Cub Scouts are young people aged between 8 and 10 1/2, who make up the second section of the Scouting family, between Beavers and Scouts.
Joining
Under some circumstances, Cub Scouts can join the Pack as young as 7 1/2 if, for example, they have friends joining at the same time, or are mature enough to move on early from Beavers, (and there is space in the Pack). Such decisions are taken by Cub and Beaver Scout leaders.
Activities
During their time in the Pack, Cub Scouts will get a chance to try lots of different activities like swimming, music, exploring, computing and collecting.
There are a range of badges available which Cub Scouts can wear on their uniforms to show everyone how well they're doing.
Cub Scouts also get to go on trips and days out, to places like the zoo, theme parks or a farm. Sometimes they will be able to go camping with the rest of the Pack and take part in all kinds of outdoor activities.
Structure and organisation
A Pack of Cub Scouts is organised into Sixes, with each Six named after a colour, and a Sixer and a Seconder in charge.
The recommended maximum size of a Cub Scout Pack is 36 Cub Scouts. To meet local circumstance this maximum number may be increased, either in the long term or the short term with the agreement of the Group Scout Leader.
The Cub Scout Promise:
I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and to the Queen
To help other people
And to keep the Cub Scout Law.
The Cub Scout Law:
Cub Scouts always do their best
Think of others before themselves
And do a good turn every day.
The Cub Scout Motto:
Be Prepared
Uniform
Cubs wear a dark green sweatshirt with a Group scarf (often called a necker) and a woggle in the colour of their Six.
Flag
The Cub Scout flag is yellow, bearing the Scout symbol and motto.
Badges and awards
There is a range of badges and awards available to young people in the Cub Scout Section.
Activity badges
Many of the badges available are activity badges, which allow Cub Scouts to show their progress in existing pursuits, but also to try all kinds of new things and form new interests.
Challenge awards
Gaining a challenge badge involves accomplishing a number of more ambitious tasks within the Pack or community. There are several challenge badges across a number of themes, from the physical and outdoorsy to challenges dealing with the local community or issues connected with the Scouting world.
Core badges
In addition, there are a number of special badges, obtained upon joining or moving on from the Pack, or for time spent in the Scouting movement.
Activity packs
Some activity badges are sponsored by outside companies, and these companies often provide extra exciting resource packs to help Cub Scouts towards gaining their badges.
Balanced Programme
The philosophy underpinning the programme is that every Cub Scout should participate in a Balanced Programme over a period of time.
What we offer to young people in the Cub Scout section is a range of activities, events and experiences built around six Programme Zones.
You balance the programme in the same way you'd balance a diet, by simply ensuring that over a given period (a month or a term, for example), there is something from each zone in the programme.
Young people experience scouting by regularly taking part in quality activities, drawn from each Programme Zone (or self development area for scout network). Personal achievement can be recognised by earning awards and badges leading to the chief scout’s awards and the Queen’s Scout Award.
We deliver the activities across the Programme Zones using a variety of Methods, and the final element of the Balanced Programme for Cub Scouts is the Bottom Line - a list of things you'd hope to see going on if you were to walk into a typical Pack meeting.
Programme Zones: introduction
Programme Zones split the whole programme into manageable areas. Each zone represents a different development area in a young person's life.
There are six Programme Zones, with separate aims for the Cub Scouts taking part in activities in each zone.
Beliefs and Attitudes
This zone provides opportunities to explore and develop Scouting values, personal attitudes and a range of beliefs.
Community
This zone helps Cub Scouts explore the community in which they live, discovering local people, places and facilities. It also gives them the opportunity to offer help and service.
Fitness
This zone focuses on activities to improve fitness, promote personal health and increase awareness of personal safety. It should provide young people with the opportunities to participate in a variety of games and to improve their skills in a range of physical pursuits.
Creative
This zone provides opportunities for young people to display their creativity through art, music, drama, design, worship and leadership.
Global
This zone helps Cub Scouts to discover the similarities and differences in lifestyle, cultures and environments, both locally and from around the world. It helps them make a difference.
Outdoor and Adventure
In this, the largest zone, are all the activities connected with camping and the great outdoors. This zone is full of opportunities to learn not just the traditional Scouting skills associated with hiking and camping, but also those needed for other adventurous activities.
A Balanced Programme will draw ideas from each of these areas over time. This may take the form of an event or activity, or working towards a specific activity badge or challenge.
Methods
In the Programme, it's both what you do and the way that you do it that gets results. To provide variety and interest in the Programme, leadership teams will need to use a number of different methods when working with their Cub Pack.
Games
Team games, relay games, ball games skill games, chasing games and others can all be invented or adapted to meet a variety of training needs.
Make things
Any activity which involves building, constructing or crafts.
Singing, stories and drama
Allows Cub Scouts to use their imagination, get involved with others in the Pack, and, most importantly, enjoy expressing themselves.
Visits and visitors
Could be a trip out to a campsite, park or swimming pool, or a visit from someone to teach a skill or talk about a hobby. Cub Scouts love to get involved with the wider world.
Outdoors
All sorts of indoor activities can be performed outside if the weather is nice. Just being out of doors is a good thing in itself.
Activities with others
Try to get your Cub Scouts involved with other people, whether from the Scout Group, other organisations, or the wider community.
Help other people
To help other people is part of the Cub Scout Promise.
Themes
Imaginative and exciting storylines, however contrived, bring something extra to a meeting or wide game.
Prayer, worship and reflection
A Balanced Programme should contribute to a Cub Scout's spiritual development, just as it will to physical, intellectual and social development.
Team challenges
When Cubs work together in groups to resolve problems or achieve a shared goal.
Try new things
Scouting is all about widening the horizons of its members.
Bottom line
In addition to the zones and methods, there is also a third element to the Balanced Programme.
Put simply, it identifies what people might expect to see if they walked into a Pack meeting. We need to be aware of it as it very much reflects the experience of being a Cub Scout.
- fun
- getting on with others
- activity
- keeping the Promise
- personal development
- working together
- responsibility
Further information for Leaders is available from
Pack Essentials
Pack Essentials is the guide to the day to day running of a Cub Scout Pack.
It is designed as a handbook to help you with your role, whether your are a Cub Scout Leader or a Pack Assistant. It will tell you what you need to know about the Cub Scout section and your role within it.
The Pack Programme
The Pack Programme aims to provide you with many of the tools, ideas and techniques needed to run an exciting Balanced Programme for your Pack.
The Pack Programme also includes the requirements for all the Cub Scout Badges and Awards, and is one of three adult resources for the Cub Scout Pack.
Pack Programme Plus
The Pack Programme Plus is the paper counterpart to Programmes Online, the very popular online resource for programme material.
There are 40 fully worked up programmes ready to use, including details of the equipment needed, instructions and other useful information.
Pack Programme Plus Vol 2
Even more ideas for Cub Scout Leaders and their assistants.
Cub Scout games book
Packed with games specifically for a Cub Scout Pack and split into chapters of different game types, this colourful book will help you deliver exciting games every week.
Cub Scout leader's start up kit
Specially prepared for adults brand new to Scouting, this is your complete 'pick up and go' guide to running a Cub Pack.
With all the ceremonies and traditions fully explained, at the heart of the resource is a year's worth of programme ideas.
You can download it for free, or you can order a paper copy of the kit from The Scout Information Centre for £4, plus postage. The Information Centre can be contacted on 0845 300 1818.
Cub Programme Poster
A poster illustrating all the badges and awards that are available to Cub Scouts.
Cub Wallchart
An A1 wallchart to record your Cub Scouts' progress on the Challenges and other key landmarks.
Balanced Programme Poster
Aimed at all adults involved in Scouting, the poster gives an overview of the Balanced Programme in a handy format.
Forms
A number of forms have been put into electronic format and are available to download below. The Word versions have parts that are locked, but other parts that can be altered.
Membership Subscriptions Form available in Word and PDF
Membership Records Letter available in Word and PDF
Also available as factsheets are the One Day Activity Form and the Nights Away Form.
Somerset Scouts – Training – Modules 1 & 3 2011