Guide to Successful 4-H Meetings

Set The Climate

It takes more than a comfortable room to set the climate for a fun, successful 4-H club meeting. Physical arrangements such as lighting, temperature, and equipment are important factors. However, the 4-H members, parents, and visitors should feel welcome.

Ideas: Greet people as they enter the room

Play Mood Music

Put up posters or thought provoking quotes

Provide display, exhibits, or hands on experiments

Measure Your Time

Pre-meeting Activities – 5-15 minutes

Business Meeting – 15-20 minutes

Educational Program – 30-60 minutes

Recreation/Social Activities – 15-20 minutes

Pre-meeting Activities

Pre-meeting activities can bridge the gap between the time members begin arriving and the time the actual meeting begins.

Activities Mixers

Word games

Puzzles

Business Meeting

A club’s business session should be democracy in action. It may be the member’s first or only experience with parliamentary procedure. During 4-H club meetings members learn to express themselves in a group, listen to the views of others, use votes to reach decisions, and abide by majority rules.

Sample Business Agenda

Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance

Roll Call

Introduction of visitors

Read and approve minutes

Treasurer’s report

Committee reports

Unfinished business

New business

4-H Pledge and Adjournment

Educational Program

The most important part of a meeting is the educational program. Members benefit by learning new ideas on subjects, speaking skills, how to organize discussions, and lifelong skills.

How People Learn

Read…………..20%

Hear…………..20%

See……………30%

Hear and See…50%

Say……………70%

Do…………….90%

Recreation/Social Activities

Recreation should be a part of every meeting. Recreation helps members continue the atmosphere of fun and interest as well as getting to know one another.

Ideas Small group games

Relays

Active Sports

Picnics

Hikes

Puzzles

Charades

Mix in Praise and Recognition

For a 4-H meeting to be successful, the meeting must provide a vehicle for individual growth and achievement. During the meetings, it is imperative that opportunities are provided for success. Tell members how much you enjoy working with them and look for positive points about their personality and what they contribute to 4-H. Encourage them in their failures and applaud their successes.

Involve Others

People care about what they are a part of. As you work to make 4-H club meetings fun, the most important step to insuring a strong 4-H club is involving 4-H members, parents, and community leaders. Make the 4-H club you are working with not YOURS but OURS. The 4-H members in the club need a sense of sharing in the club’s objectives and activities.

By consciously striving to “Make the Best Better”, your 4-H meetings can be fun and successful.

Taken from “Guide To Successful 4-H Meetings” by Janet E. Fox, Extension 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Southeast Research and Extension Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln