Hey there! So, you’ve decided to get a little… squiggly? Awesome.
If your kids are anything like mine, they can spend hours poking at ants on the sidewalk or staring at a slug inching across the patio. There’s just something about creepy-crawlies that fascinates little humans. And honestly, worms are the perfect gateway bug. They’re slow, harmless, and basically living Play-Doh that moves.
I’ve put together a list of 10 worm activities that have kept my own kids entertained for way longer than I expected. Whether you’re looking for a science lesson, a garden helper, or just a way to kill an afternoon without screens, these ideas are for you. Grab a trowel and let’s get digging.
1. Build a DIY Worm Farm (The Classic)
This is the granddaddy of all worm activities. You can’t call yourself a worm enthusiast until you’ve kept a few in a bucket for a week.
What You’ll Need
- A clear plastic or glass jar (a big pickle jar works great)
- Gravel (for drainage)
- Sand
- Potting soil (or just dirt from the yard)
- Dead leaves
- A spray bottle with water
- Your wormy friends
How to Set It Up
Start by layering your materials. Throw a bit of gravel at the bottom, then a layer of sand, then a layer of soil. Keep repeating this until your jar is almost full. The goal here is to create distinct layers so you can actually see the worms moving through them.
Once the layers are set, gently place the worms on top. Let them wiggle down on their own—don’t bury them! Spray the top with a little water (worms breathe through their skin, so they need moisture) and toss on some dead leaves for food.
Pro tip: Wrap the jar in a dark piece of paper or put it in a cabinet for the first day. Worms hate light, so if you cover the sides, they’ll hang out near the glass where you can actually see them. Uncover it after 24 hours and boom—you’ll see tunnels. It’s like a magic trick, but real.
2. Worm Wiggling Listening Game
Ever wondered if worms are musical? Probably not, but here we are. :/
This is a super simple activity that feels a bit like a science experiment and a bit like a prank. You’re basically going to pretend you’re a worm charmer.
The Experiment
Give each kid a worm on a flat surface (like a sidewalk or a piece of cardboard). Tell them to get really quiet and lean in close. Then, you’re going to make different sounds. Hum, tap the ground lightly, whistle, or clap softly.
Watch how the worms react. Do they move toward the sound? Do they scrunch up?
Spoiler alert: Worms don’t actually hear sounds the way we do. They feel vibrations. So when you tap the ground, they think a mole is coming to eat them! It’s hilarious to watch them panic-wiggle when you hum. IMO, it’s the closest we’ll ever get to actually talking to animals.
3. Worm Painting (Yes, Really)
Okay, before you scroll past thinking I’ve lost my mind, hear me out. This isn’t cruel—the worms are totally fine, I promise.
You’re not dipping them in paint. You’re letting them crawl on paper and using them as living paintbrushes.
Setting Up the Art Studio
- Take a shallow tray or a plastic bin.
- Lay a piece of paper inside it.
- Drop a few blobs of washable, non-toxic paint around the paper.
- Gently place a few worms in the bin.
- Let them crawl around!
The worms will wiggle through the paint and drag it across the paper, creating super abstract, squiggly masterpieces. My son’s painting currently hangs on our fridge, and honestly? It looks better than half the stuff I made in college.
Important: Rinse the worms off with cool water immediately after they’re done. They’ll be clean and happy to go back to the garden.
4. The Great Worm Hunt
Turn your backyard into an exploration zone. Kids love a mission, so give them a clipboard and a mission to find as many worms as possible.
Tips for a Successful Hunt
- Go at the right time: Early morning after a rain shower is prime worm real estate. The ground is wet, and they’re out cruising for mates.
- Check under things: Rocks, logs, and flower pots are worm hotels. Lift them up and see who’s home.
- Move slowly: If you run around like a maniac, you’ll scare them (and probably step on them).
Make it a game. Who can find the longest worm? Who can find the shortest? It’s like Pokémon Go, but with more dirt and fewer battery issues.
5. Make a Worm Hotel in the Yard
This is a longer-term project that lets kids observe worms in their natural habitat without disturbing them constantly.
How to Build It
Take a large, clear plastic container (like a 2-liter soda bottle with the top cut off). Dig a hole in the garden that’s deep enough to bury the bottle almost all the way up to the top. Fill the bottle with the same layering method we used for the DIY farm—soil, sand, leaves.
The worms will find it naturally. Since the bottle is underground and clear, you can shine a flashlight on it at night and see the worms moving through the soil profile.
FYI, this works best if you do it in a spot where you already know worms live. Putting a worm hotel in a dry, sandy patch is like opening a restaurant in the middle of the desert.
6. Worm Weigh-In and Measurement
Sneak in a little math without the kids realizing they’re learning. 😉
Tools of the Trade
- A small kitchen scale or a balance scale
- A ruler
- A notebook and pencil
- A soft paintbrush (for moving the worms safely)
Have your kids gently pick up each worm (or use the brush to move them onto the scale) and weigh them. Which one is the heaviest? Then, lay them next to the ruler and measure their length.
Record the data in a notebook. You’re creating a worm census! My daughter named all of hers, so we had entries like “Squiggles: 3 inches, 2 grams” and “Long Boi: 5 inches, 3 grams.” It’s adorable and educational. Win-win.
7. Create a Worm Maze
This activity tests if worms have a sense of direction (spoiler: they don’t really, but it’s still fun to watch).
How to Do It
Grab a shoebox lid or a tray. Create little “walls” using popsicle sticks or LEGOs glued down with a bit of tacky putty. Place a damp paper towel at one end (the “finish line”) and put a worm at the opposite end.
Time how long it takes the worm to navigate the maze. Does it just bump into the walls randomly, or does it seem to know where the damp towel is?
The Science Bit: Worms are photophobic (they hate light) and love moisture. They’re basically just wandering around trying to find dark, wet spots. So if your maze is in a lit room, they’re just desperately looking for cover. It’s a little sad, but also very interesting to watch. :/
8. Worm Composting (Vermicomposting)
If you want to take this hobby to the next level, bring the worms inside your house. I know, it sounds gross. But a worm bin is the ultimate pet for a lazy parent.
Why It’s Awesome
You can buy a specialized bin or make your own. You feed the worms your kitchen scraps (banana peels, apple cores, coffee grounds), and they turn it into black gold for your plants.
Kids love feeding the worms. It teaches them about responsibility, recycling, and where food really goes. Plus, you get to tell your friends, “Oh, I need to go check on my worms,” just to see the look on their faces.
Just don’t put citrus or onions in there. The worms hate it, and your house will smell like a salad bar gone wrong.
9. Worm Observation Journal
Give each kid a cheap notebook and let them become worm scientists. Every day they visit the garden or their worm farm, they draw a picture of what they see.
What to Draw
- New tunnels in the soil
- Worm castings (worm poop—they love drawing this part)
- How the food scraps are breaking down
Over time, you’ll have a record of the entire decomposition process. It’s a living document of a tiny, squishy world. Way cooler than a coloring book.
10. Release the Worms (The Finale)
All good things must come to an end. After a week or two of observation, your worms are probably getting bored (and hungry) in that jar.
Have a little ceremony. Bring the kids back to the garden and thank the worms for being such good sports. Let the kids gently place them back into the soil.
This is an important step. It teaches kids that living creatures aren’t toys—they’re guests. We get to learn from them, but we have to let them go back to their real homes.
Wrapping Up Our Squiggly Adventure
So there you have it. Ten ways to turn a handful of dirt-dwellers into hours of entertainment. Whether you’re painting with them, building them hotels, or just timing how fast they wiggle, worms are the unsung heroes of the backyard.
Have you tried any of these with your kids? Got a worm story that made you laugh (or scream)? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear about your muddy adventures.
Now go find some worms and get squiggly! 🌱
