Connecting With Cloverbuds!

A Cloverbud Club is... small group of six to eight children (per adult helper) for children ages 5-8 enrolled as a group through Cooperative Extension or through regular 4-H club

Objectives of Cloverbud Program Learn about the 4-H program Learn more about themselves and the world around them Develop positive attitudes about learning Develop a relationship with a caring adult or older youth helper

The Cloverbud Curriculum Areas Plants and Animals Citizenship and Civic Education Healthy Lifestyles Personal Development Science and Technology Communications and Expressive Arts Consumerism/Family Science Environmental Education/Earth Sciences

Types of Activities 5-10 minutes activities related to 4-H curriculum areas hands-on non-competitive fun!

At the First Cloverbud Meeting Get to know your activity Pledge of Allegiance 4-H Pledge Introduction to topic 1-2 activities (youth can help decide) Free play and/or snack Clean up

Planning a Cloverbud Meeting short sessions, minutes short activities, 5-10 minutes select one or two activities keep children active

A Typical Cloverbud Meeting 1.Do the pledges with 4-H club 2.After roll call, exit the 4-H meeting and move to a separate room or outside if weather is nice. 3.Begin with a short activity to introduce the topic.

A Typical Cloverbud Meeting 4. Nature Fun Curriculum – “Sounds of a Nature Hike” (5-10 minutes) 5.“Nature Scavenger Hunt” – (10-15 minutes) 6.“I Spy” game using things from nature (10 minutes) 7.Wrap it up! Discuss what we learned! Join 4-H club for refreshments, meeting wrap up or color, draw, play additional games if 4-H meeting is running over.

Cloverbuds Activity centered Leader directed Recognition for participation Activity manual for helpers 4-H Project centered Individual directed Competition and achievement Project manual for youth Differences Between 4-H and Cloverbud Programs

Physical Development Large muscle control (running/jumping) is easier than small muscle control (stringing beeds, cutting) Learn best by being physically active Need repetition to learn Mental Development Can read words/know letters have meaning Short attention span (5-10 min.) Very curious/love to discover new things Beginning to write Why can’t Cloverbuds be treated like regular 4-H members?

Emotional Development Becoming more sensitive to others Enjoy making and giving gifts (community service can be introduced) Very sensitive to criticism Need lots of encouragement Do not like to fail Desire a lot of affection and attention from adults/older teens Social Development Prefer small groups Have best friends that change frequently Are very blunt (often hurting feelings) Very attached to adult volunteers/teachers Beginning to learn about diversity Starting to become more outgoing Why can’t Cloverbuds be treated like regular 4-H members?

DO Let Cloverbuds participate in club service projects Let Cloverbuds complete activities throughout the year Let Cloverbuds work together or individually on a poster for poster contest Let Cloverbuds participate in County Roundup reciting pledge, making cookies Let Cloverbuds do a “show and tell” at club meetings Work as a group to showcase their work for the fair Don’t Let Cloverbuds plan service project from start to finish Let Cloverbuds take a 4-H project Judge the work. Turn in to receive county Cloverbud award. Let Cloverbuds do a visual presentation Let Cloverbuds do an individual fair exhibit Let Cloverbuds vote at club meetings or hold an office. Count Cloverbud years as 4-H years. Cloverbud Dos and Don’ts?

Words of Wisdom The messier, the better! Short and quick! Active! Outdoors works well! Hands-on! If you can eat it at the end, that’s all the better! Gooey is good!

Cloverbud Curriculum WVU Extension Service provides Cloverbud leaders with curriculum developed by The Ohio State University Extension Service Ohio’s 4-H Cloverbud Program – Series I Curriculum Instructional Materials Contact your local WVU Extension Service office for more information.