Cloverbuds

Cloverbuds are special members with a 4-H age of 5-7 years old.

4-H age is the age of the individual on December 31 of the current 4-H year. The 4-H years runs from October 1 to September 30.

The overall purpose of the 4-H Cloverbuds program is to foster the development of life skills that are essential for the cognitive, social, emotional and physical maturation of Kindergarten through 3rd graders by providing a unique educational opportunity. Cloverbuds do not participate in competitive events or long-term projects. They cannot handle animals, firearms or equipment (even if they own it) during 4-H events or functions. Cloverbuds are not project focused, rather they are activity focused.

Fun Activity Ideas for Cloverbuds

El Paso County 4-H Letter Regarding Cloverbuds - December 20, 2010

The State 4-H Policy states the following about Cloverbuds:

It is neither the intent nor the objective of the 4-H Cloverbuds program to duplicate the 4-H member experiences that are designed for other youth, nor to create a "mini-4-H" concept. While the 4-H Cloverbuds program is a component of the overall 4-H Youth Development program and 4-H Cloverbud members are recognized as 4-H members for the purposes of enrollment, they are considered to be in a special membership category with regard to program and policy. As a result, the 4-H Cloverbuds program is fundamentally different than general membership in 4-H.

Purpose of the 4-H Cloverbuds Program: The overall purpose of the 4-H Cloverbuds program is to foster the development of life skills that are essential for the cognitive, social, emotional and physical maturation of Kindergarten through 3rd graders by providing a unique educational opportunity. Children in these grades are a distinct audience for 4-H, with unique learning characteristics and developmental needs that are different from older children and youth served through 4-H membership. As a result, the 4-H Cloverbuds program is designed
with specific educational objectives and program policies focused on the 5- to 7-year old child.

Participation, safety, personal development, learning and fun are the highest priorities in providing 4-H Cloverbuds programs. The policies, guidelines for the Cloverbuds program outlined in this document seek to ensure that 4-H Cloverbuds members remain safe and have positive, developmentally appropriate experiences in 4-H. State and county programs that offer the 4-H Cloverbuds program are expected to utilize age appropriate programmatic goals, policies, curriculum and cooperation-based methods to give feedback and recognition.

Components of the Cloverbuds Program 4-H Cloverbuds programs are activity focused and not project-focused and built on cooperative learning, rather than competitive activities. 4-H Cloverbuds members participate in occasional, non-competitive, sampler-type, age-appropriate, properly supervised events or activities sponsored or conducted by 4-H groups. 4-H Cloverbuds members do not participate in the ongoing, planned series of activities.

The primary difference between a 4-H Cloverbuds activity and a 4-H project is that
a Cloverbuds member engages in varied activities which focus on developing a
specific skill or concept utilized in completing the activity rather than focusing
on a long-term planned course of study in a specific project (subject) area. As a result, 4-H Cloverbuds members should not have ongoing projects, of any kind – including animal projects – nor should they participate as competitive exhibitors with animals – large or small, because within the 4-H program, exhibits are intended to showcase the culmination of a long-term project. In general, the handling of animals (large or small) requires discipline and motor skills that have yet to be fully developed in most children in the K-2 age range and when coupled with the unpredictable behavior of animals, does not provide the optimal safe educational environment.

4-H Cloverbuds members that have engaged in a group activity may exhibit or showcase in a noncompetitive event, or can feature other items from their group activities. However, 4-H Cloverbuds members are not eligible to receive premium funds as a result of exhibition. 4-H Cloverbuds members may receive participatory ribbons but may not receive regular competitive purple, blue, red or white 4-H ribbons.

In addition to the educational focus, 4-H Cloverbuds programs also require additional adult supervision, and do not conduct formal business meetings or elect officers. 4-H Cloverbuds clubs handle their finances differently than clubs or older children, with the majority of funding issues handles by the adults.

Full Text can be found at http://www.colorado4h.org/policy/Colorado4-HPolicies.pdf.

This was published on March 9, 2011.

Youth Development (4-H)

Jonathan Vrabec , Extension Agent

Devin Engle, 4-H Program Assistant

Karla Wester, 4-H Administrative Assistant

Office Hours

Monday-Thursday

8:00 AM - Noon &

1:00 PM- 5:00 PM

305 S. Union Blvd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80910
719-520-7675
719-520-7699 (fax)
Directions to our office.