Cub Scouts

Cub Scouts or Cubs are boys and girls ages 8 to 10½. There are loads of fun things to do as a Cub Scout.
Cubs get a chance to try lots of different activities like swimming, music, exploring, computing and collecting. If they do them properly they will get a badge which they can wear on their uniform. 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 their Pack. This means they sleep in a tent and do loads of outdoor activities.

Cub Scout Packs form the middle section of a Scout Group, with the Beaver Colony below and the Scout Troop above. The Cubs within the Pack are separated into Sixes, ideally of five to seven members, with a Sixer and a Second.

The Cub Scout Promise and Law

All Cub Scouts undertake the Cub Scout Promise and are expected to observe the Cub Scout Law. The Cub Scout promise is very similar to the Scout promise, however a few words have been simplified:

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.

Alternative promise

Scouting is available to people of all faiths as well as people who are humanist, atheist or have no affirmed faith and therefore must therefore take account of the different religious obligations or non religious beliefs of its Members.
Similarly, people of other nationalities resident in the United
Kingdom, who may become Members of the Association, owe allegiance to their own Country.
To meet these circumstances, there are different variations of the Beaver Scout, Cub Scout and Scout Promise that can be made, allowing for the
individuals obligations while upholding the essential spirit of the Promise.
Please see The Promise guidance page for more information regarding the alternative promise.

The Cub Scout Law

Cub Scouts always do their best
think of others before themselves
and do a good turn everyday.

Motto

The Cub Scouts share the general Scout motto of Be Prepared.

Uniform

The Cub Scout uniform consists of a dark green sweatshirt, a scout scarf (neckerchief), and woggle, and long navy blue activity trousers. A skirt, activity shorts, and polo shirt are available as options.

Awards and Badges

Cub Scouts can gain a number of awards and badges during their time in the section…

Joining In Awards

The Joining In Award recognises a young person’s commitment to Scouting and are usually given on each anniversary of Members joining the Movement. Two Joining In Awards can be received by Beaver Scouts and when they move up to Cub Scouts they wear the highest one they attained in Beavers. The badges take the form of a small coloured star with a number showing the amount of years they have been in Scouting.

Scout Membership Award

The membership award is only received by young people new to Scouting, whereas members who have joined from a Beaver Colony will undertake the Moving-On Award. However, the awards cover the same basic principles and many packs will have all new Cubs participate in the membership award regardless of how they came to join the section.

Challenge awards

There are seven Challenge awards, covering the six Programme Zones or key areas of Cub Scouting. The Zones are: Outdoor and Adventure, Beliefs and Attitudes, Community, Fitness, Creative and Global. Each Challenge involves undertaking several tasks or taking part in activities related to a particular Programme Zone.

Activity badges

Activity badges are awarded for demonstrating skill or achievement in a particular subject which may be an existing hobby or a new area of knowledge. There are currently 34 different badges available. Click here to find out more.

Staged Activity Badges

Staged Activity Badges can be completed by any member of the Movement between the age of 6 and 18. They are completed in different stages, so after completing each stage Members are awarded the relevant badge. As they can be completed in Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scouts and Explorers it is possible for a Beaver Scout to attain a higher level of a Staged Activity Badge than a Member from a higher Section.

Staged Activity badges that are available are Air Activities, Community Impact, Digital Citizen, Digital Maker, Emergency Aid, Hikes Away, Musician, Nautical Skills, Navigator, Nights Away, Paddle Sports, Sailing, Swimmer and Time on the Water. The number of stages in each badge varies.

Chief Scout’s Silver Award

The Chief Scout’s Silver Award is the highest award which can be gained by Cub Scouts. In order to attain it, Cubs must have completed six of the Challenge awards.