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4-H Clubs

Clubs are the foundation of 4-H. A 4-H club is a group of five or more youngsters guided by one or more adults. A club can be any size–from a small group of kids from the same neighborhood to a large group of youth from within the county.

A 4-H club has a planned program that is ongoing throughout all or most of the year, and can meet in any location. Typically a club’s members elect officers.

4-H clubs are organized and supported to provide community-based, positive, structured learning opportunities for youth during their developmental years.

• What do kids in a 4-H club do?

  Kids in 4-H clubs participate in a wide variety of fun projects, based on members’ interests. Members learn through projects on such topics as gardening, woodworking, bicycle care and safety, photography, aerospace and model rocketry and much more. Members choose their own projects.

  4-H members build life skills like decision-making, communication, citizenship, and leadership. They also meet new friends, and–most important–have lots of fun!

• Do all 4-H clubs offer the same activities?

  All kids are different, and so are 4-H clubs! The goals and structures of 4-H clubs vary according to the needs of the members they serve. Some clubs offer one project topic that all members experience together at the club meetings. Others offer a selection of projects delivered through project meetings held apart from the clubs’ main meetings. Some clubs have a singular geographic focus, or serve specific audiences, such as tribal reservation clubs, afterschool clubs, or 4-H clubs on military bases.

• What kinds of projects can I do in a 4-H club?

  The Sky is the limit! Most projects fall inot one of the following areas:

  • Animal Sciences
  • Career Development
  • Citizenship and Leadership Development
  • Communication and Expressive Arts
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Healthy Lifestyles
  • Plant Sciences
  • Science and Technology
• What age do I have to be to join 4-H?

  4-H is open to all youth, ages 5-18, determined as of September 1 of the current 4-H program year.

  Eligibility for enrolled 4-H members is determined by
  the youth’s age as of September 1 of the current 4-H program year, which runs September 1 through August 31. Youth under 8 years of age on September 1 of the current 4-H year, are ineligible to participate in competitive activities at any level. 5-7 year old 4-H members are known as Cloverbuds. Usually, Cloverbuds are in separate, noncompetetive clubs, where they sample a variety of 4-H projects. Older 4-H members also have special opportunities, such as serving on a countywide 4-H teen council.

• How can I be part of a 4-H club?

  There are three different ways to become part of a 4-H club:

  1. Join an existing 4-H club in your area.
  2. Start a new 4-H club with your friends and neighbors.
  3. Start a 4-H club at your school, afterschool or another location, like a military base.

For information about how to start or join a club in your area, click here to find a 4-H office near you.