5 Tips To Encourage Kids To Start Composting

Composting is the need of the hour, especially nowadays, when the world is moving towards more sustainable practices. And what better way to be a part of that than to get your kids involved in the process too? But it may not be that simple. After all, it's not every day that children jump at the idea of dealing with food scraps and dirt. 

Teaching kids is beyond just learning to reduce waste; it is also a hands-on lesson in science and caring for the planet. Besides, with landfills overflowing, composting has become more important than ever. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), food scraps and yard waste make up 30 percent of household trash. The best thing is—most of it could be composted and turned into rich soil.

Here are five simple tips to get your kids started with composting.

Composting is an incredible science project that can help them learn how food scraps break down over time and turn into rich, healthy soil. You can even set up a compost jar experiment by using a clear jar and filling it with layers of soil and food scraps. Now let your kids watch nature do its thing.

This experiment will not just keep them curious but also engaged while learning about decomposition in real time.

The truth is—kids always love the idea of having something that belongs to them—whether it’s a toy, a pet, or a tiny compost bin! Encourage them to decorate their own small compost container for the kitchen using stickers and colorful labels. And if you have space outside, you can even give them their own little compost pile to manage.

Of course, everyone loves a good challenge. You can turn composting exciting by making it into a fun game. For example, the Compost or Trash? Challenge, where you can have kids guess which items can be composted and which ones should go in the trash.

Similarly, in the Feed the Worms game, you can tell your kids that the worms are their little pets that need food to stay happy. After all, every kid loves the idea of feeding their cute compost buddies.

Simultaneously, in the Compost Race challenge, you can set up a game to see who can collect the most compostable items in a week. And the winner gets a small prize, or perhaps a new plant.

Another surprising fact is kids love to see the results of their efforts. Let them know how compost enriches the soil and helps plants grow. And if you have a garden, you can use the same compost to plant flowers, vegetables, or herbs together.

Did you know that composting also reduces methane emissions? According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), food waste is responsible for about 8-10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. By composting, your little ones are actually playing a role in protecting the environment. So there’s something they can be proud of—and yes, another reason why they should compost more.

Lastly, the best way to make composting a habit is to keep it simple and consistent.Overloading with too many rules will do nothing but backfire. The key is to start with the basics, including collecting fruit and vegetable scraps after meals and dumping them in the compost bin or outdoor pile. Then, stirring it every now and then and finally watching nature do its work.

At the end, a simple appreciation goes a long way in keeping them motivated.

For kids, composting beyond something exciting is also an opportunity to learn about nature and sustainability. By simply turning it into a fun game and showing them real results, you will see how excited they are for composting and taking care of nature.