16 Composting Education Resources for Kids + Free Video Tutorials
Spring is just around the corner, so it’s a fantastic time to introduce your learners to composting! Here is a curated collection of educational resources to teach kids of all ages about composting.
Nature’s recycling system, microbial magic, green gardening, soil rejuvenation, waste prevention, and organic transformation—each phrase describes the act of composting, where organic material transforms into a nutrient-rich soil amendment that promotes the growth of new organic material. Introducing kids to composting exposes them to practical applications of biology, chemistry, and ecology while fostering environmental stewardship.
I’ve curated a list of educational composting resources that can be easily incorporated into any curriculum. These resources include book recommendations, hands-on activities, video tutorials, games, printable worksheets, and coloring pages. Even better, most of these resources are free or easily accessible through your community or school library.
Children’s Picture Books About Composting
Looking for cross-curricular activities that combine reading and science? Look no further than these fabulous children’s picture books about composting and soil health!
Composting for Community
I just added the phenomenal children’s book, “Composting for Community”* to my son’s bookshelf and I can’t stop talking about it.
Written by Michael Matinez, founder of LA Compost, the book tells the inspiring story of Mateo, a young boy who embarks on a journey to discover the true meaning of his father’s job as a community composter. Drawing on his personal experiences growing up in a family that transformed other people’s trash into desirable treasures, the author highlights the positive environmental and social impacts of community action.
“Composting for Community” begs to be read aloud to a classroom of students, as its illustrations accurately depict the scientific process of decomposition while engaging the audience with brightly colored pages. I plan to read the book aloud to my son’s Cub Scout pack when we discuss waste reduction and prevention leading up to Earth Day.
* denotes an affiliate link. If you choose to click, I am deeply grateful for your support of my free, educational content.
Picture Books About Composting and Soil Health
My friend Jen Panaro, founder and editor of Honestly Modern, curated a list of 13 children’s picture books about composting and soil health. Jen’s included a wide range of picture books appropriate for preschool level learners through middle school students that tackle the art and science of composting.
Printable, Hands-on Composting Activities for Kids
Here is a collection of printable, hands-on composting activities for kids that explore the science and art of composting. Many of the activities also have companion video tutorials, which I’ve included in the next section of this post.
An Apple’s Journey: Exploring Soil Health Through the Life Cycle of an Apple
Follow the journey of an apple to engage your learners in the science of composting and healthy soil and the power of their daily actions. This free, hands-on science activity includes printable cards that students organize into various life cycle scenarios, based on the prompts provided in the activity book. Read more about the activity and download your free copy of the workbook here.
Composting Basics: What Belongs in a Compost Bin?
Do you want a simple activity to help teach your kids the difference between the browns and greens of composting? Written in both English and Spanish, this free, printable, hands-on science activity is a great way to introduce your learners to the variety of things that can be put into the compost bin. Get your free copy of “Composting Basics for Kids” here!
FYI – you don’t need to be a composting know-it-all to facilitate this lesson. I’ve included an answer key in both English and Spanish, too! Special thanks to María Dabrowski @gogreenfortheocean for translating this activity into Spanish.
Composting Bingo
Want a fun activity to try with learners of any age to help them better understand all the things you can compost? (Hint: It’s way more than just food.) Try this simple, fun, and FREE Compost BINGO game.
Composting Coloring Page
Once you’ve covered the basics of composting, reinforce the concepts they’ve learned by having your learners color a free composting coloring page! Coloring can aid in memory retention by providing another visual, hands-on representation of composting, helping even the youngest learner digest what they’ve learned. Get your free copy of the “What You Can Compost” coloring page here.
Composting Crossword Puzzle
Engage your learners in the sustainable practice of composting with a fun crossword puzzle, complete with background reading material, answer key, and links to additional, free composting education resources!
How to Build a Soilarium
The science of composting can seem a bit abstract at first glance. That’s why my sister company, Raising Global Kidizens, created an activity that breaks down composting so kids can see it happening with their own eyes on a kid-sized scale!
This simple sustainability science experiment teaches kids how to build a soilarium. A soilarium is a clear container packed with composting ingredients to make a loamy soil amendment that kids can use as their own small scale science laboratory. Click here for instructions and a free, downloadable workbook to teach kids how to conduct their own composting experiment by building a soilarium. I’ve linked a video tutorial to guide your learners through the experiment as well.
What Makes Packaging Compostable?
Looking for an easy science experiment that explores solubility and sustainable packaging? In this simple sustainability science experiment, you’ll discover the different properties of compostable versus traditional packing peanuts, using supplies you probably have at home. Complete with video tutorials in English and Spanish, along with a printable for younger learners, this science lesson is suitable for scientists of all ages!
When Food Scraps Go to Landfills – A Science Experiment
What happens when we throw our food scraps in the trash instead of in a compost bin? In this fun sustainability science activity, learners will observe how food waste produces gas during decomposition. Try this free, sustainability science experiment and simulate how food scraps in our landfill emit potent greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. A video tutorial is also available.
Kid-Friendly Video Tutorials About Composting
Gather your learners, a screen and a snack and let these videos walk you through the process of composting. You’ll notice that the videos I created go along with some of the printable, hands-on composting activities from the list above. Be sure to click the links provided in the video notes to get the free printable that accompanies each tutorial!
Introduction to Composting
This is the video tutorial companion to the “What Belongs in a Compost Bin” activity. Be sure to grab your free copy of the activity here before pushing play on the tutorial.
How to Build a Soilarium
In this tutorial, I’ll walk your learners through the process of conducting their own composting experiment by building a soilarium. For access to the free printable workbook to accompany this video, click here.
When Food Scraps Go to Landfills
Have you ever made banana water (also known as banana peel compost tea)? Making banana water is an excellent science experiment for kids to learn about landfill emissions.
Here is a fun sustainability science activity for kids to observe how food waste produces gas during decomposition. You can download the free printable shown in the video here: Landfill Emissions Activity Workbook
An Apple’s Journey: Understanding the Importance of Composting Food Scraps
This is the companion tutorial that goes along with “An Apple’s Journey” free, printable workbook that guides your learners through various scenarios related to the life cycle of an apple, composting, and landfill emissions. Be sure to grab your free copy of the workbook here.
What Makes Packaging Compostable?
This simple, at home science experiment compares the properties of petroleum-based packaging with plant-based packaging, complete with background information, materials list, and discussion questions. You can access a free, printable version of the activity here. This video is also available in Spanish.
Free Beginner’s Guide to Composting
Now that your students are fully on board to start composting, what’s next? I created a free beginner’s guide to composting that walks you through the process of setting up a simple composting system that can be established in your backyard or school campus.
Can you tell that I love to teach kids how composting works? If you have any questions about the resources I’ve provided, feel free to send me a message or leave a comment below!
