Why Join Cub Scouting?

• Cub Scouting is a fun way to spend time with your child and the whole family. The fun has a purpose: That is, to help reinforce the positive values you want your child to develop—character, leadership, personal fitness, and citizenship. These values are presented in a fun and engaging method along with experiencing the outdoors, learning about personal safety, and discovering your family traditions.

• Cub Scout-age children benefit developmentally from belonging to a small group of peers. Your child will be a part of a den, a small group of Cub Scouts usually in the same grade. Through this sense of belonging, children build self-esteem and learn to get along with others.

• The values we seek to instill are found in the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Scout Law A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Scout Oath On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

We know that kids do not join Cub Scouting for character building. Youth join because it is fun. Your child will learn great lessons, but they will be far too busy having fun to notice.

How Does Cub Scouting Work?

In Cub Scouting, you and your family join in on the program with your child, and you will help them along the way. Cub Scouts have a different handbook at each grade level, with Adventures that are age-appropriate for their developmental level. As your child advances through these books by working on Adventures, they will earn badges and other recognition that they wear on their uniform. As your child grows in Cub Scouting, your role will change with them, from hands-on involvement to guiding and coaching. Your child’s success in Cub Scouting depends on you!

The Cub Scouting program takes place at two levels. Your child will be a part of a den, a small group of Cub Scouts in the same grade level. A den typically meets twice a month, although some may meet more often. All dens, from kindergarten through fifth grade, make up a pack. The dens, with their families, come together at the pack meeting, where they play games, work on Adventures, and receive positive reinforcement for their achievements.

Dens

The Lion (Kindergarten) and Tiger (First Grade) Dens

Cub Scouts who join in kindergarten or first grade join with an adult partner, usually the parent or guardian. A Lion or Tiger den should be no more than eight Cub Scouts and their adult partners. An adult is selected to serve as the den leader (usually one of the parents) and coordinates the meetings. Each adult partner takes a turn assisting or hosting meetings or activities with the den leader. This shared leadership model is a great way to ensure the den leader has the help needed to deliver a quality program.

At den meetings, Lions and Tigers work on Adventures that are found in their handbooks and the Adult Partner Guides.

Wolf (2nd grade), Bear (3rd grade), and Webelos (4th grade) dens

Children this age are becoming more independent, and activities are designed to meet their developmental needs. A Wolf (second grade), Bear (third grade), or Webelos (fourth grade) den is ideally no more than eight Cub Scouts, a den leader, an assistant den leader (usually parents of some of the den members), and often a den chief (an older Scout who helps the den leader).

The Arrow of Light Scout Den (5th Grade)

The Arrow of Light den is focused on preparing to join Scouts BSA. Arrow of Light Scouts move to the next level of Scouting, Scouts BSA.

Pack Meetings

The Cub Scout pack is made up of all the dens, led by the Cubmaster. There are games, skits, songs, ceremonies, and presentations of achievements and badges that Cub Scouts earned during that month.

The pack, including families, also participates in other special events throughout the year, including:

• Pinewood Derby — You can build and race a model car with your child.
• Blue and gold banquet — Cub Scouting’s birthday party — for all pack members and their families — takes place in February.
• Camping — Overnight and day camp opportunities introduce your family to the camping experience.
• Service projects — Packs may participate in food drives, conservation projects, or other community activities.
• Field trips and special outings — Den outings are a great way to learn more about the people and places in your community.

Make memories with your child that will last a lifetime!

How Can You Help?

The most important help that you, as a parent, can give your child is to work with them on their Cub Scouting Adventures as they work toward their badge of rank. The Cub Scout handbook is full of age-appropriate activities; some of them you do together at home. Den meetings are designed for Cub Scouts to complete Adventures that are required for them to earn their badge of rank. When you have completed a requirement at home, make sure your den leader is informed so that they can properly record it and your child can be recognized for their achievements.

Your role as a parent is the secret to a successful Cub Scouting program!

The den and the pack rely on parent participation to run a successful program. Cub Scouting operates through volunteer leadership. Volunteer leaders are an example of Scouting’s principle of service to others. By volunteering in Scouting, you are also giving your child and family the gift of your time. What could be more valuable? You will have an opportunity to be a positive influence in their life and in the lives of their friends. Here are some of the ways you could volunteer:

• Den leader. Uses the den meeting resources to lead the den at den meetings. Attends the monthly pack committee meeting.
• Cubmaster. Helps plan and carry out the pack program with the help of the pack committee. Emcees the monthly pack meeting and attends the pack committee meeting.

The Pack Committee

Every Cub Scout parent or guardian is invited to become a member of the pack committee. Pack committee members perform administrative functions of the pack. The committee meets monthly and includes the responsibilities below.

• Committee chair. Presides at all pack committee meetings. Helps recruit adult leaders and attends the monthly pack meeting and pack committee meeting.
• Advancement chair. Maintains advancement records for the pack. Orders and obtains all badges and insignia. Attends the monthly pack meeting and pack committee meeting.
• Secretary. Keeps records of the pack committee meetings and communicates with families about upcoming pack events and activities.
• Treasurer. Keeps all financial records for the pack, including the pack bank account, and gives a monthly financial report to the pack committee. Attends the monthly pack meeting and pack committee meeting.

Training

Scouting America offers convenient training for parents who volunteer. As a new parent, you can learn all about Cub Scouting and how quality Scouting programs are built. Log on to my.Scouting.org and create an account to gain access to all available training content. For more information about training at all levels of the program, go to www.scouting.org/training.

Youth Protection

Child abuse is a serious problem in our society, and unfortunately, it can occur anywhere, even in Scouting. Youth safety is of paramount importance to Scouting. For that reason, Scouting America continues to create barriers to abuse beyond what have previously existed in Scouting.

Scouting America places the greatest importance on providing the most secure environment possible for its youth members. To maintain such an environment, Scouting America has developed numerous procedural and leadership selection policies and provides parents and leaders with multiple online and print resources for all Scouting programs.

All leaders are required to complete Youth Protection training. All parents are encouraged to take the training. To complete the training online, go to my.Scouting.org and establish an account using the member number you receive when you register for Scouting America membership. If you take the training online before you obtain a member number, be sure to return to my.Scouting.org and enter your number for training record credit. Your Scouting America local council also provides training on a regular basis if you cannot take it online.

Youth Protection training must be taken every two years. If a volunteer’s Youth Protection training record is not current at the time of recharter, the volunteer will not be registered. For more information about Youth Protection, please see Scouting America’s Youth Protection website at scouting.org/training/youth-protection/.

How Much Does Scouting Cost?

• Youth registration fee — $85
• Local program fee (Pack dues and/or council program fee) — varies
• Adult registration fee — $65
• Scout Life magazine (optional; strongly recommended for all members) — $15
• Books: Youth handbooks are the Lion Handbook (comes with the Lion Adult Partner Guide), Tiger Handbook (comes with the Tiger Adult Partner Guide), Wolf Handbook, Bear Handbook, Webelos Handbook, and Arrow of Light Handbook. Adult leaders use Scoutbook, the online tool found at scoutbook.scouting.org. Parents have a free app, “Scouting” for Apple and Android, that allows them to connect with their child’s activities.
• Pack dues: The amount varies by pack, depending on money-earning projects conducted by the pack to decrease the amount needed to run the pack program.
• Uniform: The uniform and its cost vary by program for both youth and adults. Uniforms may also be purchased at your local Scout shop. See scoutshop.org for details and current prices.

You Are Not Alone!

Your den is in a pack that belongs to an organization chartered by Scouting America to operate a Cub Scout pack. The chartered organization approves leadership, helps secure a meeting place, and makes sure that the pack works within the guidelines and policies of their organization as well as those of Scouting America.

Many volunteers and Scouting America professionals are interested in the success of your pack. A special volunteer assigned to help your pack is called a commissioner. The commissioner helps the pack provide a successful and high-quality program. The commissioner is also the communication link between your pack and the local council.

There are professional staff at your council service center who can help or will get you in touch with someone who can. Local Council Locator: scouting.org/about/local-council-locator/

My Pack Information

• My child is in Pack __, which meets at ________ (location) at ____ (time) on ________ (day and week of month).
• My child is in Den ______, which meets at _____ (location) at ____ (time) on __________ (day of week).
• Our pack’s chartered organization is ____________
• Our local council name is ________________
• Phone No. ______ Website __________

Our Leaders

Role	Name	Phone No.	Email
Den Leader
Committee Chair
Cubmaster