Training Volunteers to
Work with Cloverbuds
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Purpose of Cloverbud Programs
• The goal of the 4-H Cloverbud Program is to
promote the healthy development of youth ages
5 to 8, to become capable, competent, caring and
contributing citizens.
• To foster the development of life skills that are
essential for the cognitive, social, emotional, and
physical maturation of 5 to 8 year old children by
providing a unique educational opportunity.
Cloverbuds will…
• Develop self understanding and confidence
through positive and cooperative learning
environments.
• Experience achievement through an age
appropriate and success oriented activitybased curriculum.
• Develop positive attitudes of self, family and
community through caring adults and older
youth who serve as positive role models.
Cloverbud Program Priorities
• Participation, safety, personal development,
learning and fun are the highest priorities in
providing 4-H Cloverbud programs.
• Cloverbud program policies & guidelines seek
to ensure that 4-H Cloverbud members
remain safe and have positive,
developmentally appropriate experiences in
4-H.
Developmental Stages
From kindergarten through high school, youth pass through four developmental
stages. Generally, child development specialists have divided up the ages and stages of
development into these categories:
5-8 year olds--Early Childhood
9-12 year olds--Middle Childhood
13-15 year olds--Early Adolescence
16-18 year olds--Middle Adolescence
This training will focus on Early Childhood Programming for 4-H Youth.
Young people may exhibit characteristics in all these age groupings at any point as
they grow and develop. These groupings are meant simply to give you a general idea
of what we might reasonably expect from any given age and how to consider these
elements when designing and implementing 4-H programs. They serve as guidelines
for working with youth but not as measures of achievement. Please remember:
children develop at their own pace, all characteristics will not be observed in all
children at the same age or at the same stage of development.
Characteristics of 5-8 year olds
Physical
Have better control of large muscles than small muscles
Slow, steady growth
Are mastering physical skills
Social
Learning how to be friends; may have many friends
Opinions of peers are becoming more important
Are beginning to experience empathy for others
Are family-oriented
Characteristics of 5-8 year olds
Emotional
Are self centered
Seek approval from adults, and go out of their way to avoid punishment
Are sensitive to criticism; don’t like to fail.
Intellectual
Are concrete thinkers- base thinking in reality
Can’t multi-task well.
Are more interested in doing things than getting a good result at the end.
Development Principles
For each child, consider uniqueness, needs, and interests.
To do this, keep in mind the following two basic
development principles:
1.
Age is not a perfect predictor of
maturity. Most children go through a
predictable order, but ages at which
they do this vary enormously. An
activity that is well within the
capability of one child may be much
too difficult for another child of
exactly the same age. Providing a
choice of activities or providing
multiple levels of difficulty within
one activity is the ideal.
2. Growth may proceed at different
rates in various developmental
areas within an individual child.
A child who is advanced
physically may be average in
terms of mental ability and below
average in terms of emotional or
social growth. A child may need
different experiences in each of
these areas to reach his or her
full potential.
How are Cloverbud Clubs
Different?
• Cloverbud clubs do not conduct formal business meetings or
elect officers. Five to eight year olds are not yet ready to fulfill
the responsibilities of club officership and require much more
adult guidance when making group decisions.
• However, a structured routine is important to this age group.
Starting each meeting with the same opening ritual, roll call and
pledges to the American and 4-H flags, provides structure while
introducing the children to some of the elements of a business
meeting.
• Members can be assigned an “office of the day” to help conduct
these rituals. This prepares Cloverbuds for future roles as club
officers when they become old enough to assume such roles.
How Many Cloverbud Members?
• Successful programs have a good balance
between numbers of members and leaders. A
ratio of 5 Cloverbud members per volunteer
works well. Some activities may require 1
adult for every 2 Cloverbuds.
What Happens During A Meeting?
• A typical Cloverbud meeting lasts about one hour.
• The meeting is called to order, the 4-H pledge
recited, and attendance is taken during the first
10 minutes.
• The lesson from the Cloverbud curriculum takes
about 30 - 40 minutes.
• The remaining time is spent enjoying
refreshments and recreation.
Activity-Focused
• 4-H Cloverbud programs are activity-focused
and not-project focused.
• A Cloverbud activity focuses on developing a
single concept and/or skill.
• For example, Cloverbud youth might plant a simple
dish garden and learn that it will need sun, water and
food to stay healthy. An activity such as this would be
just one in a series of learning experiences for older
children enrolled in a gardening project.
Emphasis on Cooperation
• 4-H Cloverbud programs are built on
cooperative learning, rather than competitive
activities.
• Activities should promote practice of
developmentally appropriate skills, provide an
opportunity for social interaction, and help
children understand and learn about fairness.
Emphasis on Cooperation
• Five to eight year olds are sensitive to criticism and do
not accept failure well.
• They cannot easily separate the “doer” from the thing
that is done – so, failure in an activity is translated into
personal unworthiness.
• For this reason competitive activities are
developmentally inappropriate for Cloverbuds.
• Cloverbud activities should be conducted in a positive
environment that focuses on the members’ strengths
rather than analyzing their deficiencies.
Emphasis on Cooperation
• While Cloverbuds should not participate in contests
or exhibits that involve judging, it is appropriate for
them to participate in show-and-tell sessions and to
display their work.
• Cloverbuds receive recognition for participating in
activities. Any form of recognition, prize, award, or
ribbon must be given equally to all Cloverbud
members.
• Recognition of participation can promote a sense of
pride and feeling of accomplishment.
Cooperative Learning
• In cooperative learning, members work in small groups
and depend on each other to accomplish a goal.
• Cooperative learning encourages the development of
social interaction skills, enhances self-esteem of
members, and improves their ability to work together.
• This type of learning experience is characterized by
“positive interdependence.” That is, the group cannot
succeed if anyone in the group is ignored or does not
contribute to the group process.
Individualistic Learning
• In individualistic learning each member
participates alone.
• This is often the case when members make
something.
• Although the members are in the same room
together each works independently, trying to
do his/her own best work.
Include Both Cooperative and
Individualistic Learning Experiences
• Having the opportunity to experience both independence and
interdependence helps children develop a sense of self-worth
(“I am capable; I am needed by others.”)
• The learning activities should include a sufficient variety of
experiences to accommodate the varied ages, stages,
interests, and needs of members.
• Parallel activities may be needed to allow children at different
stages to participate in a way that suits their developmental
needs.
• Some may choose to work alone on an activity while others
choose to work in groups.
Cloverbud Meetings –
How are parents involved?
• Parents of Cloverbuds usually help as needed.
• They may host a meeting in their home,
donate craft supplies and/or refreshments,
chaperone a special tour, plan a community
service project, make telephone calls, provide
transportation, or share a special skill.
• Ask for their help as needed.
Cloverbud Meetings –
Planning is the Key to Success
• Planning a yearly calendar will help everyone
integrate 4-H activities with the rest of their personal
commitments.
• While adults and youth should work together to
develop the yearly plan, the leader should present
children of this age with options that are manageable
by the adults.
• The yearly plan should balance learning activities
with opportunities for social/recreational activities.
Become Familiar with Safety & Risk
Management Procedures
• Cloverbuds are anxious to try new activities, learn, and
prove their knowledge, but lack the judgment and skills
to be safe.
• Volunteers must provide close supervision in
environments that not only ensure children's well being,
but also allow them to realize their learning potential.
• Youth ages 5 to 8 years can have tremendous variability
in their physical, emotional and intellectual abilities.
• Therefore adult leaders must understand and
accommodate that variability.
Become Familiar with Safety & Risk
Management Procedures
• Regardless of how cautious we are there is
always some risk that a child might get hurt
while participating in a 4-H activity.
• The use of a New Mexico 4-H Youth Medical
and Liability Release/Code of Conduct
Contract and Media Release form (Form
300.A-3) is required for each activity.
Have Fun!
• 4-H should be fun for your Cloverbuds and for you.
• One of the most important outcomes of participation in 4-H is
a feeling that learning is fun.
• People who enjoy learning are always looking for
opportunities to learn new things and so develop their
potential more fully.
• So, think about how your Cloverbuds will view the planned
activities. If they seem tedious or “schooly” make some
changes that will stimulate curiosity or a sense of mystery;
increase the amount of action or interaction; use community
resources to create a break from the usual meeting routine.
Have Fun!
• When 4-H is fun and members are involved in
doing and discovering, they’ll learn, and so
will you.
• When you are having fun and enjoy the sense
of discovery that comes out of experiencing
new things your members will absorb your
enthusiasm.
Program Parameters
The purpose of the 10 parameters is to help 4-H professionals and volunteers make
decisions regarding developmentally age-appropriate programming. The parameters
are consistent with the K -3 Youth in 4-H: Guidelines for Programming (National 5-8
Curriculum Task Force, 1991) and the National Association for the Education of Young
Children's position statement on developmentally appropriate practice in the primary
grades, serving 5 through 8 year-olds (1988).
The goal of 5-to-8-year-old programming is to promote healthy development in children by
enhancing life skills (social-interaction, self-esteem, physical mastery, making choices, and
learning to learn). Therefore, the primary question for Cloverbud Leaders to ask themselves is:
does the activity meet program objectives to promote healthy development as outlined in the
following parameters:
Summary
• Cloverbud programming is different from the
traditional club program.
• There are certain policies and guidelines that
must be met when conducting Cloverbud
Programs.
• As a leader, you must be aware of what is
developmentally appropriate, meets the
parameters for working with 5-8 year olds,
and creates a fun & safe learning environment
for your members.