Worms Aren't Yucky...Anymore

We spent yesterday afternoon digging in the dirt! Little Bear (3) started singing one of his favorite Danny Go Youtuber songs, "Digging in the Dirt". He moved his arms and said, "This is easy, mama!" It felt easy until we found something he didn't expect. We found a bunch of worms!

At first, Little Bear had a look of surprise and uncertainty. The educator in me knew that meant it was a teaching opportunity!

This was the perfect opportunity to show Little Bear that worms are not something to be seen as "gross". I used this as a natural moment to reinforce the concept that worms are our Garden Buddies. We can appreciate the power of the humble worm.

Little Bear talked all evening about how cool it was to see and touch the worms in our yard. His little sister, Doodle (1), was watching the entire activity. My hope is she will naturally grow up curious about worms after watching her big brother have these types of experiences.

Want to try talking to your Little Gardener about worms? Embrace the mess! Have some fun digging, touching, and observing!

I kept in mind an idea shared recently by mom blogger Karrie Locher. She shared that "kids and clothes are washable." Years ago, I would have been nervous to let my kids touch worms and dirt. It can be an instinctive reaction and I have had to change my own mindset. There is value in these messy moments. Touching the worms and learning their role in nature will be a lasting lesson for my son.

Tips for the Garden Grown Up:

Be sure to model gently holding the worm and placing it back into the dirt. Wash hands after enjoying this educational experience. If your little one is a bit uncertain, using gloves is perfectly acceptable.

This is the gardening set we used (affiliate). The gloves fit my three year old perfectly!

Ask your Little Gardener:

• How does the worm feel?

• What do you notice about the worm's movement?

• How do you think we should treat worms?

• Do you know the important jobs worms do?

What questions would you add to this list? How does your Little Gardener react to the topic of worms?