Commonly asked questions about Cub Scouting.
Cub Scouting is for boys and girls in kindergarten through fifth grades. Children who have completed the fifth grade can no longer join Cub Scouting, but they may be eligible to join the Boy Scouting or Venturing program.
Express your interest to the pack leaders—the Cubmaster, chartered organization representative, or members of the pack committee. They can help you understand the process and guide you on areas where the pack needs support.
Cub Scouting is a program of the Scouts of America—so in that sense, Cub Scouts and Scouts are both members of the same organization. However, they are entirely different programs: Cub Scouting is a family-oriented program designed specifically to address the needs of younger children.
Cub Scouts typically meet in their dens twice each month, and a pack meeting is held for all Cub Scouts and their families once a month. Beyond that, it depends on the den and pack: a den may hold a special activity, such as a service project or visit to a local museum in place of one of the weekly meetings or in addition to the weekly meetings. Likewise, a pack may conduct a special event such as a campout as an additional event, or as a substitute for its monthly pack meeting.
Yes! Cub Scouting is open to parents at all times. Den meetings are intended to be an activity for the individual boys, girls and your den leader will be working hard to keep the Cub Scouts focused. If you would like to be present at a den meeting, please notify the den leader in advance so that the leader can plan a way for you to observe or participate.
At minimum, each boy in Cub Scouting will need a uniform and a handbook. Each year, he will need a new handbook, cap, and neckerchief; but other uniform parts remain the same for at least the first three years. Additional supplies and equipment may be needed for certain activities such as camping trips or field days. What equipment is needed, as well as whether it will be provided by the pack, will vary from event to event. Den or pack leaders should provide parents with information about any supplies that will be required prior to the event.
No. In the Cub Scout program, all boys in a den work toward the same badge. If a boy joins Cub Scouting as a 9-year-old, he must earn the Bobcat badge (all boys in Cub Scouting earn this badge), and then he will begin working on the Bear badge with his fellow Cub Scouts. He is not required to have earned the Tiger or Wolf badges. Since those badges are for younger children, the requirements for those badges are not consistent with a 9-year-old's current level of ability, so "going back" to pick up those badges is not permitted.
No. In the Cub Scout program, all boys in a den work toward a badge that is geared to their level of development. If the Wolf badge is completed before the end of the program year, a Scout may work on elective adventures, but they may not begin working on the requirements for the Bear badge. Their work on the Bear badge will begin the next program year, when he graduates into a Bear den.
Boy Scouting is available to Scouts who have earned the Arrow of Light and are at least ten years old—so a Webelos Scout who has earned the Arrow of Light is eligible to join a troop immediately (provided they are at least ten years old). However, many packs coordinate with a local Boy Scout troop to facilitate the transition from Cub Scouting to Boy Scouting. In these instances, it is better for the Scout, their family, and both units if all Webelos Scouts make the transition together, in a coordinated fashion, rather than having each boy leave the pack as soon as he is eligible.