Why Join Scouting?

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 used 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.

Scouting's Mission
The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Scouting's Vision
The Boy Scouts of America is the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. In the future Scouting will continue to:

• Offer young people responsible fun and adventure
• Instill in young people lifetime values and develop in them ethical character as expressed in the Scout Oath and Law
• Train young people in citizenship, service, and leadership
• Serve America's communities and families with its quality, values-based program

Scout Advancement
Recognition is important to young boys. The Cub Scouting advancement plan provides fun for the boys, gives them a sense of personal achievement as they earn badges, and strengthens family understanding as adult family members work with boys on advancement projects. Refer to scout advancement for more information.

The Purposes of Cub Scouting
Since 1930, the Boy Scouts of America has helped younger boys through Cub Scouting. It is a year-round family program designed for boys who are in the first grade through fifth grade (or 7, 8, 9, and 10 years of age). Parents, leaders, and organizations work together to achieve the purposes of Cub Scouting. Currently, Cub Scouting is the largest of the BSA's three membership divisions (the others are Boy Scouting and Venturing). Cub Scouting has the following purposes:

* Influence a boy's character development and spiritual growth.
* Develop habits and attitudes of good citizenship.
* Encourage sportsmanship and pride. Grow strong in mind and body.
* Improve understanding within the family.
* Strengthen a boy's ability to get along with others.
* Foster personal achievement. Develop 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 be a Boy Scout.

Membership
Cub Scouting members join a Cub Scout pack and are assigned to a den, usually a group of six to eight boys. Tiger (first-graders), Wolf (second graders), Bear (third graders), and Webelos (fourth and fifth graders) dens meet peridically, usually once a month or so for Tigers and up to two or even three times a month for Webelos. Once a month, all of the dens and family members gather for a pack meeting under the direction of a Cubmaster and pack committee. The committee includes parents of boys in the pack and members of the chartered organization.

Cub Scout membership (as of 12/01) is:

• 980,555 Cub Scouts
• 786,833 Webelos Scouts
• 562,958 Pack Leaders
• 276,090 Tiger Cub Teams