What Is Cub Scouts?

If you are a boy or a girl in kindergarten through fifth grade—or you’re 6 through 10 years old—then Cub Scouting is for you. It’s for your family, too. This is the first and the largest membership of the three Scouting programs (Cub Scouting, BSA Scouting, and Venturing) of Scouts BSA.

Cub Scouts Belong to Packs and Dens

Every Cub Scout is a member of a Cub Scout pack. A pack is a large group of boys and girls. The pack is divided into smaller groups called dens. Each den has about six to eight boys or girls. Cub Scouts in a den are about the same age or grade and usually live in the same neighborhood. The Cub Scout pack belongs to a church, a service club, or some other group of people in your community or neighborhood. This group makes sure your pack has good adult leaders, a place to meet, and exciting things to do. The group gets help from Scouts BSA, which is part of Scouting around the world.

Cub Scouts Do Things and Go Places

Cub Scouting means “doing.” You have lots to do as a Cub Scout—crafts, games, sports, songs, stories, and skits, to name a few things. Much of the fun happens right in the den and pack. The den usually meets once a month, and the pack meets once a month all year long.  Cub Scouts also go to events like the annual blue and gold banquet, field contests, and derbies such as the pinewood derby. They go on field trips, camping, and have other kinds of outdoor adventures. They take part in community events. Cub Scouts do all sorts of exciting stuff! Whatever it is that you enjoy, you’ll have a chance to do it in Cub Scouting.

Cub Scouts Earn Awards

While you’re having fun, you’ll also be earning badges and awards. You’ll work on projects with your parents or other adults in your family, and all of you will feel good about the things you accomplish. When you have earned a badge, you will take part in a ceremony. Our Cub Master gives you the award in front of the whole pack. The most popular awards for Cub Scouts are the advancement awards. Boys and girls do requirements to advance and earn their badges of rank: Tiger Cub, Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, and the Arrow of Light Award. The Arrow of Light is the highest award in Cub Scouting. Webelos Scouts also earn activity badges. Cub Scouts can earn many other awards and medals too, sometimes by themselves and sometimes as members of their pack. They can earn or help their pack earn Quality Unit awards, religious emblems, the Emergency Preparedness Award, the Outdoor Activity Award, William T. Hornaday Unit Award or the World Conservation Award. When you earn an award in Cub Scouting, you learn new skills. You also get to use your new skills and your new knowledge in projects and demonstrations. You show what you know. People get to see what you’ve learned as a Cub Scout.

Cub Scouting Has a Purpose

There is a reason for everything boys and girls do in Cub Scouting. Apart from the fun and excitement, the aim of Cub Scouting is to help boys and girls grow into good citizens who are strong in character and personally fit. This is why we say that Cub Scouting is fun with a purpose.