Cub Scout Basics
What is Cub Scouts?
Cub Scouting is the youth program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for kindergarten through fifth grade. In kindergarten and first grade the program is designed to be completed with an adult partner present at all meetings and activities. The mission of the program is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and the Scout Law.
The 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.
The Scout Law
A scout is: Turstworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.
The Aims and Focus Areas of BSA
The foundation of all Scouting programs is for it to be a game with a purpose. Activities in Cub Scouting have a purpose, or an aim, aside from being fun. The aims of Scouting are fourfold: to develop character, leadership, citizenship, and personal fitness.
Character & Leadership- Leadership is connected to a person's character. For this reason, we first build a young person's character before we ask them to give leadership.
Citizenship- The concept of citizenship begins at home. Citizenship is about actively participating with those around you to create a community.
Personal Fitness- Personal fitness is learning about proper nutrition, hygiene, exercise and rest. Children who develop habits at an early age are more likely to continue those habits into adulthood.
In addition to the aims of Scouting listed above, there are focus areas of Cub Scouting. The focus areas are the outdoors, personal safety awareness, and family and reverence.
Outdoors- The natural environment continues to be the best place for children to learn and discover. Being outdoors has been proven to have benefits for both youth and adults. Time outside does not need to be in a remote forest; it can be a front yard, a city park, or walking on the sidewalk in an urban neighborhood.
Personal Safety Awareness- Helping families keep their children safe in addition to teaching children how to keep themselves safe is an embedded part of the Cub Scout experience.
Family & Reverence- Cub Scouting encourages families of all faiths to explore their faith traditions. Some families have formal, structured beliefs, while other families may still be exploring their beliefs. In Scouting, being reverent means you are faithful to your beliefs and respectful of others' beliefs.
What Cub Scouts Do
Each year, the goal of a Cub Scout is to earn their badge of rank specific to their grade. This is referred to as "advancement." To earn their badge of rank, they need to complete six required and two elective Cub Scout Adventures. Each Adventure is centered on a specific topic. The six required Adventures focus on the aims and focus areas of the BSA. Elective Adventures cover various subjects. All Adventures are developmentally appropriate and designed specifically for each rank.
Click this link to explore Adventures and activities for each rank or go to https://www.scouting.org/programs/cub-scouts/adventures/
