Cub Scout Pack 131, DeKalb, IL

What Is Scouting?

If you are a boy or a girl in kindergarten through fifth grade, then Cub Scouting is for you. It's for your family, too. This is the first and largest of the five main Scouting programs (Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouts, and Exploring) offered by Scouting America.

Cub Scouts Is For the Whole Family

Starting in 2018, the Cub Scouts program is open to boys and girls. Pack 131 is a coed, family pack with Dens for both boys and girls. Scouts from each grade will be in their own Dens; however, we will do activities and meetings as a Pack. Pack 131 was an early adopter of the new coed program and is happy to provide a great Scouting experience for the whole family!

Cub Scouts Do Things and Go Places

Cub Scouting means "doing." You have lots to do as a Cub Scout — crafts, games, sports, songs, stories, and puzzles, to name a few things. Much of the fun happens right in the Den and Pack. The Den usually meets twice a month, and the Pack meets once a month during the school year. At Den meetings and Pack meetings, Cub Scouts participate in various activities for both fun and learning.

Cub Scouts also attend awesome events like the annual blue and gold banquet, contests and derbies such as the pinewood derby, and outings like sporting events and shows. We go on field trips to learn about interesting places. We go camping and have other kinds of outdoor adventures. We take part in community events like parades. We also do community service projects. Cub Scouts do all sorts of exciting stuff! Whatever it is that you enjoy, you'll have a chance to do it in Cub Scouting.

Cub Scouts Earn Awards

While you're having fun, you'll also be earning badges and awards. You'll work on projects with your parents or other adults in your family, and all of you will feel good about the things you accomplish. Lions, Tigers, Wolves, and Bears earn cool metal belt loops that they can wear on their uniform belt. Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts earn pins that they wear on their shoulder ribbons. Once you have completed your Adventures you'll earn the badge for your rank. When you have earned your rank, you and an adult member of your family take part in a ceremony. The badge is given to the adult, and he or she then gives it to you in front of the whole Pack. You'll get to award your adult a pin signifying their role in helping you achieve your rank. This is a way of saying "thank you" to your family for their help in earning your award.

The most popular awards for Cub Scouts are the advancement awards. Scouts do requirements to advance and earn their badges of rank: Lion, Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, and the Arrow of Light Award. The Arrow of Light is the highest award in Cub Scouting. Through a number of required and elective Adventures, Cub Scouts get to learn about favorite subjects such as outdoor skills, health and fitness, duty to God, teamwork and cooperation, art, math, science, music, citizenship, and more. No matter a Scout's interest, there are activities to learn more about it, or try something new! All you have to do is Do Your Best!

Cub Scouting Has a Purpose

There is a reason for everything Scouts do in Cub Scouting. Apart from the fun and excitement, the aim of Cub Scouting is to help boys and girls grow into good citizens who are strong in character and personally fit. Each grade level completes required adventures about Character & Leadership, Personal Fitness, Personal Safety, Family & Reverence, Citizenship, and the Outdoors. Elective adventures cover more formational topics, like first aid, science & technology, life skills, sports & physical fitness, games, outdoor skills, art, and more.