Cub Scouting is fun for the whole family. In Scouting, boys and girls start with their best right now selves and grow into their very best future selves. It’s fun, hands-on learning and achievement that puts kids in the middle of the action and prepares them for today – and for life.
The best way to find out what you do best is to do it. Catch a fish. Ride a bike. Set up a tent. Build a Pinewood Derby® car. Shoot a bow and arrow. Cub Scouting offers boys and girls the opportunity to see and learn fun, new things that can’t be found anywhere else.
Cub Scouts are at that magical age where everything is new and possible and, most important, fun. They build things. Play with purpose. Make friends and work together. The life lessons learned here not only transform today’s Cub Scouts into tomorrow’s Scouts BSA members but also help form a foundation to embrace opportunity and overcome obstacles in life.
Cub Scouting is a year-round program uniquely designed to meet the needs of young boys and girls (kindergarten through fifth grade) and their families. The program offers fun and challenging activities that promote character development and physical fitness. Family involvement is an essential part of the program, and parents are encouraged to play an active role. Cub Scouting helps parents make the most of the time they have to impact the lives of their children.
The Cub Scout program provides youth a foundation they can stand on to embrace opportunity, overcome obstacles and make new discoveries. But what makes Cub Scouting truly unique is the opportunity it gives the entire family to be involved in each child’s development.
The Cub Scout program is designed to involve your child in a group of children the same age where they can have fun, make friends and see new things, while gaining a sense of personal achievement from the new skills learned.
A den is made up of no more than eight children who are the same age and/or grade.
The den meets two to three times a month. One of the den meetings each month is a “Go See It” or field trip.
The den has a den leader, but the den leader shares the planning of the den meeting with the parents.
A pack consists of several dens and meets once a month.
The Cubmaster leads the monthly pack meeting, but each den will have a part in the pack meeting.
Some months, the pack meeting will have special themes such as Pinewood Derby®, Blue & Gold banquet, or guest speakers. Other months may be devoted to recognizing the Scouts for the projects they have completed by the presentation of beads, belt loops, activity pins or rank advancements
The Cub Scouting program supports the overall mission of the Boy Scouts of America and its three aims– to build character, learn citizenship, and develop personal fitness. Every Cub Scouting activity should help fulfill one of these purposes. Not everything in Cub Scouting has to be serious – far from it! Silly songs, energetic games, and yummy snacks all have their place in the program.
Cub Scouting’s values are embedded in the Cub Scout Promise, the Law of the Pack, the Cub Scout motto, and the Cub Scout sign, handshake, and salute. These practices help establish and reinforce the program’s values in boys and the leaders who guide them.
The den—a group of six to eight Cub Scouts who are about the same age and same gender—is the place where Cub Scouting starts. In the den, Cub Scouts develop new skills and interests, they practice sportsmanship and good citizenship, and they learn to do their best, not just for themselves but for the den as well.
Recognition is important to young children. The advancement plan provides fun for the boys and girls, gives them a sense of personal achievement as they earn badges, and strengthens family understanding as adult family members and their den leader work with the Cub Scouts on advancement projects.
Whether a Cub Scout lives with two parents or one, a foster family, or other relatives, his family is an important part of Cub Scouting. Parents and adult family members provide leadership and support for Cub Scouting and help ensure that the boys and girls have a good experience in the program.
Cub Scouts participate in a huge array of activities, including games, projects, skits, stunts, songs, outdoor activities, trips and service projects. Besides being fun, these activities offer opportunities for growth, achievement, and family involvement.
Cub Scouting focuses on the home and neighborhood. It helps boys strengthen connections to their local communities, which in turn support the boys’ growth and development.
Cub Scout uniforms serve a dual purpose, demonstrating membership in the group (everyone is dressed alike) and individual achievement (boys and girls wear the badges they’ve earned). Wearing the uniform to meetings and activities also encourages a neat appearance, a sense of belonging, and good behavior.