worm castings grew 30% larger. Results like that make for impressive charts and graphs.

In this post, I will show you how to create your own vermicomposting worm bin. You may already have many of the supplies on hand. This is a wonderful way to teach your child how even the smallest organism contributes in a big way to daily life, to be more mindful about what they throw away, and to understand recycling.

🧮 What Montessori says about practical life activities and science: Maria Montessori placed practical life activities at the very heart of her curriculum. She believed that children learn most deeply when they are engaged in real work that has genuine purpose and visible results. Caring for living things, whether plants, animals, or a worm bin, develops responsibility, patience, scientific observation, and a sense of connection to the natural world. Montessori wrote that the child who tends to living things develops a reverence for life that no textbook lesson can produce. Research on project-based science learning (Krajcik and Shin, 2014, Handbook of Research on Science Education) found that children who engaged in hands-on, real-world science projects showed significantly stronger conceptual understanding, scientific reasoning, and long-term retention than those taught through traditional instruction. A 2021 study in Journal of Environmental Education confirmed that children who participated in composting and gardening activities showed measurable gains in environmental awareness, mathematical reasoning, and written language skills.

Extension Activities to Maximize Learning

🔬 Research Projects

What worms eat. How worm composting works. The worm life cycle. Different species of worms. Each of these makes an excellent independent research topic for any age.

🔢 Early Math Skills (Math Kit I)

Using your ShillerLearning number tiles, work with your child on number recognition. Set a number in front of your child and have them make worms out of playdough. For example, if you set the number 7 in front of your child, have them create 7 worms and place them under the number. You can use the same approach for addition and subtraction as well.

📖 Language Arts Skills (Language Arts Kit B)

Provide your child with a science journal to keep with their worm bin. They can write observations of what is happening, record data over time, and use creative writing to imagine a story from the worm's perspective.

What You Will Need

📦 Supplies

Two plastic bins
One lid to fit the bins
A ¼" drill bit or screw tip
A drill
Shredded newspaper
Dirt or compost starter
Red wiggler worms (see note below)
Permanent marker, stickers, or decals to decorate your bin (optional but fun)

I encourage you to allow your child to look for and collect the red wiggler worms needed for their bin. You can find red wigglers on the soil surface where grass has been covered. If you have a flower pot that has been sitting on the grass for a while, you will likely find red wigglers underneath it. Allow your child to gather the dirt as well. Children love collecting materials; it feels like a treasure hunt.

How to Build Your Worm Bin

Step 1: Decorate your bin

Using stickers, decals, or a permanent marker, decorate one of the plastic bins however you like. Set this bin aside. This will be the outer bin.

Step 2: Drill holes in the bottom

Using the second plastic bin, drill holes across the entire bottom. Do not drill holes in the bin you decorated.

Step 3: Drill ventilation holes on the sides

Using the same bin from Step 2, drill holes around the sides at the very top only. This provides ventilation while keeping the worms inside.

Step 4: Drill holes in the lid

Using the drill and bit, drill holes across the lid to allow airflow.

Step 5: Nest the bins

Place the bin with the holes inside the decorated bin. The holes allow liquid to drain into the outer bin.

Nesting the inner bin inside the outer bin

Step 6: Line the bottom with newspaper

Line the bottom of the inner bin with newspaper or a paper bag.

Step 7: Add shredded newspaper

Add a layer of shredded newspaper and spray it with water until damp.

Step 8: Add dirt or compost starter

Add dirt or compost starter and spray with water. You want the soil to be damp like a wrung-out sponge.

Step 9: Mix the bedding

Mix the dirt and newspaper together to create the worm bedding.

Step 10: Add the worms

Gently add your red wiggler worms to the bedding.

Final Step: Add veggie scraps and maintain

Add your vegetable scraps and put the lid on. Feed your worms at least once a week and always keep their environment damp like a wrung-out sponge. Your worms will do the rest.