Contents Encouraging Creativity in Children Cloverbud Committee Works in Medina County Treat your Team to Nifty Nachos Campus Connection How Humor Develops In Children

Encouraging Creativity in Children

During the winter months, children and families will be spending more time at home. Parents and caregivers may want to consider some ideas to encourage creativity in children. This will keep children actively involved in the learning process as well as constructively occupied. Parents can also use the opportunity to gain new information about their children. Projects, discussions, sharing of ideas, crafts, and games can provide children with the chance to explore the world and the people around them in unique ways.

Promoting creativity in children doesn't have to be complicated, but an understanding of children's developmental abilities and an appreciation for a child's efforts are important. Here are some suggestions to put into practice.

• Model perseverance, creative thinking, and creative expression.
• Let children know that novel, innovative, and unique approaches to a problem are valued.
• Suppress the impulse to accomplish tasks for children.
• Encourage children to complete a project and to enjoy the process of learning.
• Allow the child to try out alternative methods or techniques to create a project, and explore any possible problems by discussion of the steps and responsibilities associated with completion.
• Help children recognize their own strengths and weaknesses.
• Provide a stimulating environment that appeals to the child's developmental age level abilities and skills. Parents can encourage children to try new methods through exploration by providing a variety of materials, books, and games, the opportunity to experiment with these materials, and by reinforcing the child's progress and development.

Source: Lynda K. Fowler, CCS, Crawford County. 1997 OSU Extension Family Life Packet.

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Cloverbud Committee Works in Medina County

Are you a volunteer or parent of a Cloverbud 4H'er? Do you have a few ideas of some really neat things Cloverbuds in your county could do? A group of volunteers in Medina County recently shared their ideas after answering a volunteer position announcement for "Cloverbud Committee Members" advertised in the county 4-H newsletter and in letters to Cloverbud parents.

The 11-member group is made up of parents, 4-H volunteers, and elementary school teachers. The committee planned and designed Medina County's "At Home Activity Book," a collection of crafts and activities designed for parents to complete at home with their child. This book has since been distributed to most Cloverbud families in the county. Committee members also planned, coordinated, and helped implement Medina County's three-day "Cloverbud Day Camp." They arranged for speakers, designed the crafts, games, and other activities that involved a different theme for each day. They even procured a cotton candy machine, real-life clowns, and face painter for the carnival at the camp's conclusion.

In addition to helping the 4-H agent and program staff plan special events, members also function as an advisory committee. They suggest topics for advisor training, provide input on other Cloverbud activities such as the county's "Show and Tell," and give the 4-H agent feedback regarding future direction of the Cloverbud program, which boasts an enrollment of more than 200 youth.

The committee meets once in the fall, late winter, and then twice in late spring to prepare for day camp. It is amazing to see how a small commitment of time can benefit so many young people. If you are a volunteer OF parent with some great ideas and a little bit of time, why not contact your county 4-H agent and suggest they start a Cloverbud Committee this year!

Lisa Wittenauer, Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development

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Treat your Team to Nifty Nachos

Get your cooking tools
bowl
paper towels
kitchen scissors
cookie sheet

Get your ingredients
3 cups warm water
1 tablespoon salt
1 package flour tortillas
Garlic powder or garlic salt
Nonstick vegetable cooking spray

Follow the directions

1. Turn your oven on to 350°F.
2. Put 1 tablespoon salt into the bowl, and add 3 cups water.
3. Dip the tortilla shells into the salt water one at a time, and lay them on paper towels.
4. With kitchen scissors cut each tortilla into four wedges or tiny steps.
5. Lay the wedges or tiny strips of tortilla on an ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Sprinkle with a little garlic salt or garlic powder.
7. Bake 10-12 minutes until they are crispy and a little brown.
8. Cool.

Serving Ideas
Serve with your favorite salsa or food.

Source: Fun with Kids in the Kitchen Cookbook. Judy Rogers, the Health Connection, Page 50.

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Campus Connection

Hello again! It is great being back with Cloverbud Connections! I have a question for you. Do you read to your Cloverbud children during group meetings? If you do that is great! If not, think about incorporating some of the reading suggestions offered at the end of the Cloverbud curriculum pieces or other reading material you think the children will enjoy.

So why include reading as part of the Cloverbud program? As stated by the U.S. Department of Education, "widely acknowledged research indicates that reading to young children promotes language growth and correlates with literacy development and later school success." Opportunities for being read to daily are more likely for young children living with two parents in families with incomes above the poverty line, and for children of mothers with increased education. Obviously, many children who for whatever reason or another, have limited opportunities for being in a reading environment.

Cloverbud groups can be a place for children to blossom their language, thinking, and communication skills through reading and story-telling.

Scott D. Scheer State Extension Specialist 4-1-1 Youth Development, Pre-adolescent Education

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How Humor Develops In Children

Humor is a valuable social tool. Laughter allows young people to relax, to let their guard down and to become receptive to new situations. Recent research shows that humor also promotes development of language and cognition during the elementary years. It is important to expose children to humor. Parents, 4-H club advisors, and other influential adults can help children develop a sense of humor through physical and verbal play.

Most psychologists agree that humor appears at age three, when children understand enough of their world to imagine it in different ways. Children also begin to develop a sense of compassion and empathy for others at approximately the same time. Humor enhances child development when it is used in a positive manner. However, humor which uses sarcasm or putdowns may "hurt" children, cause them to shy away from all attempts at humor or to avoid situations in which they may become the target of someone else's comments.

K-2 Years

Riddles are a great way for children to demonstrate a competency with sentence structure and language. Tell a five year old child a riddle and he or she will pick up the pattern of question-answer quickly. Knock-Knock jokes are also important signals to parents that children understand the exchange of human conversation and patterns. Five year olds find that "fooling" adults is great fun. Minor mishaps begin to tickle their fancy as they tend to be more aware of adults making mistakes too! Silly language begins to disappear around age five.

Humor at age six is not very subtle! Outbursts of giggling are common and can wear on the nerves of parents, teachers, and other mentoring adults. Children typically revert back to "bathroom humor" at this age. Belly buttons and biological functions tickle any first grade class. Six year olds require lots of adult attention to keep humor at a reasonable level. When six year olds feel neglected, they will often show off and act foolishly to draw attention. Children at age six and seven see great humor in practical jokes and accidents.

Seven and eight year olds are just at the right age to understand ambiguous riddles and riddle meanings. The seven year old child has realized that some jokes are for friends only, while other jokes may be appropriate for any audience. Jokes at this age are considered the ultimate in intellectual pursuits. Children with reading anxiety may actually enjoy joke and riddle books because of their predictable patterns and motivation for young people.

Lori M. Keller, Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development, Warren County

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Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ad. Admin. and Director, OSU Extension TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868