Cubs
Cubs are young people aged between 8 and 10½, who make up the third section of the Scouting family, between Beavers and Scouts.
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays our Tiger and Wolf Cubs gather in groups called Packs to take part in interesting and challenging activities and have lots of fun along the way. Being a Cub is all about:
- Mastering new skills and trying new things
- Having fun and going on adventures
- Making friends
- Being curious about the world around you
- Helping others and making a difference, in your own community and beyond
What Do Cubs Do?
Going on adventures
Kayak down the Itchen. Tell ghost stories by firelight. Fall asleep in your own bivvy beneath the stars. Alongside your Pack, you’ll spend plenty of time in the great outdoors. Together, you might build a den at Pinsent campsite, cook s’mores at our Hillier Way site or go on a night hike up St Catherine’s Hill. And even though you might not be ready to climb Mount Everest just yet, you’re guaranteed to have plenty of adventures on your own doorstep, because being a Cub is all about making the most of what you have and who you are.
Learning new skills
Cubs learn by taking part, and so will you. Some of the skills you develop will be practical, like learning how to cook a tasty meal or give someone first aid. Others will provide you will life skills that will help you to succeed with your studies or job in later life. But the most important skills you’ll learn at Cubs are the ones that will make you feel confident and happy in your own skin. These personal skills include things like integrity – which means being honest and doing what you think is right – and initiative – which means knowing how to take the lead on something without being asked. Whatever skills you’d like to learn, it’s all about having the courage to try new things and learn from them.
Helping others
Cubs work as a team to help other people. Together, you’ll learn about global issues and what we can all do to help solve them. You’ll also make an impact in your own community, through activities such as collecting donations for the Round Table with Santa and his Sleigh, visiting local care homes to talk to the residents, or planting bulbs for Winchester Live at Home Scheme.
What Does a Cub Pack Look Like?
Our Wolf and Tiger Cub Packs are comprised of young people aged 8 to 10 ½ , led by an adult section leader and helped by several assistant leaders.
As well as the Cub leaders, other adult volunteers (parents, grandparents, students or carers) are on hand when needed to supervise activities, share their skills and keep everyone safe. Other young people aged 14 to 18 might help out, too. These are Explorer Scouts taking part in the Explorer Scout Young Leader programme.
Within their Pack, Cubs are also part of a Six. A Six is a smaller group of Cubs, headed up by a Sixer and a Seconder. Sixers and Seconders are Cub Scouts who are chosen to take on leadership responsibilities, such as welcoming new people to the Pack, being extra helpful on camp, or taking charge of a particular game or activity.
Promises and Ceremonies
As well as enjoying plenty of adventures, being a Cub is about going on a journey to understand who you are and what you stand for. When you join the Pack, you’ll explore these ideas by making a promise. A promise is a set of words that mean something to you, which you try to follow every day.
Making the promise is a big celebration within the Pack. When a new Cub decides to join permanently, they chat through their promise with their Cub leader before repeating it in front of their fellow Cubs. The process is known as being ‘invested’ into Cubs, and it usually takes place a few weeks into your Cub experience, once you’ve had time to settle in. Family and friends are also invited to come along and watch.
Every Cub is unique but there are some things they should all agree on – such as the importance of treating everyone in the Pack with kindness and doing their best to care for the community and wider world in which they live. Cubs make a promise to do their best to make a positive contribution to our society. Depending on their own beliefs, they might also promise to live by their faith. Cubs can choose the promise that best suits them and promises are renewed on key days such as St George’s Day.
There is also the Scouting motto ‘Be Prepared’.
See inside the guide below for the Promises and Uniform and Badge Placement for Cubs.
Uniform
Cubs wear core uniform of a green sweatshirt and a group necker.
Uniform can either be bought from Scout Shops Ltd or a local supplier. You can ask the leader for more information on what and where to buy.
We don’t want anyone to miss out through financial hardship. If concerns about finances may prevent your child taking part in Scouting or some activities, speak to your Pack leader, as some assistance may be available in confidence.