Cub Scout Advancement & Awards
WELCOME TO CUB SCOUTS
We’re all about encouraging boys and girls to make friends, be helpful to others, and do their very best no matter the outcome. With the help of powerful learning projects and exciting outdoor activities, we aim to teach children that doing their best can be a fun and rewarding experience—no matter the difficulty of the challenge. See our resources below and visit the official Cub Scouts website. Here are some great resources to help you better understand Cub Scout Advancement and Awards.
2024–2025 Cub Scout Program Update
It’s official! The Cub Scout program will be updated for the 2024-25 program year. Over the past several years the National Cub Scouting Committee under the leadership of past chair Lisa Wylie and current chair Audrey Oakes has identified four areas to improve the Cub Scout program to ensure that it is fun, simple, and easy.
Over the past five years the National Cub Scouting has been working on these updates. These updates are based on feedback from over 23,000 parents and Cub Scout leaders through various surveys and data. Listening to and identify the key opportunities to improve the program the National Cub Scout committee is excited to finally reveal these improvements. Over the past year these improvements have been socialized to thousands of individuals with overwhelming support.
The changes will take effect officially on June 1, 2024.
- Lion Rank: Kindergartners work toward the Lion rank. The Lion rank is earned by completing five adventures. Although participation with an adult partner is required for all Lion awards, recognition items are for the Scouts only.
- Bobcat Rank: First graders, and anyone beyond that grade who is new to Cub Scouting, completes the Bobcat Badge prior to working on their grade-specific badge of rank. Kindergartners, who are Lions, do not work on the Bobcat Badge.
- Tiger Rank: First graders work toward the Tiger rank. The Tiger rank is earned by completing seven adventures. Although participation with an adult partner is required for all Tiger awards, recognition items are for the Scouts only.
- Wolf Rank: Second graders work toward the Wolf rank. The Wolf rank is earned by completing seven adventures.
- Bear Rank: Third graders work toward the Bear rank. The Bear rank is earned by completing seven adventures.
- Webelos Rank: Fourth graders work toward the Webelos rank. The Webelos rank is earned by completing six adventures. Scouts who are in Cub Scouts in fourth grade must complete the Webelos rank before working towards their Arrow of Light.
- Arrow of Light: Fifth graders work toward the Arrow of Light rank. If a fourth-grade Cub Scout has completed the Webelos rank, they may begin to work on the Arrow of Light. The Arrow of Light rank is earned by completing five adventures.
Advancement Trail
Cub Scout Badges of Rank Requirements Den Leader Help (PDF)
- Religious Emblems Programs A Scout is reverent. He is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion.
- Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award Tiger, Wolf, Bear and WEBELOS Scouts may earn the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award. This award recognizes the Scout for taking par tin outdoor recreation and conservation projects. In many cases, you can earn this award while doing other Scouting activities. Click HERE for the application.
- NOVA Award Program The Boy Scouts of America’s NOVA Awards program incorporates learning with cool activities and exposure to science, technology, engineering and mathematics for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturers. The hope is that the requirements and activities for earning these awards stimulates interest in STEM-related fields and shows how science, technology, engineering and mathematics apply to everyday living and the world around them. Counselors and mentors help bring this engaging, contemporary, and fun program to life for youth members. 2022 Update: Please read STEM Nova Awards Change
- Cub Scout World Conservation Award The World Conservation Award for Cub Scouts provides an opportunity for individual Wolf, Bear and WEBELOS Scouts to “think globally” and “act locally” to preserve and improve our environment. This program is designed to make youth members aware that all nations are closely related through natural resources, and that we are independence with our world environment. Click HERE for the application.
- The Cub Scout Uniform: Talk to your leadership team about your unit’s specific uniforming requirements, then visit our Scout Shop!
- Guide to Awards and Insignia: Includes links to rank-specific uniform inspection sheets.
Cub Scouting’s volunteer Adult Leaders work with boys and their families to improve their communities by enriching the lives of the families who live there. Adult Leaders support the family through Cub Scout Advancement. They take an active part in helping to strengthen families and their boys by providing a fun-filled, worthwhile program that teaches values. Please see below for resources and a www.scouting.org’s page about Adult Leaders. Thank you for your service to our youth.
- Cub Scout Website
- Adult Leader Training: BSA Resource
- Heart of Virginia Council Training Page
- Forms & Applications
- Journey to Excellence
- National Summertime Pack Award
- Scouter’s Training Award for Cub Scouting Progress Record
- Veteran Application
- Annual Health and Medical Record (these are good for one year). Only Parts A&B are required for Weekend Camps.
- Pack Overnighter Site Approval Form
- Cub Scout Badges of Rank Requirements Den Leader Help (PDF)
- Cub Scout Den Leader Resource Den Leader Help (PDF)
Cub Scout Advancement & Awards