Make sure you know what you can and can't compost.

Truth be told, I don’t exactly find composting an “easy” activity for kids. I think it can involve a lot—finding the right space, knowing what is and isn’t okay to compost and having the patience for it all to turn into soil.

Yet, I regularly teach a composting class to kids through my volunteer work as a master gardener. How come?

The thing is, kids love it. I mean, what’s more magical than throwing your garbage into a bin and then it turns into soil? So to make composting with kids easier, here are a few suggestions.

Explain what’s happening. Make sure to tell the kids what’s going on throughout this process. There are some great books out there that explain what you should and should not compost (Compost Stew is a wonderful picture book). Depending on what age of kids you’re working with, make sure they understand what’s happening.

Find a good tumbler system. Old school composting systems involve a lot of turning and mixing by hand. But if you’re composting with kids, I recommend getting a good tumbler system. They’ll like to spin it, and it speeds up the process.

Learn the difference between brown and green. If you don’t get this part right, then nothing else matters. It’s easy to come up with green matter like kitchen waste, but don’t forget to add brown matter like leaves and cardboard. The general rule of thumb is you need about 25 to 30 parts brown material to one part green. (To learn what is and isn’t okay to compost, take a look at my video.)

Designate a spot. You definitely need a spot to keep your compost pile or bin outside, but also designate a place to keep your kitchen scraps. They make some bins, complete with compostable, odor-eliminating liners that are great. If you have it out where everyone can see, you’re more likely to keep doing it.

Experiment with worms. Worms speed up the composting process, and kids love them! When I teach composting classes, we create mini environments with red wiggler worms, shredded newspaper and soil. In the gardening world, it’s called vermicomposting. Check it out!

Recycle, recycle, recycle. The bottom line is that composting is a great way to recycle. Don’t lose sight of that. Even if you’re not successful right away or it’s a lot more involved than you imagined it to be, you can still use it as a way to recycle more. It’s still a worthwhile lesson.

It’s okay to take a break. Many people stop composting in winter (if they live in a colder climate) or find that they go in spurts. This is okay! Don’t try to do too much, and take a break if you need it.

Make seed art out of extra seeds.

Most seed packets hold a lot more seeds than we need in a single season, but it’s still fun to buy new seeds each year. So what do you do with the excess? Here are a few ideas, perfect for kids. And don’t forget to pick up some seed packets on clearance at the end of the season! It’s a great way to keep the gardening fun going.

1. Create a seed mosaic or picture. Make an outline or use stencils to trace, and then fill in with seeds. It’s an easy way to create a piece of art that is truly inspired by the garden. In this picture here, we just used a paper plate and glue.
2. Pass them along to a friend. You could save money by buying your seeds with a friend and sharing. You could even hold a seed exchange!
3. Put them to the test . You can actually keep most seeds for several years, so don’t toss them after one season. Hold onto them and use them again the next year. Or over winter when you’re bored and it’s cold out, see if you can get a few to sprout inside. If they do, you’ll know you can still use them.
4. Make a special envelope and save them. Often times, the seed envelopes get broken or torn, so you lose the seeds. Make a craft project out of it and make your own envelopes to store the seeds inside.
5. Put them out for the critters. You never know what might stop by for a little snack. Put out your extra seeds near the bird feeder and see what comes in for a bite to eat.
6. Make a plantable bookmark.  You can make your own bookmark with seeds embedded in them. Use two thin pieces of newspaper or paper towel and put the seeds in the middle. Then give it away as a gift—that person can then plant the bookmark and get flowers!

Spider seed mats, growing spider flowers

I remember the first time I discovered seed rolls or seed tape. (You know the seed tape you can buy from gardening supply companies?) Genius!

You simply roll out the tape or roll, and the seeds are already in place, perfectly 1-2 inches apart or whatever the particular seed calls for. Then I heard about someone at my Master Gardener’s organization making their own version with kids using paper towels and toilet paper. Double genius! Ever since then I developed my own version, making a spider. It’s now  one of my favorite, cheapest and easiest activities to do with a group of kids. Seriously, you can entertain an entire class for less than $2! Here’s how to make some spider seed mats!

1. Cut out your spider shape. You can see here that I cut out two circles and four legs. Depending on how old the kids are or how much time you have, you can pre-cut these to make it easier.
2. You can plant any kind of seed, but I love using spider flower (cleome) for my spider shape. It’s an easy flower for kids to grow, and it’s fun, too. You can follow the directions on the back of the seed packet for placement, but I like to tell the kids to put 1-2 seeds on the tip of each leg. So get your seeds ready.
3. Now make a glue-like mixture out of flour and water. Mix until it’s a little bit sticky. Then dab just a little bit (you don’t need much) on the end of each leg. Let dry for 5-10 minutes.
4. Once dry, gently roll up your spider legs. If it’s too early to plant in the ground, save it. Or if you’re ready to plant, go out to the garden and place it on the soil. Then cover your spider with just a thin later of soil. Water and wait for your spider to start sprouting!

You can make these seed mats with just about any seed or shape. I’d love to try making suns with sunflower seeds next. Just follow the directions on the back of seed packet for spacing. It’s a great way to save time in the garden and get your hands dirty in spring when it’s still a little too cold to garden. Here’s a link to a video of a similar seed roll you can make. 

These days, it seems like everyone is looking for ways to get kids outside more. Gardening is near and dear to my heart, which is why I wrote the book, Project Garden. (Find out how you can win a copy of Project Garden here.) It’s filled with recipes, gardening ideas and just general backyard/outdoor projects. I also work with kids regularly, offering gardening classes as part of my Master Gardener volunteer work through area rec departments. For people looking to get kids outside and into the garden, here are my top ideas. I hope it helps encourage a new little sprout in your life!

1.     Find a Community Garden Plot. Not everyone has the space to have a garden in their backyard. If this is the case for you, then look around for community garden plots in your area. You can rent a space and grow anything you want.

2.     Give Them Their Own Space. Anytime you can call something your very own, it just means more. This is also the case with kids and a garden. You don’t have to give them a huge plot in your yard. Just a small square or a corner of the patio with containers will be enough. Then let them choose what they want to put in there. It might be tempting to choose for them, but it’ll mean so much more to them if they can take full ownership.

3.     Let Them Choose Their Own Plants. This can start at home by going through seed catalogs or looking online for inspiration. But then take them to a local nursery or garden store and let them pick the seeds and plants for themselves. Like anyone else, kids enjoy walking through the aisles of plants, soaking up the options all around them.

4.     Grow Something They Can Eat. The garden-to-table lesson is a priceless one. Luckily, veggies are one of the easiest plants to grow. So pick up a pack of carrot seeds or a tomato plant, and let them plant in a sunny location. Again, let kids pick it out themselves. They’ll be more likely to eat it if they pick it out. Plus, there are lots of cool options out there like purple carrots and orange peppers. Look around, and help them get excited about growing healthy options.

5.     Put in on the Calendar. With summertime being the prime gardening time for kids, it’s easy to let it take a backseat to other activities. Don’t forget to put it on the calendar just like you would for anything else. The most important thing you’ll want to remember is to keep plants watered. So add a note to your calendar, and keep a checklist so they feel proud to accomplish all gardening tasks…watering, weeding, harvesting, etc.

6.     Look for Garden Classes for Kids. Many botanical gardens, libraries and other community programs offer gardening classes in spring and summer. Get involved in your local organization, and sign up for one of these classes. They’re often taught my master gardeners, volunteers and other garden lovers, so you’re naturally getting who is passionate and eager to teach the next generation.

7.     Try a Project. There are oodles of great new kids gardening books out there, and there are many old favorites as well. So go to your library or local bookstore, and pick one up. They offer great inspiration for backyard projects. Then commit to trying one or two of these projects over the spring and summer. You can even try making up your own project—like this Lego bird feeder here!

8.     Start a School Garden. Okay, I saved the ambitious one for last, but starting a school garden or even a community garden with kids is a great way to be involved in a garden from start to finish. Kids will really take ownership of something like this and be proud of the end results. If you’re interested but want to start small, check with your local library or community organization and just beautify a small area first. You can always grow it bigger later.