Cloverbuds blossom through first 4-H experiences

  • by Jennifer Kneuss
  • March 11, 2013
  • 320
                        
Summary: 4-H isn’t just for older kids. The Cloverbud program makes it possible for younger children to experience 4-H on a simpler, playful level while still acquiring important life skills. For years, littler ones simply ‘tagged along’ during their older brothers’ and sisters’ 4-H club activities, but in 1994, Ohio State University formally began the Cloverbud program. The program is for children who are at least five years old and in kindergarten up through second grade, regardless of whether or not they have older family members in 4-H. Goals for the program are to assist in developing self-esteem, getting along with others, decision-making and learning skills, and mastering various physical skills. The Cloverbud program is different from the older members’ program, which is project based and can be under the tutelage of a leader or through self-study. Cloverbuds are activity centered, under the constant guidance of a group leader, and Cloverbuds are not part of the formal goal, achievement, and competition driven format of 4-H projects. They do not complete project books nor go through project judging. According to the OSU Extension service, they ‘explore areas of healthy lifestyle, earth/environment, citizenship, plants and animals, consumerism and family science, science and technology, personal development, and community expressive arts’, all in a group setting. Cloverbuds can participate in such things as county-wide 4-H day camps, 4-H Olympics, and even can take part in some county fair activities. “We had a lot of little brothers and sisters who wanted to come (to 4-H meetings) too,” explained advisor Nancy Shiffer of the first years of her 28 years with a Holmes County 4-H club. Now the club has an active Cloverbud program. “We sometimes have half a dozen or so. They participate in the meeting, and then they go into their own little groups and do their own activities. Cloverbuds gets the kids ready for 4-H.” Like most other clubs with a Cloverbud program, Shiffer’s club makes sure that the younger children are included with the older kids when appropriate. “The older ones are very good at helping the younger kids. They are very active with the younger ones. Kids helping kids makes a difference,” she noted. “We include the Cloverbuds in group projects that we do. We’ve done club projects, like the rope project, where everyone had to learn to tie rope, even the Cloverbuds. They also learned how to make rope. “ Group projects can ‘sneak in’ a lot of educational learning while kids are having fun together. “We all shot off rockets for the pop bottle rocket project one year, and we did some of the experiments, too. When they shot them off, they had to time it to figure out and do the math to discover how high the rocket went.” Clubs can become very creative in ways they include the younger members, including ways to expose them to some of the same experiences the older 4-H members have. “When Cloverbuds started, we got some very inexpensive rabbits, and we had a traveling rabbit program. They each got to take care of it for 2 weeks,” Shiffer said, noting that the program was wildly popular with the younger children. “They learned responsibility and how to take care of any animal.” “We have one advisor that is solely in charge of the Cloverbuds and some of the parents help with the activities or another advisor steps in to help out,” said Junior Achievers’ advisor Michelle Evans. “I feel the Cloverbuds are important to the 4-H club because they are the future of the 4-H program. The many activities that are chosen for them to complete teach them some of the pillars of character. I feel this is very important for them to understand once they reach the 4-H age and actively take a project.”


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