Kitchen Compost Pail

What You Need:

• 28-ounce tin can
• Acrylic paints
• 20-gauge craft wire

What You Do:

1. Invite your child to help wash and dry a 28-ounce can.
2. Assist your child in covering their workspace with scrap paper or a large plastic bag. And, it might be a good idea to get out the smocks, too!
3. Offer your child a selection of acrylic paint to use for painting the outside of their compost bucket. Invite your child to decorate the outside however they'd like using bright colors or patterns.
4. While painting discuss with your child which items are compostable and which are not. Organic matter, such as leftover bits of fruits, vegetables and beans are great to put in the compost bucket. You shouldn’t compost items such as milk products, bread, pasta or rice.
5. Once your child has finished painting the outside of their compost bucket, let it dry overnight.
6. Now give your child a three-foot length of 20-guage craft wire to use for creating a handle for the bucket.
7. Support your child in wrapping the wire around the top of the can and then twist it up and around to create a handle! Offer help as needed!
8. Invite your child to place their finished compost bucket on the side of the counter next to the sink to collect bits of food daily and then they can take them outdoors and create a compost pile, which will turn into healthy fertilizer for your plants!

Did you know: Composting dates back to Roman times! And, that two-thirds of our trash could be composted