About Cub Scouting

WHAT IS CUB SCOUTING?

Cub Scouting is the program established by the Boy Scouts of America for children in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade. In Cub Scouting, kids, families, and adult leaders work together to achieve these objectives:

• Influence a child’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 child’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 child how to be helpful and do his best.
• Prepare him to be a Scout.

HOW IS CUB SCOUTING ORGANIZED?

Cub Scouting uses terms and phrases taken from stories in The Jungle Book, by Rudyard Kipling. Cub Scout leaders, parents and responsible adults with authority, are all called “Akela”.  The boys and girls are called Cubs, and they and their leaders are organized into small units called Dens.  Dens are part of a larger Pack.  A Pack is chartered by an organization – Pack 1220 has been chartered by the Friends of Hedgcoxe since 1987. The Packs in the Plano area belong to the Northern Lights District, one of districts in the Circle 10 Council. The Circle 10 Council is headquartered in Dallas, TX.

Some additional information on Cub Scouting can be found at the BSA National, Circle Ten Council, and the Chisholm District website.

Dens are organized by Grade, with age-appropriate programs and activities for each grade:

• Kindergarten…Lions
• First Grade…Tiger
• Second Grade…Wolf
• Third Grade…Bear
• Fourth Grade…Webelos
• Fifth Grade… Arrow of Light

All Scouts (except Lions) earn Bobcat badge prior to earning other badges.

Each Den is a group of at least four, but no more than twelve, kids in the same grade and gender. Each Den is led by an adult called the Den Leader (usually but not always a den parent), who in turn is assisted by other den parents.  Dens meet at times and places that each den decides.  Den meetings usually take place about 2-3 times per month, at meeting places determined by den leader(s) and den parents.  Den meetings last about an hour, den parents usually rotate bringing snacks/drinks to the meeting, and the kids work on various program activities, play games, and have fun.

Once a month, Pack 1220 has a meeting of all the dens in the Pack.  These Pack Meetings are not just for the kids, but for the parents and other siblings as well.  It could therefore easily be called a Family Night. The monthly Pack Meeting/ Family Night normally takes place on the second Tuesday of each month, starting at 7 PM in the Hedgcoxe Elementary School gym.   The Pack Meeting lasts about an hour, and usually involves activities, games and fun, like the den meetings, but may also include songs and skits, ceremonies, and recognition awards for individual Cubs. The Pack 1220 Pack Meeting/Family Night is led by the Cubmaster of Pack 1220.