Back to school with a roly-poly and worm "Petting Zoo"
Nope, they won't bite. They don't even have teeth! They just tickle a little.
We start every year with a “petting zoo” where kids can meet friendly garden earthworms and roly-polies, and even pick them up – gently. It's a fun introduction to the garden, and a safe way for kids to get comfortable with dirt and critters.
It's also a great way to help new kids make friends. “You like worms? Does anyone else likes worms? You all do? Oh wow, I wonder what else you all have in common.”
Roly-poly: also known as Armadillidium vulgare, pillbug, potato bug, slater, or doodle-bug. Fun fact: they're not insects -- they're crustaceans, like shrimp!