Shelby County Mini 4-H
What is Mini 4-H?
Mini 4-H is a program designed to encourage positive development of children, Kindergarten through second grade. 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.
The NON-COMPETITIVE learning environment for Mini 4-H includes:
- 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.
- Low adult/leader to child ratio that allows time for adults/leaders to provide individual, positive encouragement and assistance.
- Simple, interesting activities that are fun.
- Encouragement of children to participate in a group activity by sharing and or displaying their activity projects.
- Rewards that are identical and/or ribbons of the same color for everyone.
Mini 4-H Projects
All projects should have a name tag attached, including name, age, and school attended. Posters should be 14" x 22" and be mounted on stiff cardboard or poster board and covered with plastic. If size of project is not specified, projects cannot exceed 3' x 3'. For special consideration of larger projects, please contact the Extension Office by June 1.
Mini 4-H Animal Projects
Mini 4-Hers enrolled in (goats, rabbits, sheep, swine, and cats) MUST have turned in the completed Mini 4-H Liability Release Form. Cats will be shown in conjunction with the 4-H Cat show (Sunday of Fair). Goats, Sheep, and Swine will be shown on Monday of Fair beginning at PM in the Livestock Arena. Rabbits will be shown in conjunction with the 4-H Rabbit show (Thursday of Fair). Due to space limitations and health requirements, we cannot allow a Mini 4-Her to bring an animal that they may own to the fair to show. Mini 4-Her will be able to pair up with a current 4-H member and show their animal.
Contact Us
Office Location
20 W Polk Street, Suite 201
Shelbyville, IN 46176
(317) 392-6460
Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Closed on County Holidays
4-H Staff
Erin Padgett, 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator
Cindy Kuhn, 4-H Program Assistant
cmkuhn@purdue.edu
Natalie Werner, 4-H Secretary
russe238@purdue.edu
Shelby County, IN 4-H
Enroll in Mini 4-H
4-H enrollment for the 2024-2025 program year opens October 1, 2024 and closes May 15, 2025. We encourage families to register for 4-H by January 15th, enrollments made after January may limit participation options.
4-H OnlineMini 4-H Meetings 2025
- Mini 4-H Workshop: All Things Sheep
- February 6, 2025 beginning at 6 p.m. in the Family Arts Building at the Shelby County Fairgrounds
- Mini 4-H Workshop: Recycling
- March 6, 2025 beginning at 6 p.m. in the Family Arts Building at the Shelby County Fairgrounds
- Mini 4-H Workshop: Tadpole to Frog
- April 10, 2025 beginning at 6 p.m. in the Family Arts Building at the Shelby County Fairgrounds
Mini 4-H Opportunities at the Shelby County Fair
Shelby County offers Mini 4-H’ers to have hands on experience showing, working with and caring for the following animals: cat, goats, sheep, swine, and rabbits. All Mini 4-H members are welcome to participate in the non-competitive Mini Livestock Show, Rabbit Show, and Cat Show. Due to space limitations and health requirements, we cannot allow Mini 4-H’ers to bring an animal that they may own to the Fair to show.
- Mini 4-H Livestock (Goat, Sheep, & Swine) Show
- Monday June 9, 2025 beginning at 1:00 p.m. in the Livestock Arena at the Shelby County Fairgrounds
- Mini 4-H Frog Jumping Contest
- Monday June 9, 2025 beginning at (approximately) 3:00 p.m. in the Livestock Arena at the Shelby County Fairgrounds. This will immediately follow the Mini 4-H Livestock Show.
- Decorated Egg Contest
- Monday, June 9, 2025 anytime from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the Poultry Barn at the Shelby County Fairgrounds
- RT2: Read, Taste, & Touch Event
- Tuesday, June 10, 2025 beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Brinson Building on the Shelby County Fairgrounds
- Mini 4-H Rabbit Show
- Thursday, June 12, 2025 beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the Family Arts Building at the Shelby County Fairgrounds
- Mini 4-H Cat Show
- Thursday, June 12, 2025 beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the Family Arts Building at the Shelby County Fairgrounds
Registration for these events will take place at the time of the event.
*To participate in Mini 4-H events, youth must be Shelby County Mini 4-H member for the current year.
Mini 4-H Camp
Our 2025 Mini 4-H Camp will be July 10-11th. This is a day camp open to Mini 4-H members in Shelby County. Campers must have completed application, youth health form, and Mini 4-H liability release form on file with the Shelby County Purdue Extension Office prior to Mini Camp.
During camp, youth have the opportunity to learn about many different topics all related to 4-H. Camp classes and activities from past camps have included science experiments, outdoor games, cookie decorating, character education, wildlife, magic of nature, care of small animals, group recreation, and much more!
Applications must be turned into the Purdue Extension-Shelby County Office by June 28th to be guaranteed a camp t-shirt. Campers must have been signed up for Shelby County Mini 4-H for the 2023-2024 year.
Mini 4-H Camp Counselors are Shelby County youth in grades 7-12th. As a Mini 4-H Camp Counselor, you will assist with crafts, serve refreshments, assist with recreational activities, have the possibility to serve as a group leader, and much more! To apply, complete the application and return it to the Extension Office by July 1, 2024.
MINI 4-H PROJECTS
Shelby County Mini 4-H Member should choose at least one project to complete and display at the Shelby County Fair! See the Mini 4-H Handbook for project requirements for each project. Contact the Extension Office with any questions.
Mini 4-H manuals available for all projects in the Extension Office.
- Cake Decorating
- Cats
- Ceramics
- Collections
- Construction Sets
- Crafts
- Entomology (1,2,3)
- Equine
- Fashion Revue
- Flowers
- Foods
- Goats
- Livestock (poster)
- Model Kits
- My Pet and Me
- Rabbit
- Recycling
- Scrapbooking
- Sewing
- Sheep
- Space
- Swine
- Trees
- Veggie Art
- Wildlife
- Woodcraft
RT2: READ, TASTE, & TOUCH
Read: Reading a book with a child encourages creative thinking, vocabulary development, and a bond between child and parent.
Taste: RT2 focuses on the connections between good nutrition and agriculture. Each book will have a food item discussed. RT2 will provide you with recipes, facts, and other fun things you may do with your child that tie into the book.
Touch: Books in the RT2 series will make science fun and touchable by including some sort of agriculture lesson – either plants or animals.
Each month we will feature a new book, activity and nutritious snack. RT2 participants will be notified about special events through the year, including our RT2 CELEBRATION during the Shelby County Fair. Join the fun!
