Mini 4-H

Mini 4-H is a free program for Kindergarten through Second Grade students. The goal of Mini 4-H is to help young children explore friendships outside the family; explore the way in which things work; practice both small and large muscle control; and think about the ways people work together on projects.  We want this to be a fun experience for the child and an introduction to the Johnson County 4-H Program.

Enrollment is made through our 4-H Online website.  Preferred enrollment dates are October 1 - January 15. 

Mini 4-H members are placed in the Mini Clovers 4-H Club.  Club participation is not required as most of the Mini 4-H program is designed to be completed at home with a caring adult.  Mini Clovers 4-H offers a few meetings January - June each year with activities appropriate for the age group. 

Mini Clover 4-H Leaders are:
Barb Souchon  317-450-0388
Heather Polesel  812-821-4141
Join our Facebook group! - Johnson County Mini 4-H
Club email - johnsonmini4h@yahoo.com

Contact Us to Learn About Mini 4-H

Heather Dougherty
4-H Youth Development Extension Educator
hdougher@purdue.edu


484 North Morton Street
Franklin, IN 46131
(317) 736-3724

Amy Spurgeon
4-H Secretary/Program Assistant
spurgeoa@purdue.edu

 

 

Johnson County Mini Clovers Meeting Schedule
All meeting locations are on the Johnson County Fairgrounds
Parent Meeting Monday, January 27, 2025 at 6:30 pm  Scott Hall
Other meeting dates to be determined.

MINI 4-H GUIDELINES:

  1. Mini 4-H is open to any boy or girl who is enrolled in kindergarten, 1st or 2nd grade on January 1 of current 4-H year. (January 1, 2025)
  2. Kindergarten in Mini 4-H may exhibit one (1) project.
    1. 1st grade in Mini 4-H may exhibit one (1) or two (2) projects.
    2. 2nd grade in Mini 4-H may exhibit one (1) to four (4) projects.
  3. Mini 4-H members are enrolled in the Johnson County Mini Clovers 4-H Club (attendance not required) but do the project(s) at home.
  4. Mini 4-H projects are:  Arts & Crafts, Bugs, Cookie Decorating, Collections, Flowers, Foods, Forestry, Horse & Pony, Livestock, Models, Sewing, Small Animals and Wildlife.
  5. Enrollment of Mini 4-H begins October 1.
  6. Projects and Record Sheets are entered at Magill Hall Thursday evening (July 10, 2025), from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. the week before the fair.  They will be on display during Fair week and can be picked up Sunday (July 20, 2025), from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
  7. Mini 4-H premiums will be paid to those members who complete an official Mini 4-H Enrollment and turn in a completed project Record Sheet with their project on the established and published date.  Premium vouchers may be picked up in Scott Hall during fair week ONLY between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Friday & Saturday. You must then take your premium voucher to the designated area during these times to receive your premium money.  Premium money must be picked up by the 4-H member or the 4-H member’s parent. All premium money not picked up by 3:00 p.m. on Saturday will be forfeited.

   ALL MINI 4-H POSTER EXHIBITS MUST:

  1. Have a solid, stiff backing – that is 11" high by 14" wide (same as poster size) – such as 1/4" plywood, HEAVY cardboard, foamboard, or masonite. (Exception:  Wildlife poster is 11”x22”.)
  2. Be positioned HORIZONTALLY on a posterboard 11” high by 14” wide.  (Wildlife – 11”x22”)
  3. Have a total exhibit board no larger than 11” high by 14” wide.  (Wildlife – 11”x22”)
  4. Be completely COVERED by a solid sheet of clear plastic or in a sleeve.          

 

MINI DAY CAMP INFO

Mini 4-H Day Camp information is released in March for participation.  Mini 4-H Day Camp is two days at the Johnson County Fair Grounds with older 4-H Youth serving as the counselors.

 

PROJECT GUIDELINES
Printed Manuals and Record Sheets are available at the Johnson County Extension Office or you may click on the links provided below and print at home.

  • ARTS & CRAFTS: Learn how to do one of the different crafts.
  • BUGS: Learn about bugs and what makes them different from each other.
    • Grade K:  Exhibit an 11" x 14" poster of the "Make a Butterfly" and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 1: Exhibit an 11”x 14” poster of an insect or a spider and label the body parts and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 2: Exhibit an 11”x 14” poster showing some of the ways that bugs protect themselves and the project Record Sheet.
    • Mini 4-H Bugs Manual
    • Mini 4-H Bugs Record Sheet
  • COLLECTIONS: Learn to collect and attractively exhibit articles such as stamps, leaves, insects, etc.
    • The exhibit is a sample of your collection and should be no larger than 11" x 14". If exhibit is in a notebook, only one notebook should be displayed.
    • Grade K:  Exhibit a collection of 3 articles or pairs of articles and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 1: Exhibit a collection of 3 articles or pairs of articles different from previous year and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 2: Exhibit is a collection of 3 articles or pairs of articles different from previous year and the project Record Sheet.
    • Mini 4-H Collections Manual
    • Mini 4-H Collections Record Sheet
  • COOKIE DECORATING: Learn about cookie decorating.
    • Grade K:  Exhibit 3 cookies with frosting and sprinkles and/or candy on each one, no design needed and project record sheet.
    • Grade 1: Exhibit 3 cookies with frosting and sprinkles and/or candy on each one to make a design and project record sheet.
    • Grade 2: Exhibit 3 cookies with frosting, smooth on top. Must have border, design and project record sheet.
    • Mini 4-H Cookie Decorating Manual
    • Mini 4-H Cookie Decorating Record Sheet
  • FLOWERS: Learn how to grow flowers from seeds or grow a house plant.
    • Grade K:  Exhibit one house plant you have cared for and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 1: Exhibit is one flower you have grown or a house plant and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 2: Exhibit an arrangement of flowers you have grown and the project Record Sheet.
    • Mini 4-H Flowers Manual
    • Mini 4-H Flowers Record Sheet
  • FOODS: Learn basic kitchen rules and how to prepare simple foods you and your family will enjoy.
    • Grade K:  Exhibit a snack size bag of a favorite trail mix/snack mix, a recipe card and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 1: Exhibit is 3 no-bake bar cookies/treats, a recipe card and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 2: Exhibit 3 no-bake drop cookies/treats and the project Record Sheet.
    • Mini 4-H Foods Manual
    • Mini 4-H Foods Record Sheet
  • FORESTRY: Learn about different kinds of trees, seeds, leaves and ways that trees help us.
    • Grade K:  Exhibit an 11" x 14" poster about leaves that come from trees and Record Sheet.
    • Grade 1: Exhibit an 11”x 14” poster about seeds or leaves that come from trees and Record Sheet.
    • Grade 2: Exhibit an 11”x 14” poster showing things that people can do to help trees or showing things that people use that come from trees and Record Sheet.
    • Mini 4-H Forestry Manual
    • Mini 4-H Forestry Record Sheet
  • HORSE & PONY: Learn about horses and ponies.
    • Grade K:  Exhibit is an 11" x 14" poster about horses and ponies and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 1: Exhibit is an 11”x 14" poster about horses and ponies and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 2: Exhibit is an 11”x 14” poster about horses and ponies different than what was done in previous year and the project Record Sheet.
    • Mini 4-H Horse & Pony Manual
    • Mini 4-H Horse & Pony Record Sheet
  • LIVESTOCK: Learn about animals such as Beef, Goats, Sheep and Swine.
    • Grade K:  Exhibit an 11" x 14" poster about one of the types of livestock and the project Record Sheet. 
    • Grade 1: Exhibit an 11”x 14" poster or a scrapbook about one of the types of livestock and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 2: Exhibit an 11”x 14" poster or a scrapbook about one of the types of animals different than what was done in Grade 1 and the project Record Sheet.
    • Mini 4-H Livestock Manual
    • Mini 4-H Livestock Record Sheet
  • MODELS: Learn how to put together a "Snap-together" and simple glued model kits. Models must be no larger than 12".  Dioramas cannot be exhibited.
    • Grade K:  Exhibit a model using only Legos and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 1: Exhibit is a "Snap-together" model or Legos and the project Record Sheet.
    • Grade 2: Exhibit is a "Snap-together" model or simple glue together model from a kit and the project Record Sheet.
    • Mini 4-H Models Manual
    • Mini 4-H Models Record Sheet
  • SEWING: Learn basic sewing tools, basic hand stitches, parts of sewing machine and how to sew a straight line. *Sewing participants can participate in the 4-H Fashion revue.
  • SMALL ANIMALS:  Learn about small animals like Chickens, Rabbits, Dogs, Cats, Gerbils and Hamsters, etc.
    • Grade K:  Exhibit an 11" x 14" poster about one of the types of small animals and the project record sheet.
    • Grade 1: Exhibit an 11” x 14" poster or scrapbook about one of the types of small animals and the project record sheet.
    • Grade 2: Exhibit an 11” x 14" poster or scrapbook about one of the types of small animals different from what was done in previous year and the project record sheet.
    • Mini 4-H Small Animals Manual
    • Mini 4-H Small Animals Record Sheet
  • WILDLIFE: Learn about different animals and how they are important to nature.
    • Grade K:  Exhibit is an 11" x 22" poster with pictures of 5 animals you took at a park visit and the project record sheet.
    • Grade 1: Exhibit is an 11” x 22" poster with the animals found in the book and the project record sheet.
    • Grade 2: Exhibit is an 11” x 22" poster with the animals found in the book and the project record sheet.
    • Mini 4-H Wildlife Manual
    • Mini 4-H Wildlife Record Sheet

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Your completed project will be displayed at the Johnson County 4-H Fair (Franklin, IN) during fair week in July (July 13-19, 2025). All participants will receive $1.00 premium money and a blue ribbon! 

FAIR INFO:
Mini 4-H exhibits will be entered at Magill Hall, Thursday evening of "judging week" (the week BEFORE the Fair) between 6 pm and 7:30 pm.  Check-in will be divided alphabetically by your last name.  Look for signs showing you what line to be in.  Don’t forget to bring your completed record sheets with your project!!

 EXHIBIT TAGS - pdf

EXHIBIT TAGS - docx