Easy Homemade Wormery

Do you know you can easily make a homemade wormery? It’s probably not as tricky as you might think, either!

A wormery is a great way to observe over time and learn about earthworms, which are very useful animals.

What you need to make a wormery

• An old jar, plastic is the best.
• Sand
• Soil
• Gravel
• Old leaves
• Water
• Grass clippings
• Leaves
• Worms

How to make a homemade wormery

• Add a layer of gravel or small stones to the bottom of the jar. This should help with drainage.
• Add the soil and sand in layers
• Drop a small amount of water onto the surface – not too much
• Find some worms and gently put them on top of the soil
• Add the leaves and grass clippings to the top
• Make some holes in the lid ( get an adult to help, and screw it on the jar )

Top tips for a homemade wormery

Keep the wormery out of direct sunlight. We are keeping ours in a cupboard.

As the worms move around, you should see the sand and soil get mixed up as they burrow down. The leaves and grass should also be pulled down into the soil so it all gets mixed together.

Worms do this in the garden. They help carry decaying material into the soil, where microorganisms break it down into nutrients that plants can use to grow.

Questions about worms

Why are earthworms segmented?

If you look at an earthworm, you can see its body is made up of many segments. Underneath the segments are muscles that contract and relax, allowing the worm to move.

Can earthworms breathe?

Earthworms absorb oxygen through pores in their skin, which is why they come up to the surface when it rains. They can’t breathe in waterlogged soil.

Why are worms so important?

Worm tunnels allow water to reach plant roots, and the process of worms eating soil and expelling it releases nutrients, which plants then take up through their roots and use for growth.

Worms are also a source of food for other animals.

 Key stage 2 – Animals and Ecosystems

Last Updated on March 25, 2025 by Emma Vanstone