Cubs
Master new skills, have adventures
Who are cubs?
Cubs are young people aged 8-10½ who:
- Master new skills and try new things
- Have fun and go on adventures
- Make friends
- Are curious about the world around them
- Help others and make a difference, in their own communities and beyond
Learn useful practical skills while having fun...
Learn useful practical skills while having fun...
What do Cubs get up to?
Being a Cub is all about growing and learning in small but mighty ways. Here are some of the things you'll get up to with your new friends.
Going on adventures
Race down a river. Tell stories by torchlight. Fall asleep beneath the stars. Alongside your Pack, you'll spend plenty of time in the great outdoors. Together, you might build a den in your local park, or create an edible raft out of sweets, or go on a moonlit hike through your hometown. 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, wherever and whoever you are.
Learning new things
Cubs learn by doing, and so will you. Some of the skills you develop will be practical, like knowing how to cook a delicious meal or give someone first aid. Others will allow you to become a master at your chosen hobby, or help you to succeed in whichever job you decide to do when you grow up.
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. We call these character skills, and they 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 campaigning to save your local library, collecting donations for a foodbank, or planting trees in a neighbouring park.
What does a Cub Pack look like?
Each Pack is made up of young people aged 8 to 10, led by an adult Cub leader traditionally nicknamed Akela after the wise leader of the wolf pack in Rudyard Kipling's novel, The Jungle Book.
As well as the Cub leader, other adults are on hand 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's Scheme .
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.
The bigger Scout Family
All Cubs are members of the global Scout family. Closer to home, they're also part of a wider local Scout Group, alongside Beavers (aged 6-8) and Scouts (aged 10½-14). When they're older, they can join Explorers (for 14-18 year olds) and, eventually, Scout Network (for our young adult members aged 18-25).
"I think I probably wouldn't let Ella do as much as she does, but when I see her at Cubs, doing things for herself and her friends, I'm so impressed. It helps you step back and let them get on with it"
"I think I probably wouldn't let Ella do as much as she does, but when I see her at Cubs, doing things for herself and her friends, I'm so impressed. It helps you step back and let them get on with it"
Promise, Law 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 everyday.
Making the promise is a big celebration within the Pack. Every time a new Cub decides to join permanently, they chat through their promise with their Cub leader before saying it out loud in front of their fellow Cubs. Family and friends might come along to see this, too. 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.
Everyone is unique but there are some things all Cubs 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 society. Depending on their own beliefs, they might also promise to live by their faith.
Cubs choose the promise that best suits them. Options can be found here .
The Cub Scout Law is the same for everyone and is as follows:
Cub Scouts always do their best,
think of others before themselves
and do a good turn every day.
So, how do I join?
The first step to becoming a Cub is to find your nearest Cub Pack in our groups section. To get started, reach out to a local leader to see if spaces are available and find out more about where and when the group meets.
Cubs is open to all, and we can usually tweak things to make sure everyone can join in the fun. If you have any questions about accessibility, chat with your local leader as soon as possible. By being upfront from the start, parents/carers can work in partnership with local leaders to make sure their young person has the best opportunities. More information on specific adjustments can be found here .
Our subscription fees (subs for short) vary group by group, they include the following:
- Membership of The Scout Association
- Insurance for all Scout related activities in the UK
- All badges (you may be charged a small fee for replacements)
- A necker (you may be charged a small fee for replacements)
- Section night activities. The only exception is if we do an outside activity but advance notice will be given if any extra is needed
- Most importantly, lots of opportunities and fun
Waiting Lists
Lots of young people are itching to join Scouts, so you might need to wait for a space to become available.
If your local group has a waiting list, parents and other adults might be able to solve the problem. We don’t just need swashbuckling adventurers to lead expeditions. We also need listeners, tidy-uppers and tea-makers, for as little or as much time as they can spare. If your parents or carers are curious about giving it a go but don’t want to overcommit, why not ask them to complete our four-week volunteering challenge? Every hour counts, and everyone is welcome.
You could always try the Four Week Challenge . This is a test drive of Scouting. It's a try-before-you-buy with no commitment to see if volunteering is right for you.
More volunteering informationUniform and Badge Placement
This diagram shows the correct placement for badges on the Cub uniform. If you have any queries, please do get in touch with a leader who will be able to advise you.
Uniforms and other Scout merchandise can be purchased from the Wirral Scout Shop.
Please note that the shop can only sell badges to registered leaders. For replacement badges, you will
need to speak to a leader at your group.