Why Join Cub Scouts?

• Your time is valuable. More than ever, today’s families strive to find quality time to spend together. Cub Scouting helps to support your family by providing ready-made opportunities for you and your child to do things together.
• Cub Scout-age youth benefit developmentally from belonging to a group of children their own age. Through this sense of belonging, youth build self-esteem and learn to get along with others.
• As a parent, you want to be assured that the groups that your child joins will teach values consistent with good citizenship, character development, and physical fitness. Scouting has been weaving these lifetime values into fun and educational activities since 1910.
• In a society where your son is taught that winning is everything, Cub Scouting teaches them to “do their best” and to be helpful to others.
• Scouting teaches family values and works to strengthen your relationship with your child. Scouting activities can bring added value to the time you already have with them.
• A Scout will learn to live by the code of “On my honor.”

But we know that youth do not join Cub Scouting just to get their character built.  They join because it is fun. And fun is at the heart of everything Cub Scouts do— from exploring natural habitats to building model cars and robots to trying sports like archery or telling stories around a campfire. Children in Cub Scouting might be learning great lessons, but they’re far too busy having fun to notice…

Cub Scouts have fun while learning important life lessons.

Cub Scouts do fun things with other kids! They get to wear a cool uniform, visit interesting places, see new things, and earn rewards such as badges, pins and patches along the way!

• Play sports such as baseball, soccer, and swimming – develop physical fitness, teamwork, fair play, cooperation, and good sportsmanship.
• Use hands-on learning experiences about STEM, art and music, which inspire imagination and sharpen a child’s interest in learning.
• Projects in woodworking, leather-working, and sculpture teach planning and patience while giving confidence.
• Outdoor adventures such as camping, hiking, and fishing convey an appreciation for nature’s majesty and teach the importance of preserving our environment.

How does Cub Scouting work?

One unique thing about Cub Scouting is that you, as the Scout’s family, join in on the program with your Scout, and you will help them along the way. Cub Scouting exists to support your family and help enrich your family time together.  Scouts have a different handbook at each grade level, with adventures that are age-appropriate for their developmental level. As your Scout advances through these books by working on adventures with you, he or she will earn badges and other recognition that they can wear on their uniform. Your child’s success in Cub Scouting depends on you!

Here’s some more useful information on Cub Scouting.

How do Packs and Dens work?

The Cub Scouting program takes place at two levels.  Your child will be a part of a den, a small group of boys and girls in the same grade level.  All dens, from grades K through 5, make up a pack. Pack 3807 meets twice per month as a pack, with all dens in attendance.  Scouting families, including siblings, are always encouraged to attend.  At the beginning of each meeting, Scouts perform the sacred 3807 Scouting rituals, and are presented with the merit loops and pins that they have earned since the last meeting.  During some meetings, special ceremonies are also performed to recognize Scouts for badges that they have earned.  After opening ceremonies, each den splits off into their own meeting, where they work on new adventures to progress through their respective rank.  At the end of each meeting, all of the dens regroup for Scouts to show off the new skills they have learned.

Here is some additional information on how a Cub Scouts unit is organized.

How does rank work?

The Cub Scout Advancement Trail

On the Cub Scout advancement trail, a child progresses from rank to rank, learning new skills as they go. As they go, the requirements get more challenging to match their new skills and abilities. Cub Scout advancement includes a wide range of group and individual activities kids enjoy. More importantly, the activities are carefully selected to encourage moral, physical, and intellectual development.

Cub Scout Ranks

Lion Cubs (Kindergarden)

The Lion Cub program has exciting indoor and outdoor activities specifically designed for kindergarten age youth and their adult partner. Adult partners (guardians) are there to support and guide, allowing the new Cub Scout to discover risks and rewards under the security of adult supervision. Lion Cubs learn by doing. As they learn and grow, the relationship with their adult partner (guardian) grows as well. At the conclusion of their kindergarten year, the Lion Cub will transition to Tiger Cubs where they’ll earn the Bobcat badge and continue on to even more exciting and educational adventures through Cub Scouting.

Bobcat

No matter what age or grade a youth joins Cub Scouting, they must earn their Bobcat badge before he can advance to the rank of Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, or Arrow of Light. A youth must complete the Bobcat requirements, which include:

1. Learn and say the Cub Scout motto, the Scout Oath, and the Scout Law and tell what they mean
2. Show the Cub Scout sign, salute, and handshake and tell what they mean
3. With a parent or guardian, complete the exercises in the pamphlet “How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide”
4. When a youth has completed the requirements, they have earned the Bobcat badge.

For more details on earning the Bobcat badge, click here.

Tiger (1st Grade)

The Tiger rank is for youth who are in first grade or age seven. To earn the Tiger badge, a youth must complete six required adventures with the den or family and one elective adventure of the den or family’s choosing. As the youth completes each adventure, they will receive the an adventure loop to wear on their belt. After completing the seven required adventures, they have earned the Tiger badge.

After earning the Tiger badge, a Tiger Scout can work on the remaining 12 Tiger electives until they finish first grade (or turns 8 years old). They can choose elective adventures to learn new hobbies and skills. For completing an elective adventure, they’ll get an additional loop.

Wolf (2nd Grade)

The Wolf rank is for Cub Scouts who have finished first grade or are eight years old. To earn the Wolf badge, a Cub Scout must complete six required adventures and one elective adventure. The parent or guardian, and den leader, approves each requirement by signing his book. The Cub Scout receives an adventure loop for each adventure and after meeting all requirements, has earned the Wolf badge.

After earning the Wolf badge, a Wolf Scout can work on the remaining 12 Wolf electives until they finish second grade or turn 9 years old. They can choose elective adventures to learn new hobbies and teach skills that will be useful during their Scouts BSA years. For completing an elective adventure, they’ll receive an additional adventure loop.

Bear (Third Grade)

The Bear rank is for youth who have finished second grade or are nine years old. To earn the Bear badge, a youth must complete six required adventures and one elective adventure. Their parent or guardian, and den leader, approves each requirement by signing their book. The youth receives an adventure loop for each adventure and after meeting all requirements, has earned the Bear badge.

After earning the Bear badge, a Bear Scout can work on the remaining 12 Bear electives until they finish third grade or turns 10 years old. They can choose elective adventures to learn new hobbies and skills. When they complete an elective adventure, they receive an additional adventure loop to wear.

Webelos (4th Grade)

Webelos dens are for youth who have completed third grade or are ten years old. Webelos Scouts get to work on the five required Webelos adventures and choose two of the 18 elective adventures that are shared by the Webelos and Arrow of Light ranks. After finishing the requirements for an adventure, the Webelos den leader, rather than a parent, approves most of the adventures. For each adventure a youth completes, they receive a pin to wear on the Webelos colors or on their hat. After completing seven adventures, including five required adventures and two elective adventures, a youth has earned the Webelos badge.

After earning the Webelos badge, a Webelos Scout can work on the remaining 18 shared Webelos and Arrow of Light electives until they finish fourth grade or turn 11 years old. A Webelos Scout can choose elective adventures to learn new skills or hobbies that will be useful during their Scouts BSA years. For completing an elective adventure they’ll receive an additional adventure pin.

Webelos II – Arrow of Light (5th Grade)

The highest rank in Cub Scouting is the Arrow of Light, preparing a Webelos Scout to become a member of Scouts BSA. Scouts must complete four required adventures and three elective adventures to earn the Arrow of Light rank. For each adventure a Scout completes, they receive a pin to wear on the Webelos colors or on their hat.

After an Arrow of Light Scout has earned the The Arrow of Light badge they’re ready to transition to a Scouts BSA Troop!  The Arrow of Light is the only Cub Scout badge that can be worn on the Scouts BSA uniform.   Adult leaders who earned the Arrow of Light rank may also show their achievement by wearing a special square knot on their uniform.