What is Cub Scouting?
In 1930, the Boy Scouts of America created a new opportunity called Cub Scouting for boys younger than Boy Scout age. A year-round, home-centered program used by chartered organizations, Cub Scouting emphasizes involvement between boys and their parents, adult leaders, and friends.
PURPOSES
Cub Scouting has the following purposes:

Influence a boy's character development and spiritual growth.
Develop habits and attitudes of good citizenship.
Encourage good sportsmanship and pride in growing strong in mind and body.
Improve understanding within the family.
Strengthen a boy's ability to get along with others.
Foster a sense of personal achievement by developing new interests and skills.
Provide fun and exciting new things to do.
Show a boy how to be helpful and do his best.
Prepare him to be a Boy Scout.
METHODS
We achieve the purposes using these methods:

Home and neighborhood centered
Parent Involvement
Advancement Plan
The den
Ideals
Uniform
Activity Program
MEMBERSHIP
Cub Scouting, like its Boy Scouting and Exploring counterparts, follows a long-range plan to reach youth nationwide. As of March 31, 1996, Cub Scout membership is 1,613,389 in 50,381 Packs.

WHO CAN JOIN?
Any boy who subscribes to the Cub Promise and Law of the Pack, and is in the second through fifth grades (or age 8, 9, or 10), may join a Cub Scout pack and be assigned to a den, usually made up of boys in a neighborhood who form a natural play group. Den meetings are held each week, usually at one of the boys' homes under the supervision of a volunteer den leader-generally the mother or father of one of the boys. A den may also have an assistant den leader; a den chief-an older Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, or Explorer who helps the leader with activities; and a denner-a Cub Scout elected by his peers who assists the den leader and den chief.

Once a month, all of the dens and family members gather for a pack meeting under the direction of a Cubmaster and pack committee. The committee can include parents of boys in the pack and members of the chartered organization.

WHO OPERATES A CUB SCOUT PACK?
Like other phases of the Scouting program, Cub Scouting is made available to groups having similar interests and goals, which include professional organizations, government bodies, and religious, educational, civic, fraternal, business, labor, and citizens' groups. These are called our chartered organizations. Each organization appoints one of its members as a chartered organization representative. The organization, through the committee, is responsible for leadership, the meeting place, and related materials for pack activities.

WHO PAYS?
Groups responsible for supporting Cub Scouting are the boys and their parents, the pack, the chartered organizations, and the community. The boy is encouraged to pay his own way by contributing dues each week. Packs also obtain income by working on approved money-earning projects.

The community, including parents, supports Cub Scouting through the United Way, sustaining membership enrollment, bequests, and special contributions to the local BSA council. This provides leadership training, outdoor programs, council service centers, and other facilities, as well as professional service for units.

ACTIVITIES
At den meetings, a Cub Scout starts an activity. Perhaps it is a handicraft project or practicing a stunt for the next pack meeting. During the week, with his parents' help, he finishes the project or perfects the stunt. If it happens to be something required for his Wolf or Bear advancement, his parent signs his Cub Scout book. In this way, Cub Scouting helps to strengthen family ties.

Pack meetings, attended by boys and their families, give parents a chance to see their sons in action. Most pack meetings are divided into two parts. The first is informal-boys and parents may view exhibits or participate in gathering-time activities. The second half has a formal opening, followed by den skits, songs, games, or stunts related to a monthly theme, and the awarding of badges earned by the boys since the last pack meeting.

OUTDOOR PROGRAM
Adventuresome outdoor programs are encouraged for Cub Scouts. These include den field trips, picnics, outings, day camping, and backyard camping. Because Cub Scouting is home-centered, family camping is also emphasized. Webelos Scouts are encouraged to go on overnight experiences and to conduct occasional Cub Scout day camps are activities with a Boy Scout troop. joint outdoor conducted by nearly all Scouting councils, and many also provide resident camping experiences for Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts.

COMPETITIVE ACTIVITIES AND SPORTS
Team sports and other competitive events occur within the pack and on an interpack level. Among the activities that have become favorites are Cub Scout shows, pet shows, safe bicycle driving projects, pinewood derbies (miniature car racing on tracks), rocket derbies, regattas, kite-flying contests, Cub Scout field days, and Cubmobile racing. Cub Scouts are encouraged to be physically fit through the Cub Scout sports program, which offers up to 20 different sports.

PUBLICATIONS
Volunteers are informed of national news and events through Scouting magazine. Boys may subscribe to Boy's Life magazine. Both are published by the Scouts of America.

BASIC CONCEPTS
Apart from the fun and excitement of Cub Scout activities, there are a number of ideals expressed in the day-to-day life of the young boy and his leaders.

Cub Scout Promise:
I, (name), promise to do my best.
To do my duty to God and my country, .
To help other people, and
To obey the Law of the Pack

The Law of the Pack
The Cub Scout follows Akela
The Cub Scout helps the pack go
The pack helps the Cub Scout grow
The Cub Scout gives goodwill.

The Cub Scout motto:
Do Your Best.

The Cub Scout colors are blue and gold. Blue signifies the sky, truth, spirituality, and loyalty. Gold stands for warm sunlight, good cheer, and happiness. Together they symbolize what Cub Scouting is all about.
TIGER CUBS, BSA
Most Cub Scout packs have Tiger Cub dens of first-grade boys and their adult partners. Each den consists of 4 to 8 youth members. Tiger Cub dens meet twice a month and attendance at all pack meetings is urged.

The pack selects a Tiger Cub group coach who then completes Fast Start training. This person conducts the organizational meeting of first graders and adult partners and keeps a monthly contact with the group.

The Tiger Cub program is conducted on two levels. First, the boy and adult meet in the home weekly to conduct activities for the whole family. Second, the boy and adult meet twice monthly with other Tiger Cubs and adults in the den, using a ''big idea'' for the activity. Each den meeting is hosted by a boy and adult team. At the end of the school term, Tiger Cubs graduate into Cub Scouting.


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