Get Outside & Connect: Investigate Worms

It’s that time of the year where we prepare the earth for spring plantings. When we prepare the earth by cultivating the soil worms can be found everywhere. Especially if the soil you are working is as healthy as ours is.

As we have been pulling weeds, turning the soil, and planting we have been finding tons of worms! My daughter was absolutely fascinated by them so I thought it would be a fun activity for the Get Outside & Connect Series.

Get Outside & Connect Activity Week #14 — Investigate Worms

As your out preparing the ground for your spring plantings allow your children to look at all the worms. Get out the magnifying glass if you have them and let them study the life within the soil. I have provided an Amazon affiliate link to the one we use for your convenience. Carson BigEye Magnifier with Over-sized 5-Inch Lens (HU-20) I earn a very small commission with no extra cost to you — thank you for your support.

Be careful not to handle earth worms very much if at all — they don’t like to be touched. Earthworms breathe through their skin they need humidity to survive. If over handled they can die.

I made sure my daughter was very careful with the few worms she was allowed to touch. She could handle one until she counted to five — you can see her saying three in the photo below. Once she put it down we sprayed it with water and then she couldn’t touch it again.

Explain to your children in simple language that the earthworm is responsible for a lot of the things that help make our soil healthy. Earthworms are like free farm help. They help to “turn” the soil—bringing down organic matter from the top and mixing it with the soil below. Having worms around in your garden is a real good sign that you have healthy soil.

Worms also make the soil healthy by helping to increase the amount of air and water that gets into the soil. They break down organic matter; compostable food scraps, leaves, grass, etc. into things that plants can use. When they eat, they leave behind castings that are a very valuable type of fertilizer. This makes the soil good enough to grow healthy plants and provide us with food.

Don’t forget to get out your nature journals to write down your discoveries. See How to Create a Nature Journal for more information.

For fun check out “Diary of a Worm” from your local library. Can’t find it? I have provided an Amazon Affiliate link where I earn a very small commission with no extra cost to you — thank you for your support. Diary of a Worm My daughter laughs hysterically every time we read this book. It is quite funny.

For more worm fun check out these lesson plans from Teachers Pay Teachers [I am not affiliated with Teachers Pay Teachers, just sharing a cool find.]

• Investigating Worms Science, Math, Language Arts & Craftivity Lessons
• Wonderful Worm Day
• A Worm’s Life Science Investigation Unit 
• Hands On Science Lab Worm Investigation for kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade