College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Training Volunteers to Work with Cloverbuds

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 activity- based 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 StagesFrom 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 Childhood9-12 year olds--Middle Childhood

13-15 year olds--Early Adolescence16-18 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

PhysicalHave better control of large muscles than small musclesSlow, steady growth Are mastering physical skills

SocialLearning how to be friends; may have many friendsOpinions of peers are becoming more importantAre beginning to experience empathy for othersAre family-oriented

Characteristics of 5-8 year olds

EmotionalAre self centeredSeek approval from adults, and go out of their way to avoid punishmentAre sensitive to criticism; don’t like to fail.

IntellectualAre concrete thinkers- base thinking in realityCan’t multi-task well.Are more interested in doing things than getting a good result at the end.

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.

For each child, consider uniqueness, needs, and interests. To do this, keep in mind the following two basic development principles:

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.