The Ohio 4-H Youth Development program offers more than 200 projects for children to select from. If a child still cannot find a project listed in the book that sparks an interest, they can create their own personalized project by taking a self-determined project.

Projects cover a wide range of areas. Examples of popular projects, excluding livestock projects, are photography, clothing, food, rockets, wood working, collectibles, and small animals, such as hamsters, dogs, and cats. There are several natural resources projects, such as fishing or even archery, for children who like the outdoors. Maybe your child is a talented writer, artist or likes acting. There are projects geared for those children interested in the arts. For the child who has aspirations of being class president or even President of the United States, public speaking and leadership projects will help teach them important skills to help make those goals become reality. Children who have a part-time job or collect an allowance can benefit from the money management projects which teach kids about budgets and saving.

Teens have plenty to choose from that will help them as they make their way into the adult world. Laundry, cooking, money management, and nutrition can make a smoother transition into the adulthood. The Shopping Savvy project is popular with teens who want to learn how to find cool clothes on the rack at a discounted price. There are several interior decorating projects, including Your First Home Away From Home, that can make living on your own a fun and exciting adventure.

4-H offers many different science projects for those who want to challenge themselves. Electrical, engineering, remote control cars, and rockets are popular among all ages. These first projects can spark an interest, especially after a successful launch of a rocket, in pursuing more experiences in science and sometimes lead to a career.

With the craze for home makeovers, the 4-H woodworking projects can lead to some fun home projects, of course with mom or dad’s approval and assistance. 4-H members create furniture pieces as simple as a pine shelf to elaborate pieces like an oak cabinet. An antique piece of furniture that needs a little “TLC” makes a great refinishing project for a 4-H member. You acquire a stunning piece of furniture for your house and your 4-H member acquires a useful, and sometimes marketable, skill for life.

The Ohio State University Extension publishes The Family Guide as a resource to aid in the selection of projects for new and current members. Included in this resource is a description of not only 4-H projects, but a description of state opportunities for teens to take advantage of during their 4-H tenure. There is a section on how to select age-appropriate projects and includes a table with age, skill level, and state judging to make it easy for members to find the right project for them. Also, you can visit projectcentral.ohio4h.org, browse projects, filtering them by your child’s interests and skill level. The Family Guide is available online at www.ohio4h.org or through the Fayette County Extension Office.

For information on the Fayette County 4-H program and all the projects and opportunities available to your child, contact the Fayette County Extension Office at 740-335-1150.