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Earthworm Games

Worms make some children squirm and shriek, while other children reach out to touch and hold them. Create an earthworm observatory, and allow children to observe the worms at work. Explain to children that earthworms play a significant role in breaking down nutrients in soil. Supplement discussions about worms with games and activities for even the most squeamish children.

Worm Painting
- Pretend that cooked spaghetti noodles are worms.
  
  Simulate the slimy feeling of worms with cooked spaghetti noodles, as suggested by Preschool Express. (See Reference 1) Spread out a large sheet of paper and tape it to the table. Dip the spaghetti noodles in paint and slide them around on the paper. Vary the activity by dragging noodles through a mound of chocolate pudding on the paper.
Worm Hunt
- Cut yarn into small pieces to make worms.
  
  Kid Activities recommends cutting a length of yarn into several pieces to make worms. (See Reference 2, under Games, #3) Hide the worms around the yard for the children to find. As each child finds a worm, he brings it to an adult. The adult ties the pieces of yarn together to make the longest worm possible. To make the game more competitive, divide the children into teams and use two colors of yarn cut into equal lengths. The team with the longest worm at the end of the time wins the game.
Worm-Eating Contest
- Cover gummy worms with whipped cream for a worm eating contest.
  
  Challenge children to a worm-eating contest, as described by Kid Activities. (See Reference 2, under Games, #2) This game can get messy, so prepare the surface by covering the table with a plastic tablecloth. Protect children's clothing by tucking plastic bags into the necklines of their shirts or by wearing a large T-shirt over their clothing. Place three gummy worms on a paper plate and cover them with whipped cream. Give each player a plate of gummy worms and a cup. On the signal, each child must transfer all three gummy worms from the plate to the cup using only her mouth. The first player to complete the transfer wins the game.
Worm Craft
- Fill the worm's body with shredded paper.
  
  Create a larger-than-life pet worm using directions from Buglife. (See Reference 3) Cut one leg off of a pair of tights or pantyhose. Stuff the leg with shredded paper and tie the end closed to make the worm's body. Wrap large rubber bands around the worm equal distances apart to create body segments. Cut a wide strip of pink card stock and glue or staple it around the middle of the worm. Glue two wiggly eyes to either end of the worm's body. To make the worm wiggle, tie a piece of clear fishing line to the knot at the end, and then glue the eyes to that end of the worm. Hold the fishing line and move it from side to side to make the worm wiggle.

Kids Games