To say COVID-19 has caused Extension to provide new and creative ways to program would be an understatement.  During the summer months, Marshall County 4-H Youth Development typically tries to offer at least two to three day camps along with regular summer programming such as the County Fair Exhibits and 4-H Camp.  The worldwide pandemic created a change of plans…

            Instead of in-person day camps, Marshall County Extension Program Assistant and 4-H Youth Development Agent collaborated on “4-H Summer 2020 Project Kits.”   Four rounds with a different theme/topic were made available during the months of June and July.  The kits were promoted through Social Media and pre-registration was required to ensure only one kit per household was received.  

            Fifty Marshall County youth participated in the program.  Several of the youth/families registered for all four kits and for some it was their first non-school enrichment programming from the Extension Service.  In other words, about 1/3 of the youth who did the project kits were not currently enrolled 4-Hers.

            The themes/topics for the kits included Fair Worthy Projects; Exploring Outdoors and Gardens; Fun with Foods; and Off to School We Go.  Per responses to an evaluation survey, youth (and most notably as a family unit) completed projects such as building a bird house; use a hammer properly; made mixed media art pieces; prepped a dish garden; utilized the 4-H Vegetable Gardening project book; learned more about pollinators and bees; prepped healthy and/or tried new recipes; prepared school locker decorations; and participated in a Dinner Table Project by putting cell phones and other devices away when eating as a family.  Comments from the 4-H Summer 2020 Project Kit evaluation included:

• “As a mom, I enjoyed spending time with my son doing these activities together.”
• “Did not realize there were so many types of bees.”
• “Loved learning about wildlife!”
• “Learned to follow directions and measuring.”
• “Loved all of the recipes!...Eating so many more meals at home has made us explore new recipes!”
• “We put our phones away during dinner every night!”

While the project kits were designed to be a substitute to a youth only targeted day camp program, the end result…The Marshall County 4-H Summer 2020 Project Kits became a family centered activity!