4-H Program Areas

4-H Club Program

4-H Clubs are organized groups of boys and girls who are supported by adult volunteer leaders. It has the advantage of providing long term involvement with the support of caring adults. The club conducts meetings and activities throughout the year, usually holding six or more official meetings annually. The club frequently includes opportunities for leadership, citizenship and public speaking. It may meet in any location and is authorized through the county and state to use the 4-H name and emblem. Youth ages 8-18 are eligible as regular members of clubs, and youth 5-7 as Cloverbud members. Youth in clubs participate in one or more project areas. Clubs may be categorized in many different ways including: community clubs, special interest or single project clubs, after school clubs, home school clubs, and community service clubs. There are components and characteristics that are common to all 4-H clubs and these commonalities provide the definition of a 4-H club.

A 4-H Club:

• Is an organized group of youth

• Has a planned program that is ongoing throughout all or most of the year

• Is advised by adult staff or volunteers

• Typically elects officers

• May meet in any location

• Includes opportunities to learn skills through a wide variety of project experiences

• Offers opportunities for leadership, citizenship and community service

Who are Cloverbuds?

Cloverbuds, the youngest participants in the 4-H Club Program, are enthusiastic, curious, creative, robust and resilient young people who are growing physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally through a period of rapid and often uneven development. The 4-H Cloverbud Program has been designed to meet the very special needs of these 5 – 7 year olds.

The Purpose of the Cloverbud Program

The overall purpose of the 4-H Cloverbud Program is to foster the development of life skills (described below) that are essential for the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical maturation of 5 – 7 year old children. Specifically, this program aims to provide participants with opportunities to:

1. develop self-understanding, social skills, decision-making skills, learning skills and physical skills;
2. gain knowledge in the sciences, literature, and the arts through the experiential (hands-on) learning process;
3. develop positive attitudes about learning
4. develop on-going relationships with caring adults and older youth who serve as positive role models;
5. explore family and community relationships
6. develop understanding and appreciation for social and cultural diversity.

When my child joins 4-H, do I have to become a leader? In some cases, volunteering will make sense and be beneficial to your family. Parents don’t have to become 4-H leaders when their child joins a 4-H club, but most leaders appreciate the assistance of parents or other adults. This help can range from being a project leader, to driving members to activities, to supplying refreshments for a meeting. Other opportunities like 4-H Afterschool, and camps require different parent involvement.

Last updated November 9, 2023