Worm Facts for Kids

• Many worms regenerate. To regenerate means to re-grow. If a worm loses part of its body because it’s cut off or caught on something, the worm can grow that part back and still stay alive.
• Earthworms don’t have arms or legs. They don’t need them! Earthworms burrow tunnels into the ground. In fact, this burrowing does something called “aerate” the soil. Aeration means putting air into the soil. This process is important to make sure that the soil uses all of the minerals it has available. That’s why earthworms help gardens grow.
• Earthworms do not have lungs. They breathe by their skin taking in the air around them.
• Worms have a pharynx, just like people and many other animals. In people, the pharynx helps to separate food, air, and liquids, but in worms, the pharynx actually moves toward the mouth to “grab” food. The mouth is just an opening on worms. It doesn’t have teeth or a tongue.
• To live, worms need to be in a moist area with enough food, water, and oxygen to survive. Worms also usually like dark places with mild temperatures. They will travel to new places to find the right conditions to live.
• Worms eat a varied diet, based on where they live. Earthworms are omnivorous, meaning that they eat both plants and animals. They don’t catch animals, though. They only eat them once they’re already dead!

Worms are fascinating little creatures with lots of special features. These facts are just a few of the things worth knowing about worms.