4-H Project Selection
It's time to select your 4-H projects for this year's club work and county fair participation! To help you select the project(s) you may be interested in, think about the below questions:
- What things do you like to do for fun?
- What hobbies do you have?
- What would you like to learn to do?
- What knowledge and/or skills do you already have in a project area?
- Are there any special needs/items that are required to be able to complete the project?
- Space: Including considerations for livestock, animal, and plant projects
- Equipment: Including special equipment, what you currently have, what you may need to purchase, etc.
- Time Frame: Some projects are multiple-year projects, others have activities spread over several months, and some can be completed in a few short weeks or days.
- Materials/Supplies: Including quantities, costs, etc.
- Other People Involved: Some projects require group activities, presentations, mentors, etc.
- How much time do you have to spend on a 4-H project each week/month?
- What adult/teen do you know that can help you with your project?
- How many 4-H projects can you realistically complete in a year? (A good rule of thumb is approximately one project for each year that you’ve been in 4-H.)
Want an easy to refer to list of all projects? Click here to view the 2024 Handy Project List!
2024 Family Guide
This is your place to connect to our entire collection of Ohio 4-H project books for the year. Each project book contains information and activities for members to explore as an organized group project or at home under the guidance of a parent or interested adult. When choosing a project, consider your interests, background, what is necessary to start the project, and the resources available to help you complete it.
Ohio residents can order project books and other publications described in the Family Guide through our office. Out-of-state residents or Ohio residents who want to buy online can go directly to extensionpublications.osu.edu.
Click the above picture to download the 2024 Family Guide or try the flip book version.
2024 Project Requirement Guides
Click here for a complete list of general project requirements, listed by project. For more detailed information about your project and evaluation, click on the project below.
- Livestock
- Beef, Dairy Cattle, Goats, Poultry, Sheep, Swine, Rabbits
- Horse
- Horseless Horse, Beginning Horse Management, Light Horse Selection, Horse Training: How to Talk to Your Horse, Learning to Jump, Draft Horses, Smal Equine, Standardbred horse, Gymkhana, Roping, Trail Riding, and Dressage
- Companion Animal and Dog
- All About Dogs, Dog Project and Record Book (You and Your Dog, pet, obedience, showmanship, performance, and working dog projects), Assistance Animals in Action, Cavy Project and Record Book, Purr-fect Pals, Climbing Up!, Leaping Forward, Pocket Pets Project and Record Book, Pet Rabbit
- Veterinary Science
- From Airedales to Zebras, All Systems Go!, On the Cutting Edge
- Workforce Preperation
- Am I ready for Work, You're Hired!, Here, There, Ag Careers Are Everywhere!
- Clothing
- Accessories for Teens, Sew Fun!, Designed by Me, Sundress and Jumpers, Terrific Tops, em•bel•lish: A 4-H Guide to Wearable Art, Sew for Others, Ready, Set, Sew Active!, Loungewear, Clothing for Middle School, Shopping Savvy, Clothes for High School and College, Creative Costumes, Dresss-Up Outfit, Outerwear for Anywhere, Look Great for less, Clothign for Your Career, Dewing and Tetiles (non-clothing) Master
- Leadership
- Finding Your Voice: Publis Speaking Made Easy, Mentoring: Leadership in Action, Club Leadership 1, Diversity: The Source of Our Strength, My Hands to Larger Service, Teens on Board, Leadership Road Trip: Where Are You Going?, Leadership Road Trip iBook, Pantry Panic!, Leadership Master, Club Leadership 2,
- Creative and Leisure Arts
- Cake Decorating Project and Record Book, My Favorite Things, Quiliting the Best Better, You Can Quilt!, Get Started in Art, Seeing Through Graphic Design, Photography 1, 2, and 3, Photography Master, Scrapbooking: A 4-H Guide to Preserving Memories, The Writer in You
- Family Life
- Family History Treasure Hunt, Discovering 4-H, 4-H Around the Globe, Family History Treasure Hunt, Becoming Money Wise, Teens... On the Road to Financial Success
- Food and Nutrition
- Let's Start Cooking, Sports Nutrition: Ready, Set, Go, Everyday Food and Fitness, Snack Attack!, take a Break for Breakfast, Let's Bake Quick Breads, Cooking on My Own, Grill Master, Beyond the Grill, Star Spangled Foods, Party Planner: A 4-H Guide to Quantity Cooking, Racking the Clock to Awesome Meals, Yeast Breads on the Rise, Global Gourmet, Kitchen Boss
- Healthy Living
- You're the Athlete, Staying Healthy, First Aid in Action, Medicine Science and Safety, Tracking Your Health and Fitness, Relationships 101, Alcohol and Drug Abuse, The Truth About Tobacco, Your Thoughts Matter, Your Feelings Matter, Superhero You
- Home Living
- The Laundry Project, It's My Home, Makeover My Space, Your First Home Away from Home
- Natural Resources
- Canning and Freezing, How Does Your Garden Grow?, Edible Landscapes, Grow Your Own Vegetables, Growing with the Seasons, Explore the Outdoors, Geology: Can You Dig It?, Exploring Polar Science, Exploring Ponds, Why Trees Matter, Ohio Birds, Trapping Muskrats in Ohio, Outdoor Adventurer: Beginning Fishing AND Inermediate Fishing, Beekeeping Project and Record Book, Insect Adventures 1, 2, and 3, Safe Use of Guns, Basic Archery
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
- Rockets Away 2-Liter and Solid-Fuel, Science Fun with Flight, Solid-Fuel Rocketry Master, ATV Safety, Bicycling for Fun, Wheels in Motion, Science Fun with Kitchen Chemistry, Magic of Electricity Levels 1 and 2, Science Fun with electricity, Young Engineers in Solar Energy, Science Fun with Dairy Foods, Not Just Knots, Science Fun with Physics, Robotics Essentials, Robotics Master, Crank it Up, Warm it Up, Tune it Up, Ready, set,... Mow!
- Welding
- Arcs and Sparks
- Woodworking
- Measuring Up, Making the Cut, Nailing it Together, Finishing Up, and Woodworking Master
- Self-Determined
Self-Determined Projects
If you're a 4-H member with a great project idea of your own or someone who is ready to go beyond a current project book, consider doing a self-determined project. Use the Self-Determined Project Guide to describe your project, set goals, and record your activities.
Prefer to type? Download and save this Self-Determined Project Guide fillable form.
Self-determined projects may be repeated if new areas of interest, learning experiences, and leadership/citizenship activities are selected.