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What Is Cub Scouting?

Mission Statement

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.

Vision Statement

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.

The Purposes of Cub Scouting

Since 1930, the Boy Scouts of America has helped younger youth through Cub Scouting. It is a year-round family program designed for youth 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 Scouts BSA and Venturing.)

The ten purposes of Cub Scouting are:

1. Character Development
2. Spiritual Growth
3. Good Citizenship
4. Sportsmanship and Fitness
5. Family Understanding
6. Respectful Relationships
7. Personal Achievement
8. Friendly Service
9. Fun and Adventure
10. Preparation for Scouts BSA

Membership

Cub Scouting members join a Cub Scout pack and are assigned to a den, usually a neighborhood group of six to eight youth. Tiger Cubs (first-graders), Wolf Cub Scouts (second graders), Bear Cub Scouts (third graders), and Webelos Scouts (fourth and fifth graders) meet weekly.

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 youth in the pack and members of the chartered organization.

Volunteer Leadership

Thousands of volunteer leaders, both men and women, are involved in the Cub Scout program. They serve in a variety of positions, as everything from unit leaders to pack committee chairmen, committee members, den leaders, and chartered organization representatives.

Like other phases of the Scouting program, a Cub Scout pack belongs to an organization with interests similar to those of the BSA. This organization, which might be a church, school, community organization, or group of interested citizens, is chartered by the BSA to use the Scouting program. This chartered organization provides a suitable meeting place, adult leadership, supervision, and opportunities for a healthy Scouting life for the youth under its care. Each organization appoints one of its members as a chartered organization representative. The organization, through the pack committee, is responsible for providing leadership, the meeting place, and support materials for pack activities.

Who Pays For It?

Groups responsible for supporting Cub Scouting are the youth and their parents, the pack, the chartered organization, and the community. The Scout is encouraged to pay their 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, Friends of Scouting enrollment, bequests, and special contributions to the BSA local council. This financial support provides leadership training, outdoor programs, council service centers and other facilities, and professional service for units.

Advancement Plan

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

Tiger Cub

The Tiger Cub program is for first grade (or age 7) youth and their adult partners. There are five Tiger Cub achievement areas. The Tiger Cub, working with their adult partner, completes 15 requirements within these areas to earn the Tiger Cub Badge. These requirements consist of an exciting series of indoor and outdoor activities just right for a youth in the first grade.

Tiger Cubs wear the complete blue Cub Scout uniform with appropriate Tiger Cub insignia. The orange T-shirt will continue to be available for Tiger Cubs to wear as an activity shirt and will continue to be the official uniform for adult Tiger Cub partners.

Bobcat

The Bobcat rank is for all youth who join Cub Scouting.

Wolf

The Wolf program is for youth who have completed first grade (or are age 8). To earn the Wolf badge, a Cub Scout must pass twelve achievements involving simple physical and mental skills.

Bear

The Bear rank is for youth who have completed second grade (or are age 9). There are 24 Bear achievements in four categories. The Cub Scout must complete 12 of these to earn the Bear badge. These requirements are somewhat more difficult and challenging than those for Wolf rank.

Webelos

This program is for youth who have completed third grade (or are age 10). A Cub Scout may begin working on the Webelos badge as soon as they join a Webelos den. This is the first step in the youth's transition from the Webelos den to the Scouts BSA troop. As the youth completes the requirements found in the Webelos Scout Book, they will work on activity badges, attend meetings led by adults, and become familiar with the Scouts BSA requirements - all leading to the Arrow of Light Award.

Arrow of Light Award

The Arrow of Light Award is the highest rank in Cub Scouting. After a youth has completed the fourth grade and earned the Webelos badge, the next step on the Webelos trail to becoming a Scouts BSA is earning this award. It is the only Cub Scout badge that can be worn on the Scouts BSA Uniform. As a youth works on the Arrow of Light, they get a chance to practice some Scout skills that they have already learned, earn more Activity Badges, and really learn what a Scouts BSA is. Because this award is so special, a special ceremony is usually performed by the Pack.

Activities

Cub Scouting means "doing." Everything in Cub Scouting is designed to have the youth doing things. Activities are used to achieve the aims of Scouting - citizenship training, character development, and personal fitness.

Many of the activities happen right in the den and pack. The most important are the weekly den meetings and the monthly pack meetings.

Cub Scout Academics and Sports

The Cub Scout Academics and Sports program provides the opportunity for youth to learn new techniques, increase scholarship skills, develop sportsmanship, and have fun. Participation in the program allows youth to be recognized for physical fitness and talent-building activities.

Camping

Age-appropriate camping programs are packed with theme-oriented action that brings Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts into the world of imagination. Day camping comes to the youth in neighborhoods across the country; resident camping is at least a three-day experience in which Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts camp within a developed theme of adventure and excitement. "Cub Scout Worlds" are used by many councils to carry the world of imagination into reality with actual theme structures of castles, forts, ships, etc. Cub Scout pack members enjoy camping in local council camps and other council-approved campsites. Camping programs combine fun and excitement with doing one's best, getting along with others, and developing an appreciation for ecology and the world of the outdoors.

Publications

Volunteers are informed of national news and events through Scouting magazine (circulation 900,000). Youth may subscribe to Boys' Life magazine (circulation 1.3 million). Both are published by the Boy Scouts of America. Also available are a number of Cub Scout and leader publications, including the Tiger Cub Handbook, Wolf Cub Scout Book, Bear Cub Scout Book, Webelos Scout Book, Cub Scout Leader Book, Cub Scout Program Helps, and Webelos Leader Guide.

Cub Scouting Ideals

Apart from the fun and excitement of Cub Scout activities, the Cub Scout Promise, the Law of the Pack, the Tiger Cub motto, and the Cub Scout sign, handshake, motto, and salute all teach good citizenship and contribute to a youth's sense of belonging.

Cub Scout Promise

I, (name), promise to do my best To do my duty to God and my country, To help other people, and to obey the Law of the Pack.

Cub Scout Motto

Do Your Best.

Tiger Cub Motto

Search, Discover, Share.

Law of the Pack

The Cub Scout follows Akela. The Cub Scout helps the pack go. The pack helps the Cub Scout grow. The Cub Scout gives goodwill.

Colors

The Cub Scout colors are blue and gold. They have special meaning, which will help youth see beyond the fun of Cub Scouting to its ultimate goals.

The blue stands for truth and spirituality, steadfast loyalty, and the sky above. The gold stands for warm sunlight, good cheer, and happiness.

Cub Scout Awards

Other Advancement Pages