Cubs is the Scout movement section for young people aged 8 to 10½. It’s the stage after Beavers, and before full Scouts. It’s less about big feats and more about growing confidence, trying new things, and building character.
Who Are Cubs
Cubs are curious, energetic, often full of questions. They’re at an age where being challenged is usually good — they like to explore, test boundaries, make friends, and have fun. They want their hands in lots of different things, some outdoors, some creative, some physical. The Cubs section recognises that diversity.
What a Cub Pack Looks Like
Cubs meet in groups called Packs.
Packs are broken down into smaller teams called Sixes. Within a Six, a Sixer and a Seconder (young Cub Scouts) take on simple leadership tasks.
They are led by adult leaders (Cub Leaders, sometimes called “Akela” in many groups), plus helpers and occasionally older Scouts acting as Young Leaders.
Meeting frequency is usually weekly with occasional special events, like day-trips, days out, and nights away. Camps and residentials often feature.
What Cubs Do
Cubs do a lot more than just meet up and play games. The programme is built so they:
Go on adventures: everything from den building, moonlit walks, cooking outdoors, being around nature and wildlife, sometimes camping overnight.
Learn new skills: these can be practical (first aid, cooking, knot-tying), creative (arts, photography), or personal (confidence, integrity, teamwork).
Earn badges and awards: there are activity badges for different interests, plus challenge awards that push Cubs to try harder or do more. These are visible on their uniform.
Help others and their communities: Cubs are encouraged to look beyond themselves — local community service, helping out, maybe learning about global issues and how they can contribute.
What It Builds: Skills and Character
What Cubs get out of it isn’t just fun (though there’s plenty of that). They build:
- Confidence – trying new stuff (which might be a bit scary), accomplishing small wins.
- Responsibility & leadership – through roles in Sixes, helping others, stepping up.
- Resilience – things might not always go perfectly (outdoor weather, tricky tasks), but they learn to cope.
- Teamworking & friendships – lots of group activities, often needing cooperation.
- Values & ethics – Cubs explore doing the right thing, helping others, honesty.
For information on joining or volunteering with Cubs, please reach out via our contact page.