Welcome to Cub Scouts!
Since its beginning, the Cub Scout program has been a fun and educational experience concerned with values. Besides providing a positive place where boys and girls can now enjoy safe, wholesome activities, Cub Scouting focuses on building character, improving physical fitness, teaching practical skills, and developing a spirit of community service.
Cub scouts will learn by doing! Your son/daughter will have the opportunity to try his/her hand at fun and useful activities such as learning to tie knots, cooking over campfires, shooting bow and arrows (archery), carpentry, hiking and much more. He/She will gain news kills, and confidence in his/her abilities to do things for themselves. What’s more, they will have fun, build strong friendships, and earning awards!
Frequently Asked Questions
What group will my child be in?
Cub Scouting is for children in kindergarten through fifth grades, or 5 to 10 years of age. All of the children are members of the Pack. Within the Pack, the children are divided into smaller groups called den, arranged by age. Dens usually have 6 – 8 children. Each den will have a den leader to who organizes activities, and keeps track of the awards earned.
The dens are:
Lions – for children in Kindergarten (typically age 5 – 6)
Tiger den– for children in 1st grade (typically age 6 -7)
Wolf den-for children in 2nd grade (typically age 7 - 8)
Bear Den– for children in 3rd grade (typically age 8 - 9)
Webelos –for children in 4th – 5th grade – (typically ages 9 –11) this den meets
weekly, and is generally seen as the transition group between Cub Scouts and Boy
Scouts.
Boy Scouts – for boys 6th – 12th grade this group is no longer part of the Pack but
instead part of our Troop, which meets weekly at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
How often do Cub Scouts meet?
Our Pack meets on Friday nights from 7-8pm. Each month there will be one den meeting and one pack meeting (where awards are given). Additionally, there will be activities throughout the year designed to help scouts learn and have fun. These activities include hikes, camping, service projects, and field trips. These activities are scheduled well in advance, and are not mandatory (though some of the outside activities provide the opportunity to fulfill requirements for awards).
May parents attend den meetings?
Cub Scouting is open to parents at all times. Den meetings are intended to be an activity for the individual children, and your den leader will be working hard to keep the Cub Scouts focused. For children in the 3rd grade and younger, parents must stay for their child’s den meeting. Children in 4thgrade and up may be dropped off, though parents are still welcome and encouraged to observe and participate if they would like.
How do awards and activities work?
Cub scouts is a progressive program of skill building for boys and girls. In each age group (den), they will work to earn a select group (usually 4-6) of badges which are “required adventures” in order to earn the den’s main achievement badge. These required adventures are designed to help the child build specific skills, and explore their relationship with their family, their community and their god (in the child’s own faith). Den leaders will work (in conjunction with parents) to make sure that all children have the opportunity to fulfill the requirements to earn required adventure belt loops and the main den badge.
Additionally, as a den or individually, they have the opportunity to earn elective belt loops – these are fun loops designed to give they exposure to different activities and skills. Both elective and required awards and the activities needed to earn them are clearly spelled out in the cub scouts handbook. You can see the physical belt loops (most groups) or pins (Webelos) that can be earned on the following pages.
What supplies will my child need?
At minimum, each child in Cub Scouting willneed a uniform and a handbook. Each year, they will need a new handbook, cap, slide and neckerchief; but other uniform parts remain the same for at least thefirst three years. When a boy enters a Webelos den, he may need to obtain a new uniform if the parents in the den opt for the khaki-and-olive uniform.
Additional supplies and equipment may be needed for certain activities such as camping trips or field days. Den and pack leaders will provide parents with information about any supplies that will be required at the beginning of each program year, and for any special activities such as camping.
What will be asked of me as a parenting scouting?
Cub Scouts is a volunteer run organization, and depends on the active participation of parents and families. Parents are expected to:
Mandatory:
- Take the Youth Protection Training – The boy scouts of America has put together easy online trainings to make sure all parents and leaders are up to date on boy scouts policies and security procedures. Every scout must have at least one parent complete this simple training
- Help your scout achieve - Work with pack leaders to allow your scout the opportunity to fulfill his mandatory badges. That may mean coming to an all-day event, or reviewing and signing off on work your scout does at home.
- Stay for meetings: The parents of all scouts in grade 3rd and below must stay for their scout’s den meeting.
- Provide snack as assigned by your den – during the scouting year, we ask each family to provide a snack and drink for cub scouts. This can be as simple as animal crackers and juice boxes, or as fancy as you like. We have a calendar sign-up sheet – please select a week, and be prepared to provide snacks for the cub scouts that night.
Helpful:
There are many other ways parents can help the Pack to thrive, and we strongly encourage you to get involved. Some of the areas you can help are below:
- Volunteer: We expect that at least one parent be an active volunteer either at the den level or Pack level. This means that this parent will either be expected to help during den meetings as an assistant or asked to help coordinate a Pack event. Parents with a little more time to give, we ask those to join the committee and provide support in positions such as Fundraising Chairperson, Training Chairperson, Membership Chairperson, or any other open position.
- Support the Pack fundraising efforts – Each year, the Pack undertakes fundraising to support both the Boy Scouts of America and our own scouts. We would very much like parents to participate, by making gifts/purchases, and by helping the scouts raise funds from others. Some of the Fundraising Activities we do are:
Pack Specific:
Wreath Sales – during the holidays, we will sell wreaths. All proceeds benefit our pack/troop. This is our main fundraiser, and the money raised goes to defray the costs of Pack activities, purchase awards, and provide pinewood derby car kits to the boys.
Popcorn Sales – we sell BSA popcorn. These sales benefit our Pack, and also the Boy Scouts of America.
Boy Scouts of America:
The Boy Scouts of America has an annual fundraising effort called “Friends of Scouting”. Parents are encouraged to support the BSA national, which provides resources, guidance, scholarships and structure for all of our activities.