MANHATTAN, Kan. – This October, Kansas 4-H is introducing 4-H Cloverbuds, a new educational program for children ages 5 and 6.

The program has been developed specifically for Kansas 4-H. Rather than traditional projects, 4-H Cloverbuds focuses on age-appropriate activities, said Pam Van Horn, the Kansas State University Research and Extension 4-H specialist who worked to establish the new approach.

"The educational program is research-based and designed to help children learn and grow mentally, physically and socially," she said.

The 4-H Cloverbuds curriculum emphasizes:

            * Skills in self-understanding that initiate independence and self-direction;

            * Social skills, such as ways to get along with others;

            * Skills in making decisions and positive choices;

            * Learning skills, including how to learn; and

            * Physical activity, including learning to enjoy creative – and constructive – play.

While 4-H Cloverbuds members can share what they’ve learned via show-and-tells or displays at school or in the community, the activity-based program is non-competitive.

“At this age,” Van Horn said, “children need the freedom to learn without pressures from competition.”

4-H Cloverbuds meetings will typically last an hour and include an interactive educational activity selected from the program curriculum, as well as some fellowship and the opportunity to make new friends, Van Horn said.

To be eligible to join, a child must have celebrated his or her 5th or 6th birthday before Jan. 1 of the current year.

The program is being led by trained 4-H volunteers and implemented by county and district K-State Research and Extension offices. More information about 4-H Cloverbuds is available at those Extension offices and on the Kansas 4-H Web site: www.Kansas4-H.org.

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