CUB SCOUTING PURPOSE:
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 others.
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 be a Boy Scout.
These goals are embodied in the Cub Scout Promise and Law of the Pack.
WHO CAN JOIN?
Any boy who subscribes to the Cub Scout Promise and Law of the Pack, and is in the
second through fifth grades (or age 8, 9, or 10), may join a Cub Scout pack and be
assigned to a den, usually made up of boys in a neighborhood who form a natural play
group. Den meetings are held each week, usually at one of the boys' homes under the
supervision of a volunteer den leader-generally the mother or father of one of the boys. A
den may also have an assistant den leader; a den chief-an older Boy Scout, Varsity Scout,
or Explorer who helps the leader with activities; and a denner-a Cub Scout elected by his
peers who assists the den leader and den chief.
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 can include parents of boys in the pack and members of the chartered organization.
WHO OPERATES A CUB PACK?
Like other phases of the Scouting program, Cub Scouting is made available to groups
having similar interests and goals, which include professional organizations, government
bodies, and religious, educational, civic, fraternal, business, labor, and citizens'
groups. These are called our chartered organizations. Each organization appoints one of
its members as a chartered organization representative. The organization, through the
committee, is responsible for leadership, the meeting place, and related materials for
pack activities.
WHO PAYS?
Groups responsible for supporting Cub Scouting are the boys and their parents, the
pack, the chartered organizations, and the community. The boy is encouraged to pay his own
way by contributing dues each week. Packs also obtain income by working on approved
money-earning projects.
The community, including parents, supports Cub Scouting through the United Way, sustaining membership enrollment, bequests, and special contributions to the local BSA council. This provides leadership training, outdoor programs, council service centers, and other facilities, as well as professional service for units.
ADVANCEMENT
Cub Scouting includes a plan of advancement for each boy that emphasizes learning by
doing. The boy works on requirements based on his school grade or age.
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.
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 projects he receives a Gold Arrow Point. For each additional 10 projects 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
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 for these projects.
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 more challenging to the older Cub Scout-in fact, he's now called a Webelos Scout and wears a different uniform signifying his new status.
Meetings are usually held in the early evening or on Saturday. His leader is a man or woman assisted by other den parents. The den chief is older and more experienced than those serving Cub Scouts. Also, the Webelos Scout's advancement is approved by his Webelos den leader rather than his parent.
He begins work immediately on the Webelos badge. In addition, he can earn 20 Webelos activity badges: 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).
ACTIVITIES
At den meetings, a Cub Scout starts an activity. Perhaps it is a handicraft project or
practicing a stunt for the next pack meeting. During the week, with his parents' help, he
finishes the project or perfects the stunt. If it happens to be something required for his
Wolf or Bear advancement, his parent signs his Cub Scout book. In this way, Cub Scouting
helps to strengthen family ties.
Pack meetings,
attended by boys and their families, give parents a chance to see their sons in action.
Most pack meetings are divided into two parts. The first is informal-boys and parents may
view exhibits or participate in gathering-time activities. The second half has a formal
opening, followed by den skits, songs, games, or stunts related to a monthly theme, and
the awarding of badges earned by the boys since the last pack meeting.
OUTDOOR
PROGRAM
Adventuresome outdoor programs are encouraged for Cub Scouts. These include den field
trips, picnics, outings, day camping, and backyard camping. Because Cub Scouting is
home-centered, family camping is also emphasized. Webelos Scouts are encouraged to go on
overnight experiences and to conduct occasional joint outdoor activities with a Boy Scout
troop. Cub Scout day camps are conducted by nearly all Scouting councils, and many also
provide resident camping experiences for Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts.
COMPETITIVE ACTIVITIES & SPORTS
Team sports and other competitive events occur within the pack and on an interpack
level. Among the activities that have become favorites are Cub Scout shows, pet shows,
safe bicycle driving projects, pinewood derbies (miniature car racing on tracks), rocket
derbies, regattas, kite-flying contests, Cub Scout field days, and Cubmobile racing. Cub
Scouts are encouraged to be physically fit through the Cub Scout sports program, which
offers up to 20 different sports.
PUBLICATIONS
Volunteers are informed of national news and events through Scouting magazine
(circulation 900,000). Boys may subscribe to Boys' Life magazine (circulation 1.3
million). Both are published by the Boy Scouts of America. There are also a number of Cub
Scout and leader publications, including the Wolf Cub Scout Book, Bear Cub Scout Book,
Webelos Scout Book, Cub Scout Leader Book, and Cub Scout and Webelos Scout Program Helps.
BASIC CONCEPTS
Apart from the fun and excitement of Cub Scout activities, there are a number of
ideals expressed in the day-to-day life of the young boy and his leaders.
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