Lions is where it all starts. Kindergarteners come to Scouting with curiosity and a lot of energy, and the Lion program is built around that — short, hands-on adventures that introduce them to the outdoors, the pack, and the idea of being part of a team. Every Lion has a parent or guardian with them at every meeting and event, which makes it as much a program for families as for kids. Expect simple crafts, outdoor games, and lots of laughs. 

Tigers are taking the training wheels off but still scouting alongside an adult partner. First-graders work through adventures focused on the outdoors, their families, their community, and their own growing skills. They earn their first belt loops, and at council shooting sports events they get their first try at archery and BB guns under careful supervision. 

Second grade is when scouts really start to own the program. Wolves work more independently, take on more responsibility in their den, and tackle adventures that build outdoor skills, character, and citizenship. They cook over a campfire, learn about local wildlife, complete real service projects, and continue with shooting sports at council events. The friendships they make in this den often carry them all the way through Scouting. 

Bears step up the adventure. Third-graders learn knife safety and complete the whittling adventure, which gives them the right to carry and use a pocketknife — a milestone most kids remember for years. The Bear program leans into outdoor skills, physical activity, and bigger service projects. Scouts at this age are ready to do real work and they're proud of what they accomplish. 

Webelos stands for "We'll Be Loyal Scouts," and the program is exactly what it sounds like — a bridge between Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA. Fourth graders start learning the skills they'll rely on as older scouts: outdoor cooking, navigation with a map and compass, basic first aid, and leadership within their own den. Webelos campouts get a little more rugged, and scouts start planning parts of their own meetings. 

Arrow of Light is the highest rank in Cub Scouting and the only Cub Scout badge a scout can wear on their Scouts BSA uniform — a point of real pride. Fifth graders take ownership of their den, plan adventures, mentor younger scouts, and visit local Scouts BSA troops to find the right fit for their next chapter. Crossing over from Arrow of Light into a troop is one of the biggest milestones in a young scout's journey, and we make a real ceremony of it.