Summer Project: How To Make Compost At Home With Your Kids
As summer approaches, it's the perfect time to start a fun and educational project with your kids: making homemade compost! Composting is a great way to teach children about the environment and the natural cycle of decomposition. In this blog, I'll guide you through the process of creating homemade compost with your kids.
First, let's talk about what composting is. Composting is the process of breaking down organic materials, like food scraps and yard waste, into nutrient-rich soil. By composting, we're reducing the amount of waste we produce and creating a sustainable source of soil for our gardens.
To get started, you'll need a few things:
A compost bin or container
Organic materials like fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and leaves
Water
Here's how to create homemade compost with your kids:
Choose a location for your compost bin or container. It should be in a spot that's easily accessible and gets a mix of sun and shade.
Fill your compost bin or container with organic materials. You can use things like fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, and leaves. Avoid using meat or dairy products, as they can attract pests.
source: RDNE Stock project
3. Add water to the compost bin or container. You want the materials to be damp but not soaked. If it's too dry, add more water. Use a spray bottle!
4. Mix the materials together. You can use a garden fork or shovel to mix the materials and help with the decomposition process.
5. Cover the compost bin or container. This will help keep the moisture in and keep pests out.
6. Turn the compost every few weeks. This helps to aerate the compost and speed up the decomposition process.
7. Wait for the compost to mature. It usually takes a few months for the compost to be ready to use. You'll know it's ready when it looks like dark, crumbly soil.
Photo by RDNE Stock project
Making homemade compost with your kids is a great way to teach them about the environment and the importance of reducing waste. It's also a fun summer project that they'll enjoy participating in. Here are a few more tips for making homemade compost with your kids:
Put them in charge of collecting the organic materials for the compost with our Compost poster.
Let them help mix the materials together and turn the compost.
Use the compost to start a garden or grow plants in pots. This will help teach them about the natural cycle of growth and decomposition.
Photo by Allan Mas
If you wish to print out our FREE resource of the month, we suggest to let them lead by letting everybody else in the family know what can be thrown in the compost bin. You can ask them to hang up the poster near the compost bin to help everyone in the family remember.
I hope you and your kids enjoy making homemade compost this summer. It's a great way to teach them about the environment via STEM which is fun and purposeful at the same time. Happy Composting!
