4-H Cloverbuds is a non-competitive educational program offering 4-H learning experience/situations for children enrolled in kindergarten through 3rd grade (ages 5-7).
The non-competitive learning environment for 4-H Cloverbuds includes the following:
- developmentally appropriate activities
- cooperation, rather than competition, should be emphasized
- planned learning activities in which children are invited to be active and explore materials and ideas without the pressure of completing a specific product or exhibit
- simple, interesting activities that are fun
- encouragement of children to participate in a group activity by sharing and/or displaying their activity projects
- recognition and incentives are to be presented without rank or placing
In South Dakota, children in kindergarten through 3rd grade can participate in Cloverbuds in two ways:
- Participating in a county Cloverbud program
- Enrolling in a 4-H community club as a Cloverbud member and participating in the age-appropriate activities of that club
Cloverbud members can participate in most aspects of the 4-H program, except for a few notable exceptions:
- 4-H Cloverbud members cannot participate in large animal livestock projects (i.e. horse, dairy, goats, sheep, swine and beef).
- 4-H Cloverbud members cannot participate in shooting sports at the county level.
- 4-H Cloverbud members cannot exhibit at State Fair, State Horse Show, or State Shooting Sports.
- 4-H Cloverbud members can participate in county Youth in Action events or Achievement Days, but only as a participant. They cannot compete in events or receive ribbon placing of purple, blue, red or white. Cloverbud participation ribbons/certificates are one form of acceptable recognition.