Did you know that nearly 30% of household waste could be composted instead of ending up in landfills? By composting, you can significantly reduce your household’s carbon footprint—sometimes more effectively than recycling! Not only is composting great for the planet, but it’s also an engaging and educational way to get your kids excited about science, sustainability, and gardening.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to transform food scraps into nutrient-rich compost and discover fun, creative ways to get your kids involved in the process. We’ll explore why composting is important, how to set up your own composting station at home, and the basics of layering, turning, and watering compost. Plus, we’ll introduce hands-on activities like worm composting, compost bingo, and a plant science experiment. Don’t have a garden? No problem! We’ll also cover urban kitchen composting for small spaces. And to round out your composting journey, we’ll provide expert videos and global composting events to inspire further learning. Ready to turn your kitchen scraps into garden gold? Let’s dive in!

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Contents
- Why Should We Compost?
- Explain the Why of Composting to Kids
- How to Start Composting at Home
- Fun Composting Activities for Children
- Composting without a Garden
- Further Reseach on Composting
Why Should We Compost?
Composting is an easy and effective way to reduce waste and help the environment. When we throw away food scraps and garden waste, they often end up in landfills where they can’t break down properly. This creates harmful greenhouse gases, like methane, that contribute to climate change.
Composting, on the other hand, allows these organic materials to decompose naturally, turning them into rich, nutrient-dense soil that can be used to nourish plants. By composting, we not only reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills but also help create a healthier planet for future generations. It’s a simple, sustainable practice that makes a big impact on the health of our environment and our gardens.
Explain the Why of Composting to Kids
Explaining why composting is important helps empower children to make a positive impact on the environment. For younger kids, composting can be presented as a way of recycling food scraps to “feed” our plants, while older children can dive deeper into the science, learning about biology, life cycles, recycling, and conservation.
Let kids know that when we throw food scraps, garden cuttings, and other organic materials into the trash, they end up in landfills, where they don’t get enough air or sunlight to break down properly. Instead of decomposing naturally, these materials produce harmful gases like methane. On the other hand, when we compost, we create an environment where these materials break down naturally with the help of tiny organisms like bacteria and worms.
As the food scraps decompose, they transform into rich, dark soil that can be used to help plants grow healthy and strong. So, by composting, we’re not only keeping waste out of landfills but also creating nutrient-rich soil that benefits our gardens. It’s like giving our food scraps a second chance to do something amazing!
How to Start Composting At Home
Setting Up Your Composting Station
Kids learn best through hands-on experiences, so giving them their own compost container can make the process more engaging and fun. Let’s set up your composting station with everything you need to get started!
Quick Composting Essentials:
- Container: Compost bin, mesh cage, plastic tub
- Location: Yard, balcony, or kitchen
- Brown Materials (Carbon-rich): Leaves, shredded paper, cardboard
- Green Materials (Nitrogen-rich): Food scraps, coffee grounds, grass clippings
Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up:
✅ Choose a Container
You can use a compost bin with a lid, set up a simple compost heap, or repurpose a large plastic tub. Each option works well, depending on your available space and needs.
✅ Find the Right Location
Place your compost bin in a convenient spot in your backyard, on your balcony, or even in your kitchen (check out the urban kitchen composting section below). Make sure it gets some sunlight and is easy to access for regular additions.
✅ Understand Brown & Green Materials
Composting requires a balance of brown materials (carbon-rich) and green materials (nitrogen-rich). Brown materials include dry leaves, shredded paper, and cardboard, while green materials include fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and grass clippings. Teaching kids about this balance helps them understand the science behind composting!
The Composting Process
Now that your composting station is set up, it’s time to begin composting! Here’s how to get started:
1. Layering:
Composting is all about creating the right balance between brown materials (like dry leaves, straw, and cardboard) and green materials (such as food scraps and grass clippings). Start by teaching your kids to create alternating layers in the compost bin. Begin with a layer of brown materials, followed by a layer of green materials, and keep alternating these layers as you add more scraps. This helps create the perfect environment for decomposition.
2. Turning:
Turning the compost is essential because it helps introduce air into the mix, speeding up the decomposition process. Encourage your kids to gently turn the compost with a fork or shovel every week. This aerates the pile and ensures that the organic matter breaks down evenly.
3. Watering:
Compost needs to stay moist but not too wet—think of it like a damp sponge. Show your kids how to water the compost pile using a watering can or garden hose. Aim to keep the pile moist enough to support the decomposing microorganisms but avoid making it soggy, which can slow down the process.
Harvesting and Using Compost
After a few months of composting, it’s time to harvest your nutrient-rich compost! Here’s how to involve your kids in the process:
1. Harvesting:
When your compost looks dark, crumbly, and smells earthy, it’s ready for use. Teach your kids how to sift through the compost to remove any larger chunks or undecomposed materials. This will leave you with a fine, nutrient-rich soil that’s perfect for enriching your garden.
2. Storing:
Store your finished compost in a cool, dry spot until you’re ready to use it. Make sure it’s in an airtight container or covered to prevent it from drying out. Keeping it stored properly ensures that your compost stays in excellent condition for when it’s time to put it to use.
3. Using Compost:
Finished compost can be used in a variety of ways to improve your garden. Teach your kids how to use it to enrich soil, make potting mixes for plants, or as mulch around trees and shrubs. It’s exciting for them to see how their composting efforts help create healthy, thriving plants. Let your kids take pride in knowing that their compost has turned food scraps and waste into something valuable for the garden!

Fun Composting Activities for Children
Make composting a hands-on and enjoyable experience with these fun composting activities for kids:
- Worm Composting: Introduce your kids to the fascinating world of worms by setting up a worm composting bin, also known as vermicomposting. Let them observe how worms break down organic matter and turn it into nutrient-rich compost.
- Compost Bingo: Create a compost bingo game (or grab my freebie above) to teach kids about different items that can be composted. Make bingo cards with pictures of compostable items like banana peels, eggshells, and grass clippings, and have them mark off each item as they add it to the compost bin.
- Science Experiment: Once you have some compost made set up some seeds to grow and feed one with your homemade compost and the other without and journal about the differences in the plants growth.

Composting without a Garden
Urban kitchen composting is a fantastic way to turn food scraps into nutrient-rich soil, even if you don’t have a backyard! In the hustle and bustle of city life, it’s easy to overlook the potential of kitchen waste. But with urban kitchen composting, all you need is a small space, like a balcony or countertop, and a compact compost bin or worm bin. Simply collect your fruit and veggie scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells in a container, and let nature do the rest. With a little care and attention, these scraps transform into black gold, perfect for nourishing houseplants, community gardens, or even shared green spaces in the city. Urban kitchen composting not only reduces waste but also brings a touch of green living to urban dwellers, connecting them to the natural cycles of growth and renewal right at home.
Further Reseach on Composting
If you’re looking to dive deeper into composting and learn more about the science, methods, and benefits, here are some great resources to continue your journey:
1. The Compost Research and Education Foundation
The The Compost Research and Education Foundation (CREF) is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of composting. They provide valuable educational resources, research articles, and case studies to help you understand how composting works and its broader impact on sustainability. Check out their website for more information: Visit CREF
2. International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW)
Composting is such an important issue that it even has its own week of celebration! International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) is held annually in May and is an excellent opportunity to learn more about composting through events, activities, and educational campaigns.
3. Books on Composting
Compost: Transform Waste into New Life by Charles Dowding – This book offers an in-depth look at the science and process of composting, with practical tips for creating rich, healthy compost in your own garden. It’s ideal for those eager to learn more about how composting works and how to do it effectively.
The Composting Bible: Turning Trash into Treasure by Jeff Binder – A comprehensive guide to all things composting, this book provides step-by-step instructions, troubleshooting tips, and creative ways to turn everyday waste into valuable compost. It’s perfect for those looking to get serious about composting at home.
4. Watch Composting Experts
Learning from experts in the field can be incredibly inspiring. Charles Dowding is a well-known expert in the field of organic gardening and composting. He shares practical tips and tricks for creating compost and growing healthy plants. Watch one of his popular videos here:
Another Channel I like to watch on YouTube is Emma’s Allotment Diaries. In this video Emma provides a practical, step-by-step guide to creating a compost bay using pallets—an affordable and sustainable way to manage compost at an allotment or in a garden. I have plans to recreate this at my own allotment.
Other Posts You May Enjoy
If you and your little ones are loving the hands-on fun of composting, why not explore more outdoor adventures? Here are some posts packed with engaging, family-friendly activities to help you make the most of your gardening space.
🌿 5 Fun and Easy Allotment Gardening Activities for Kids
Want to get your kids involved at the allotment or in the garden? This post shares simple, engaging gardening activities perfect for little green thumbs—no experience needed! From planting some wild flowers with seed bombs to building a DIY bug hotel, these activities make allotment gardening fun and educational.
🌱 5 More Fun and Easy Activities at the Allotment
Looking for more ways to keep your children entertained while spending time at the allotment? This post includes creating your own strawberry patch and having a herbal tea party along with 3 other ideas for fun and easy activities at the allotment.
Make sure you come back for some new posts that are in the works including zero-waste gardening, encouraging wildlife to your allotment and how to create a nature-based classroom.
As you can see, composting with kids is not only educational but also a fun and rewarding experience for the whole family. By involving your children in the composting process, you’re teaching valuable lessons about sustainability, responsibility, and the natural world—all while reducing household waste.
So, grab your pitchforks and start your composting journey today! I would love to hear how your kids are getting involved—share your experiences in the comments or tag me on Instagram with your composting adventures!
Good information here. Those worm containers with clear sides and layers of light and dark materials are interesting to see how worms mix up the layers.