Day Camp

4-H Cloverbud Day Camp: Creating a Welcoming Environment

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For many young people, 4-H camp is the highlight of their year.  Filled with games, workshops, singing, and fun activities, what child wouldn’t love it?  As a 4-H camp director preparing for my 21st camping season here in Warren County, I have witnessed countless smiles and laughter of hundreds of young campers.   For many, there’s just something special about the camp experience that keep kids coming back year after year.  A question I repeatedly ask at the beginning of the camp planning season is “What training do my camp staff need in order to make this year’s camp successful and have kids want to keep coming back?”  This question is especially important when planning activities for Cloverbud campers.  Many 5-8 year old campers are experiencing camp for the first time and just beginning to spend time away from their parents and caregivers.  They are willing to exploring different social groups and learning how to master their physical skills while being open to trying new things.

The biggest contributor to camp success depends on how welcome and included campers feel, especially at the start of the experience.  Creating the camp environment needs to be intentional and well thought through with attention to the details.  Below are a few tips to include in the pre camp training of counselors and staff that will help create and sustain a welcoming environment.

Addressing Campers by Their Correct Name:   Addressing and correctly pronouncing the name of each camper is very important, especially at the beginning of camp.  When campers hear their name, especially by a camp leader, it reinforces their individual value and helps them feel important to the group.  This recognition contributes to the creation of a welcoming environment where everyone feels included.   Play lots of name games on day one.

Nonverbals Are Important:  Research shows that your body language and your tone of voice account for over 90% of what you communicate to others.  This is especially true for the young children who may be new at camp.  Pay particular attention to your body posture and eye contact when communicating with campers.  It often helps to bend down to their level and lean into the encounter.  This type of posture demonstrates that your attention is focused on them and communicates they are important and worth your time and focus.   Smiles and fist bumps are great too!

“Hands-on” Engagement:   Kids love toys and games.  Much of camp is about play and fun, but not all kids experience it in the same way.  Having a “Discovery Table” where kids can select and pick up items of interest is a great way to stimulate learning and interaction.  It is also a great distraction from unwanted feelings like homesickness and fear of not fitting in.   You can also apply this concept at the table where campers sit by covering it with craft paper and allowing them to use crayons to draw or doodle.  When you add the engagement with a table counselor, it can significantly add to creating a positive welcoming environment.

Here are some of my favorite Games to make campers feel welcome and included.

Group Juggle

The group stands in an inward facing circle and are asked to throw juggling balls amongst the group in a specific order. As the activity develops more juggling balls are introduced and the pressure to work well as a group increases.

Pick-a-Corner

Designate 4 corners around the room with 4 choices.  After you pick 4 choices around a topic or theme, ask campers to go to the designated corner that best matches their preference.  Make the topics fun.  (Example:  Favorite Food — 1. Mac and Cheese 2.  Pizza  3.  Mashed Potatoes   4.  Chicken Tenders;  Favorite Vacation spot   1.  Mountains    2.  Beach   3.  City   4.  Cruise)

Quarter Flip

Have everyone stand up.  Tell them they need to select heads or tails. (Illustrate by touching both hands on their head or their “tail”.)   Then flip the coin and call it to the group.  If they chose incorrect, instruct them to sit.  Game continues until one winner.  The winner gets to be the new caller.  Continue as time permits.

Creating a safe and inclusive environment for campers and staff is the strong foundation for a successful Cloverbud camp.  Camp is a great activity to help children transition away from depending on their parents and transfer that dependence to other caring adults.  These camp fundamentals of creating a welcoming and inclusive camp should accompany all aspects of pre-camp planning as well as all activities during the camp.

 

Sources:

Condensed Ages & Stages – Fact Sheet – 5-8years.  Retrieved from https://extension.purdue.edu/4h/Documents/1_5-8_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Games Resource:   “Find Something To Do”  (Jim Cain, 2012) Great Fun and No Prop Games for all ages

Cloverbud Activities and Events

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Cloverbud participating in Watermelon Eating Contest at the Greene County Fair . Photo courtesy of Xenia Gazette

Cloverbud youth can participate in most of the club and county 4-H activities. With a little thought and pre-planning, most activities can be adapted for all members.

Keep in mind the Program Foundations when planning activities and events.  These specific requirements are listed at http://go.osu.edu/CloverbudFoundations. Remember their activities must be noncompetitive, safe and age appropriate.

Cloverbuds are able to experience 4-H camp! This can be during the county overnight camp or a separate day camp.

  • Cloverbud Camp- youth may participate only in overnight and/or day camps that meet their needs
  • Cloverbud veggie car – youth make cars out of vegetables such as cucumbers, carrots, eggplants for the body and other vegetables for the wheels and decorations
  • Watermelon eating – how much watermelon can you eat
  • Cloverbot Challenge- age appropriate STEM activities
  • Cloverbud graduation- celebrating youth transiting from Cloverbuds to project age membership
  • Show and Tell- youth share their favorite collection, item, stuffed animal, activity, etc.
  • Demonstrations- recite 4-H pledge during county demonstrations to expose them to public speaking at a young age
  • Snack- prepare snacks for a club meeting
  • Thank you note contest- youth design a 4-H related picture to be printed on county thank you note cards

Cloverbuds are often excited to work closely with older members. Include Cloverbud youth in community service projects, gardening, and in club meetings. Have them lead the 4-H Pledge or Pledge of Allegiance at a meeting.

There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to where Cloverbuds are developmentally. Activities should be age appropriate. The Cloverbud Program is noncompetitive since young children have a hard time understanding the concepts of winning and losing.

When working through activities, be mindful to connect youth with real life experiences using the experiential learning model (http://go.osu.edu/CloverbudFoundations). It is important to work with youth so they fully understand the concept of the activity.

Talk with the county Extension Office if you have questions or suggestions of activities to offer for Cloverbuds. Remember, you are setting the stage for a long, successful, and impactful youth development experience!

Summertime Fun: Cloverbuds Go To Camp

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No matter what the age of a 4-H member is, 4-H Camp is the highlight of their summer.  Cloverbuds can experience 4-H camp, too!

Camps for Cloverbuds can take place in a variety of settings.  Fairgrounds, parks, etc. may be utilized when planning your Cloverbud Camp.  Be sure that the facility will provide a safe and welcoming environment for your campers.  There should be enough space for campers to utilize their large motor skills in addition to being able to accommodate small group activities.

When planning 4-H camp for Cloverbuds, keep in mind their developmental needs and be sure that activities are age-appropriate.  Programs should be activity based and include a variety of short-term experiences.  Remember that Cloverbud activities should be noncompetitive and foster cooperative learning with participants.  Most importantly, activities should be safe and fun!

Whether you offer a day camp of one day or a series of days, or an overnight camp, be sure that you have the appropriate number of approved volunteers.  Required staffing patterns for a Cloverbud overnight camp is a minimum of one approved volunteer per five campers.  For Cloverbud Day Camps, the ratio is one approved volunteer per six campers.  A minimum of 80% of approved camp volunteers must be 18 years of age or older as of the first day of camp.

Make your 4-H Cloverbud Camp fun!  Come up with a creative theme and design your activities around that theme.  For example, a camp with the theme of “Nocturnal Nature” might feature activities related to animals that are active at night (bats, raccoons, etc).  “Explore the Outdoors” might feature activities related to trees, flowers, or animals.  STEM activities might be featured at a camp with the theme of “Wacky World of Science”.

Check with your OSU Extension Educator for 4-H Youth Development for policies and guidelines that apply specifically to Cloverbud Camp.  They can help you to plan a safe and effective camp for your Cloverbuds.