Volume 2, Issue 5

Bringing Closure to the 4-H Cloverbud Year

Each University of Illinois Extension Unit will have different plans for providing a "sharing experience" for 4-H Cloverbud members to bring closure to the year. Some counties may allocate time during the 4-H Fair or Show for Cloverbuds to share with others what they have done over the past year. Others may have a separate, special event for Cloverbud members to allow for "sharing and reflection." Finally, some counties may elect to have the "sharing" take place in the local Cloverbud group setting. Regardless of the method chosen, it is important to allow time for individual Cloverbud members and the total group to share their experiences with others.

Through the various Cloverbud activities that members participated in this year, we hope that they have been developing life skills in the areas of social interaction, decision-making and learning to learn. Social interaction illustrates the need to learn how to work together cooperatively, to share and to resolve conflicts. In the "sharing experience," the members may be asked to talk about how they worked together to complete an activity or how they learned to overcome disagreements among themselves.

Decision-making skills may be illustrated through discussion of how activities were chosen and how each individual contributed to the completion of a project or activity. Finally, in the "sharing experience," Cloverbuds may be encouraged to share what they learned by doing the various activities during the past year. This reinforces the "learning to learn" life skill.

As the adult volunteer working with the group, you will want to facilitate the sharing experience by:

• Having the group talk about what they did this year.
• Asking open-ended questions to get at feelings and reactions.
• Giving each child a chance to share and to be proud of his work.
• Being sure that adults and youth provide positive feedback to each child.
• Giving each individual (similar but equal) recognition for his efforts.

4-H Cloverbud Story Sheets

Cloverbud groups may want to obtain My 4-H Cloverbud Story Sheets Level 1, 2 and 3 for each member. These can be downloaded from the 4-H web site at www.4-H.uiuc.edu/staff/r90315.pdf or www.4-H.uiuc.edu/staff/r90316.pdf or www.4-H.uiuc.edu/staff/r90317.pdf. Copies may also be obtained from your local University of Illinois Extension office. Level 1 is designed for 5 year olds, Level 2 for 6 year olds, and Level 3 for 7 year olds. The sheets ask the youngsters to draw pictures and describe activities that they completed in Cloverbuds this year. It also asks them to tell what they learned and what they would like to learn next. By completing these forms, several objectives may be accomplished:

• You may generate a list of activities that your group completed that the youngsters enjoyed and would like to use in their "sharing experience" this summer.
• You begin to help the Cloverbuds learn a little about the life skill of record keeping.
• You may generate ideas for planning group activities for next year from the list of things members indicated that they would like to learn more about.

Transitioning to a Community 4-H Club

For your seven-year old members, don’t forget that the fair will be a good time to expose them to projects available in the community club program. You may want to introduce them to members, leaders, and parents of community clubs in your area during the fair. You may also want to arrange for them to be contacted about the first meeting of that club in September so that they can join the group at the beginning of the year. Additional ideas about transitioning Cloverbuds to 4-H Community Clubs were outlined in the Vol.1 Issue 5 of The Cloverpatch. It is available at the web site www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/cloverbuds/v01n05.html.

Cloverbud Day at 4-H Camp Shaw-waw-nas-see!

4-H Camp Shaw-waw-nas-see will host a 4-H Cloverbud Day on Saturday, June 23 for Cloverbud members, parents and leaders. The day will begin at 10:00 a.m. and conclude at 3:00 p.m. Cost is $6.00 per person. Deadline is June 16. A parent or guardian must attend with the Cloverbud member. Lunch will be provided. The day will give Cloverbud families an opportunity to participate in camp activities such as crafts, nature, and swimming in the pool (bring your own suit and towel). Contact your local Extension Office for a registration form and directions to the camp (which is located near the Kankakee River State Park in Kankakee County).

Written by Sheri Seibold, Extension Educator, Youth Development from University of Illinois Extension, Matteson Center.