Cloverbuds, a stepping stone to 4-H, and not just for farm kids

[August 09, 2022]   Visit a 4-H event and you will typically find multiple siblings participating. The nation-wide organization open to boys and girls, eight to 18 years of age, offers opportunities that grow youth into responsible confident adults who find purpose and pride in what they do.

The challenge for some families is that the younger kids in a family want to be a 4-H'er too.

A few years back, Cloverbuds was formed to help bring more kids into the 4-H program at a younger age. It is for ages five through seven. The youth learn basics about developing their own project and even get a chance to present for a review. The aim is to get them to talk about their project in front of a judge. No points are awarded and judges are gentle and encouraging.

What is proving to be true now that the program been around long enough, is that it also gives youth who entered 4-H as a Cloverbud an edge in later years. You can now hear champions saying they participated in Cloverbuds, and not necessarily in the event they have just won. Their knowledge of exhibition helps make them a winner.

The lessons and experience of 4-H exhibition crosses over to all types of topics. Whether a project is a creative art or a woodworking piece, or caring for and showing animals, the principals are the same: know your topic, be prepared, and make eye contact. Judges review record keeping, ask questions, and observe presentation of self and the project.

A third benefit to the Cloverbud program is that it gives 4-H youth a chance to develop skills as judges. Senior 4-H members sit and talk with the youngsters about their projects and offer lots of compliments and encouragement, and maybe a little direction on future projects.

If you haven't looked into all the types of projects open to 4-H members, contact the University of Illinois Extension Office for Logan County. The office is located on the fair grounds at the north end. There are a number of groups that meet throughout the year all over Logan County.

A popular belief is that 4-H is just for country or farm kids. The organization offers much to town and city dwellers - arts, science, engineering, aerospace, rocketry, mechanical, wood working, sewing, civic skills of all sorts, pet care and more.

And, there are great Ag related opportunities in plant science and farm animal care too.

[Jan Youngquist]