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Scout Tenderfoot 2nd Class 1st Class Star Life Eagle

Cub Scout Pack and Den Ideas

This information is out of date.
Use the new Cub Scout information.

Since 1930, the Boy Scouts of America has helped youth of cub scouts age. Parents, leaders, and organizations work together to achieve the 10 purposes of Cub Scouting:

Character Development
Spiritual Growth
Good Citizenship
Sportsmanship & Fitness
Family Understanding
Respectful Relationships
Personal Achievement
Friendly Service
Fun & Adventure
Preparation for Boy Scouts

The Cub Scouts of America colors are blue and gold. They have special meaning, which will help boys and girls see beyond the fun of Cub Scouting to its ultimate goals. The blue stands for truth and spirituality, steadfast loyalty, and the sky above. The gold stands for warm sunlight, good cheer and happiness.

cub scouts of america As a boy or girl begins the Boy Scout Trail, they join other boys or girls the same age. A youth can start the scouting program from 5 (starting kindergarten) to 17 years old.

The Bobcat rank is the first rank earned by Cub Scouts, no matter which grade they begin scouting, except for kindergarten Lion Scouts. After earning the Bobcat rank, the youth then begins earning an age-base rank. The Cub Scout age program is for kindergarten through 3rd graders - Lion scouts, Tiger scouts, Wolf scouts, and Bear scouts. After completing Bear scout requirements, scouts begin their Webelos program, and finish Cub Scouting with the Arrow of Light.

How to Join:

Go to BeAScout.org
Click the 'Cub Scouts' tab.
Enter your zipcode and click the arrow button.
Click on a Pack near you to see its contact info so you can call the Pack or your local Council about joining.
Complete a BSA Youth Application and Health Record and give them to the Cubmaster of the Pack you choose.

The Cub Scout program has an Organizational Structure that puts boys or girls into groups called dens with recommended size of from 6 to 8 scouts. Dens of youth in a community form a pack which is part of a district. Districts combine to make a council - see this page for organization details.

More Cub Scout Information to Use in 2025:
Cub Scouts - information about the cub scout program
Lion Info - kindergarten
Tiger Info - 1st grade
Wolf Info - 2nd grade
Bear Info - 3rd grade
Webelos - 4th grade
Arrow of Light - 5th grade

To help make your Cub Scouts program the best it can be in 2025, use these pages to find good stuff:
Activities - find age-appropriate, advancement-supporting activites for Cub Scouts
Games - den or pack games just right for 1st through 3rd graders
Projects - fun projects for cub scouts to use to do a good turn
Recipes - easy recipes
Scout Skits - skits that Cub Scouts love
Songs - songs to liven up a cub scout den or pack meeting
Stories - choose stories that cub scouts will enjoy and understand
Awards - see what awards are available to all cub scouts
Pinewood Derby - advice for the big race

Comments:

Sep 15, 2015 - DMP Scouter

We recently instituted a Den Chief in my Bear Den. It is my first time working with a Den Chief and had one quick question. Who is responsible for getting the Den Chief the Den Chief cord for his uniform?

Sep 15, 2015 - melissa pratt

is there anything my son can do at the age of almost 5? he really wants to be in cub scouts? please let me know.
thank you

Sep 16, 2015 - Scouter Paul

@Melissa - There is a Lion Cub pilot program running in 3 councils for kindergarten boys. But, until that program gets rolled out nationally, Cub Scouts starts for first graders.

Sep 16, 2015 - Scouter Paul

@DMP - The Den Chief cord is typically paid for, and presented to the Den Chief by, the Pack since they are the ones receiving value from the position. There is no rule about it, and the cord is not required.

Sep 22, 2015 - Julie Quinn

Our Pack requests that the Troop supply the cord since it's a leadership award that he is earning.

Sep 22, 2015 - Scouter Joe

The Den Chief cord is normally supplied and kept by the Pack and re-used for all future Den Chiefs.

@Julie Quinn There is a difference between the Den Chief cords and the Den Chief Service Award (That would be supplied by the troop as an award for him to keep).

Dec 05, 2015 - Marcus bonds

My son is 4 and his sister is 6. She is joining girl scouts this year and he's seen some of my old scout stuff. Is there anything he can do? I feel bad he's not old enough

Dec 08, 2015 - Scouter Paul

@Marcus - There is no Boy Scouts of America program for 4 year olds.

Jan 12, 2016 - Swampfox

Several churches in my area have formed programs for 4-5 year boys and girls to capture the potential kids and eventually introduce them to Scouting. Girls can join Girl Scouts at 5 years(Daisies), but presently boys need to wait till they graduate from Kindergarten. We call our group "Koala Kids".

Jan 15, 2016 - Aveline

The BSA has a Learning for Life program that starts around Kindergarten (perhaps earlier?) and can be adapted to offer a scouting program for younger children, including girls. It's really meant for volunteers or teachers to use in a classroom setting, so it's developmentally appropriate by age. There is no uniform or badges, pins, etc. for this program. It may be what the churches are using in Swampfox's example. You can check with your Council about it.

Jan 15, 2016 - Andrea L. Wesley

I really needed to find information about 5-year-olds entering scouting ( I knew that formally boys had to first grade, but wanted to see if BSA had been informally developed for younger boys). The information shared was very helpful.

Jan 18, 2016 - Scouter Joe

@ Andrea - As it stands currently, there is no official program for 5 year olds. The joining requirements are as you stated, First grade or at the age of 7.

There are pilot programs in a few select councils that are testing "Lion Cubs", a program for Kindergarten/6 year olds but it is just being tested out and may not go nationally.

Feb 17, 2016 - Dave Meyer

@ Andrea- Pack 348 in Eden Prairie, MN runs a Lion program and we have been very successful. If you would like info from us please email me. If you are not in the area, I can give you suggestions on how to start the Lion program at your local pack. In our Pack, the Lions meet to conduct their own requirements (which are very sparse) and they also shadow the Tigers for some of the fun activities. Then they participate in all of our Pack activities as well. Basically, for us- it's a way to ease into scouting. And we are finding that both the boys are the parents are very active, because we are getting them before they get involved with other activities. Good luck!

May 31, 2016 - Debbie

In reply to parents looking for activities for boys/girls not older enough for scouts. In our pack we had several young siblings coming to meetings without anything to do. So we decided to start a (den) class for them. One of our older teen sibling and parent are over it. They are called the cubetts They made their own shirts to wear on outings. And they gave classes coving subjects like the cub scouts do just on their level. ( friendship, nutrition , weather, animals, importation of being a good citizen ,ect. They take part in activities we do. It has helped full a spot for the child and parents whom have older cub scouts. Please gives them a leg up in being prepared for scouts. ( girls or boys).

May 31, 2016 - Debbie

Forget to tell you. We also award them for their achievements. At the blue and gold. Just like the other scouts.

Jun 01, 2016 - Scouter Paul

@Debbie - It's nice for siblings too young for cub scouts to have something to do. Pretending they are part of the Boy Scouts of America program isn't such a nice thing. That may set the expectations of parents that their children are being supervised by, and protected by, BSA volunteers - but they are not. All responsibility for those children is being taken on by the individual teen and parent - that is not allowed by BSA at the Tiger level since every Tiger must have a parent with him.

Oct 12, 2016 - Megan Schmidt

What all do packs or dens usually provide for their scouts? Would I have to buy all the uniforms, and items for badge achieving such as pocket knives and camping gear to be in the scouts?

Oct 13, 2016 - Chris Oradat

I can't speak for every pack, but in ours the Scout is responsible for their book, uniform, and camping equipment. If they don't have camping equipment, we can help find some for them to borrow, either from another pack member or the troop we associate with.

Awards/badges/pins/etc are paid by the pack dues, or fundraising, but ultimately it comes out of the pack's fund. We also provide the new neckerchief and slide when the boys age up to the next badge.

May 28, 2019 - ANDREW THOMPSON

I'm interested in getting my daughter that will be 5 in November into the cub scouts. Because she wont be able to start kindergarten until she is almost 6 due to the September cut off for kindergarten enrollment. Will she also be restricted from joining a den and make rank with other 5 year olds until she officially starts kindergarten at 5 years 10 months old?

May 31, 2019 - Jane

@Andrew - The Cub Scout program is primarily based on school grade. She will need to wait until August of her kindergarten year before she can join a Lion den.

Aug 28, 2019 - Heather

My son turns 5 in early October, but will not start kindergarten until the 2021-2022 school year. Can he join scouts when he turns 5, or do we have to wait for Kindergarten as well?

Aug 28, 2019 - Scouter Paul

@Heather - The BSA Youth Application says "Lion—Kindergarten (year before first grade)". So, he should wait until next year. That way, he will be in Scouts with his classmates.

Oct 10, 2019 - Robin Padilla

Hi,

My son started kindergarten but won't be 5 until 11/27/19. The online application gives an error saying he isn't old enough but it doesn't seem fair for him not to be able to join with his classmates. Thanks!

Oct 11, 2019 - Scouter Paul

@Robin - The official BSA Youth Application states only that Lions are "Kindergarten (year before first grade)". You could talk to the Lion Den Leader or Cubmaster of the pack you want to join and get a paper application from them to fill out. See filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/524-406.pdf

Feb 11, 2021 - Bradley Shaffer

Does the cub scouts accept mildly autistic children
Age 9 into the cub scouts?

Feb 11, 2021 - Scouter Paul

@Bradley - Yes, all youth kindergarten through fifth grade can join Cub Scouts. The specific joining requirements are explained on the BSA Youth Application linked to in the page content above.

Sep 18, 2021 - Robbie Beamon

I have a new scout that is 10, but in the 3rd grade. He was held back a year due to development. Would he be in the Webelo's Den due to him being 10 or the Wolf Den due to his being in the 3rd grade?

Sep 18, 2021 - Scouter Paul

@Robbie - The scout should be in the Bear den as a 3rd grader.

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