Did you have questions about joining Cub Scouts? We have provided a list of FAQs that people have asked over the years. At the bottom of the page, you will also find some of our favorite online resources for scouting.
How old (or young) can a boy or girl be to join Cub Scouting?
Cub Scouting is for boys and girls in Kindergarten through fifth grade or 5 to 10 years of age. Youth who are older than 10 and who have completed the fifth grade can no longer join Cub Scouting, but they may be eligible to join the Scouts BSA or Venturing program.
I wanted my child to get into Scouts BSA. Is this the same group?
Cub Scouting, or Cub Scouts, is a program of Scouting America specifically geared to elementary school boys and girls. It was formed in 1930 as part of the Boy Scout program due to an overwhelming demand for younger boys to join the Scouting movement. In 2018, girls were admitted into the program.
I have a daughter in elementary school. Can she join Cub Scouts?
Yes! Cub Scouts is a family-based program.
How can I become an adult volunteer in Cub Scouting?
We would love to have our scout families involved as volunteers in our Pack- in fact, we can't do what we do without all hands on deck! We believe every parent has a unique strength or talent to share with our pack to make it amazing for our cubs. Maybe it's working directly with scouts as a den leader, or maybe it is leading an activity at a campout, helping to clean up after an event, or setting up tables or decorations. Our leadership motto is "Many hands make light work!" If you see an open role you are interested in, please express your interest to our pack leaders, Cubmaster, chartered organization representative, or unit committee members.
Must I be a U.S. citizen to join Cub Scouting?
Citizenship is not required of youth or adult members. If you live outside the United States and are not a U.S. citizen, joining the Scouting Association in your own nation may be more beneficial. The World Organization of the Scout Movement provides contact information for all national Scouting organizations on its Web site at www.scout.org
How often do the scouts meet?
It is usually three to four times a month. There are also special events depending on the time of year. We typically camp two times a year.
My child is (allergic to [fill in the blank], learning disabled, ADD, ADHD, physically challenged, emotionally challenged, etc.). Can they still be in Cub Scouts?
Definitely, yes! Our Cub Scout program welcomes everyone. The Cub Scout program is adaptable to many special needs, and there are program and training materials to help Cub Scout leaders adapt the program to the situation. There are also programs to teach the scouts to understand those who may be a little different than they are. However, it is important that the Pack and Den leadership be made aware of these cases to ensure we are ready to fully support your scout's needs. Please be sure to discuss any special needs or conditions we need to know about with your den leader and Cubmaster. You should also plan to stay at all of the meetings, which is required for all parents of Cub Scouts in all age groups.
How early can I drop my child off before the meeting? What if I’m busy and can’t pick them up exactly when the meeting ends?
Scouting is a family program. You will be expected to stay at the meeting with your scout and help them out if you can in any way possible, along with the other parents, to make your child’s den run smoothly. Pack meetings are for the whole family.
What about spring break and other holidays? Do you still have Cub Scout meetings?
Here is the Rule of Thumb: If the school is closed for the day due to holidays or weather, we don’t meet. If school closes early because of the weather, we don’t meet. There are one or two other days — that we have learned from experience — that it doesn’t pay to hold a meeting, such as a day before Thanksgiving (everyone’s out of town). You will be notified of those days as we get to them via our calendar and other notifications.
When does my Scout get to go camping?
As in past years, the rules have been changed to allow Cub Scouts to camp as a pack. We are working on developing a larger camping program. Our overnight sleepovers have occurred in the past few years at our local Scout Camp and other areas. If you enjoy camping out, get involved and help us out in getting a camping trip organized. The Scouts would love it, and we need a few parents with some experience to make it a success. “Family camping” is allowed for youth in Kinder through third grades at Boy Scout of America approved or “Council run” camps. Webelos may go camping as a den, but a parent or guardian must accompany each Scout. If it is impossible for a parent or guardian to accompany the Webelos scout, guardianship may be transferred in writing to another parent who is going on the camping trip. By Boy Scouts of America policy, this parent may not be the den or pack leader responsible for the camping trip.
Arrow of Light Dens can also go camping with a Scouts BSA troop. This is part of the Arrow of Light requirements. When accompanying Scouts BSA, they must still have a parent present on the camping trip.
How much is all this going to cost me?
The annual dues for scouting are a yearly National fee of $80 and a council fee of $20, for a total of $100 per year. These dues cover insurance and background checks and help keep our national organization running. None of this money goes to our local chapter and we do not charge additional dues in order to keep our Pack accessible to families. You will find that Pack 351 is, in our opinion, one of the best Cub Scout Packs in Smith County, with some of the lowest registration fees. Your registration fee includes your registration with the Boy Scouts of America, East Texas Area Council in Tyler, TX, to enroll your child in Cub Scouts and, of course, the awards that they will earn. Also, a pinewood derby car kit and Rain Gutter Regatta boat kit are included in your fee, as is insurance for all official Scouting events. The only other expense is the Cub Scout uniform itself and camping food.
In order to keep our costs low, our Pack runs several fundraisers each year, including our annual popcorn sales and Candy Cane fundraisers. We also sometime offer a Whataburger spirit night as well. We need all hands on deck for these in order to run them and make scouting affordable for all families.
Are the uniforms expensive? Do they have to get the whole uniform, or can we get just a shirt or a hat?
Since proper uniforming is spelled out in the Scouting America guidelines as one of the means of achieving the goals of Scouting, we expect all youth to be uniformed from the waist up. Parents will need to only purchase the hat, shirt, and belt. Scarves and neckerchief slides are gifted to scouts when they complete the next rank at end-of-year advancement ceremonies. You can pick up whatever you would need at the East Texas Area Council Scout Shop (on 5th Street, directly across from Tyler Junior College) or online at scoutshop.org. If you don’t know what you need, you need to know your Scout’s den level (Tiger, Wolf, etc..), and Pack number, which will be 351. Then, if you talk to an employee at a Scout Shop, they will help you with everything.
We expect all the scouts to be in uniform at meetings and Pack trips, as we proudly travel as a group. However, we will not deny the Cub Scout program to anyone because of financial difficulties. If there is a true financial need, speak to our uniform coordinator or someone in the pack leadership, and we can help you secure a uniform for your scout. Everything will be kept confidential.
While on the subject of uniforms, we realize that many youths participate in several sporting and other after-school activities. Sometimes, it is not possible to get home between, say, soccer and the Scout meeting. If this is the case, please try to arrange for your cub to bring their uniform and change into the restroom once they arrive for the meeting. This is especially true for Pack meetings or awards ceremonies.
Where do you get the Cub Scout leaders?
The leadership of this Cub Scout Pack is made up of volunteer parents (like YOU!) who want to be involved in their child’s growth and formative years. We are not paid to do this. We think enough of our youth and their friends that we want to provide the best possible opportunity for them to become upstanding citizens of their community. Each Den should have two leaders as well as a rotating parent assistant. Without den leadership, we cannot form new dens.
I wouldn’t have the faintest idea how to be a den leader. What would I do? Where would I start?
Help books, leader manuals, apps and training sessions are available to help YOU step into the role of den leader as quickly as possible. It’s not really that hard, especially with cooperation and help from the other parents. There are monthly Roundtable meetings where leaders gather to share ideas. For more information about Roundtables, speak to the Cubmaster for details. Attendance at these is optional but is very informative and interesting. One or two people can’t do it all, so lend a helping hand. As we like to say, "Many hands make light work!" Your cub is there anyway, so offer any talents you may have. Just say, “Hey…How can I Help?”
Will the Scouts have a snack at each den meeting?
This will be a decision made individually by each den and den's parents. Cubs will look forward to it before closing ceremonies. The way we usually do it is that a list is made of all the scouts, and we take turns bringing in a snack for the group. One scout takes a turn each week, and over the course of the school year, maybe each cub will have two turns at providing snacks. Nothing fancy…a juice box, a Gatorade or milk, maybe cookies or bag of chips or pretzels shared. Find a sale and stock up. Keep it cheap!
What are these Pack Trips all about?
Simply put, the scouts and their families get to do things outside our weekly meetings. We may have a bowling night, or maybe a skating party. We could march in a parade or maybe build a fun float to ride on with the help of a parent with a utility trailer. We are limited only by our imagination, but whatever we do… the one central theme is …IT WILL BE FUN !!!!
Is my child expected to be at all the den and pack meetings?
Of course! When you join a group, your fellow scouts begin to count on you being there. If you miss meetings, you miss out on opportunities to advance along with the others. Unless you are ill, we would hope for you to be at all your scout meetings. While at those meetings, proper behavior is expected. For example, running or ball playing indoors will be in designated areas and times such as a gymnasium during a game. Scouts are expected to pay attention to their den leaders while they are instructing. Respect is taught in Scouting.
I have more questions that aren’t answered here. Who should I talk to?
You can speak to any uniformed leader, but since there aren’t any here on the web, you can email us at txcspack351@gmail.com