THE CUB SCOUTING PROGRAM

In 1930, the Boy Scouts of America created a new opportunity called Cub Scouting for boys younger than Boy Scout age. A year-round, home-centered program anchored by chartered organizations, Cub Scouting emphasizes involvement between boys and their parents, adult leaders, and friends.

In the multidimensional plan of the Boy Scouts of America, Cub Scouting is where it all begins. Currently, it is the largest of the organization's four membership divisions. (The others are Boy Scouting, Exploring, and Learning for Life.)

PURPOSES

Cub Scouting has the following purposes:

Influence a boy's character development and spiritual growth.
Develop habits and attitudes of good citizenship.
Encourage good sportsmanship and pride in growing strong in mind and body.
Improve understanding within the family.
Strengthen a boy's ability to get along with other boys and respect other people.
Foster a sense of personal achievement by developing new interests and skills.
Provide fun and exciting new things to do.
Show a boy how to be helpful and do his best.
Prepare him to become a Boy Scout.

FAMILY INVOLVEMENT AND COMMITMENT

We can't emphasize enough that Cub Scouting is a family program. All family members are welcome at any activity. Parents are required to help with den meetings and activities during the year, on a rotating basis, so we recruit families, not just boys. The Den Leaders and Assistant Den Leaders are responsible for setting up the overall program for the year, and scheduling the events; the parents can help during the meetings by provide snacks, and take care of arrangements, helping out during the meetings, supplies etc. This keeps the program more stimulating for the boys, and spreads the work of preparing activities among the families so that the designated den leader does not do the whole thing. It also brings a great deal of pride to your son to have you play an active role in his activity.

JOINING A PACK

When your son joins Cub Scouts, he joins a pack in your area of town (perhaps one sponsored by your church or that actively recruits from his school). He is not required to join a specific pack, but boys will usually join whichever pack their friends are already in.

New packs can also be formed with the help of a sponsoring charter organization (such as a church, school PTO, or community service club). The charter organization's role in the pack is to provide a meeting place, leadership, and a vision for how the pack should be run.

The pack meets once a month on a set day of the week (such as the 3rd Thursday of the month). A pack is made up of dens, with a den consisting of boys of the same age or in the same school grade level. The program content and achievement requirements are different (age-appropriate) for each den level or rank.

Each of the dens usually meets separately from the pack, with most dens meeting twice or three times a month, usually on the same day of the week (Mondays, for example). Den meetings can be held at the charter organization's facility, at a public location (such as a school or city library), or at the home of one of the den parents, perhaps on a rotating basis.

Parent Involvement
Family involvement is an essential part of Cub Scouting. Whomever is the adult partner for the boy is the family we are talking about,

Advancement Plan
Advancement provides fun for the boys, gives them a sense of personal achievement, teaches them to do their best, and strengthens family understanding as family members work together on projects.

The Den
A small group of boys work together in den meetings, where they learn new skills, good sportsmanship, good citizenship, getting along with others, and to do their best.

The Ideals
The Cub Scout Promise and the Law of the Pack, and the Cub Scout sign, handshake, motto, and salute -- all teach good citizenship and contribute to a boy's sense of belonging.

The Uniform
The uniform helps build pride, encourages good behavior, provides a place for the proper display of badges, and identifies members as part of the worldwide organization of Scouting.

Activities
Games, projects, skits, songs, trips, service projects, and other events let boys have fun and learn new skills.

BOBCAT

Upon joining a pack, the boy's parent teaches him his Bobcat requirements: learning the Cub Scout Promise, Law of the Pack, handshake, salute, sign, and motto.

TIGER

The earliest a boy may enter the Cub Scouting program is when in the first grade (or when he is 7 years old). Together with his Tiger adult partner (his parent or other related adult or guardian), he works on family and den activities as well as goes on local trips (called "Go See Its") to interesting places, such as the local police, fire station, library, radio or tv station or newspaper office, sports events, museums, animal shelter, etc.

Instant recognition is encouraged and fostered within the cub scouting program from the Tigers on up. In the Tiger program, the scouts first earn their Tiger Totem and then earn white, orange, and black beads to put on the totem for each Family Activity, Den Activity, and Go See It Activity (respectively) that they complete for each of 5 achievement areas. The Tiger achievement areas are: Making My Family Special; Where I Live; Keeping Myself Healthy and Safe; How I Tell It; and Let's Go Outdoors. After completing the 3 activities (Family, Den, Go See It) in each of the 5 achievement areas, the scout receives his Tiger rank badge. There are also 50 electives that a Tiger cub scout can work on, once he has received his Tiger rank badge. For every 10 electives completed, he receives a yellow disk bead for his Tiger Totem.

WOLF

If a Cub Scout has completed the first grade (or is 8 years old) he may begin working on his Wolf achievements. There are 12: Feats of Skill, Your Flag, Keep Your Body Healthy, Know Your Home and Community, Tools for Fixing and Building, Start a Collection, Your Living World, Cooking and Eating, Be Safe at Home and On the Street, Family Fun, Duty to God, and Making Choices. Upon completion of the achievements, he is awarded the Wolf badge, and may continue to work on Wolf electives in 22 different areas.

When a boy completes 10 elective requirements, he receives a Gold Arrow Point. For each additional 10 elective requirements completed, he receives a Silver Arrow Point.

BEAR

When a Cub Scout has completed the second grade (or is 9 years old) he begins working on his Bear achievements. There are 24 achievements in four different groups: God, Country, Family, and Self. To achieve the Bear rank, the Cub Scout must earn his choice of 12: one from the first group, three from the second group, and four from each of the third and fourth groups.

The achievements are: Ways We Worship; Emblems of Faith; What Makes America Special?; Tall Tales; Sharing Your World With Wildlife; Take Care of Your Planet; Law Enforcement Is a Big Job!; The Past Is Exciting and Important; What's Cooking?; Family Fun; Be Ready!; Family Outdoor Adventures; Saving Well, Spending Well; Ride Right; Games-Games-Games!; Building Muscles; Information, Please; Jot It Down; Shavings and Chips; Sawdust and Nails; Build a Model; Typing It All Up; Sports, Sports, Sports; and Be a Leader.

After achieving the Bear badge, a boy may concentrate on 24 Bear elective areas until he becomes a Webelos Scout. Gold and Silver Arrow Points are also awarded (similarly as for the Wolf program above) for every 10 elective requirements completed as well as for any completed requirements in the other Bear achievements that were not used towards the Bear badge.

WEBELOS

After completing the third grade, a Cub Scout graduates with ceremony into a Webelos den. This is a special den for boys in the fourth or fifth grade (or who are 10 years old). The Webelos Scout program is an 18-month to 2-year program; it is more challenging to the older Cub Scout -- in fact, he's now called a Webelos Scout, and wears a different uniform (similar to that which boy scouts wear) signifying his new status.

The Webelos Scout's advancement is approved by his Webelos den leader rather than his parent. He begins work immediately on the Webelos badge, which is usually attainable during his first year as a Webelos Scout. While a Webelos scout, he can work on and earn up to 20 Webelos activity badges (pins): Aquanaut, Artist, Athlete, Citizen, Communicator, Craftsman, Engineer, Family Member, Fitness, Forester, Geologist, Handyman, Naturalist, Outdoorsman, Readyman, Scholar, Scientist, Showman, Sportsman, and Traveler.

As a fifth-grader (or at age 10) he may earn Cub Scouting's highest award -- the Arrow of Light Award. After receiving this award, he is eligible to become a Boy Scout, or he may join a troop at age 11 (or when he completes the fifth grade). The Arrow of Light Award is the only award from Cub Scouting that can be worn on the Boy Scout uniform.

Cub Scout Promise:

I, (name), promise to do my best,
To do my duty to God and my country,
To help other people, and
To obey the Law of the Pack.
 

The Law of the Pack:

The Cub Scout follows Akela (his leader).
The Cub Scout helps the pack go.
The Pack helps the Cub Scout grow.
The Cub Scout gives goodwill.
 

The Cub Scout Motto:

Do your best.  

The Cub Scout colors are blue and gold.

Blue signifies the sky, truth, spirituality, and loyalty. Gold stands for warm sunlight, good cheer, and happiness. Together they symbolize what Cub Scouting is all about.