Cub Scouting is the first and largest of the Boy Scouts of America's three membership divisions. (The others are Boy Scouting and Venturing.) A key element of the Cub Scouting program is an emphasis on caring, nurturing relationships between boys and their parents.
The Purposes of Cub Scouting
Cub Scouting has nine purposes.
To:
- Positively influence character development and encourage spiritual growth
- Help boys develop habits and attitudes of good citizenship
- Encourage good sportsmanship and pride in growing strong in mind and body
- Improve understanding within the family
- Strengthen boys' ability to get along with other boys and respect other people
- Foster a sense of personal achievement by helping boys develop
new interests and skills
- Show how to be helpful and do one's best
- Provide fun and exciting new things to do
- Prepare boys to become Boy Scouts
Membership and Meetings
Cub Scouting is for boys in the first through fifth grades. Members join a Cub Scout pack and are assigned to a den, usually a group of six to ten boys in the same grade. Dens stay together from year to year. Dens in Pack 3 typically meet once or twice a month for an hour or two. Since Cub Scouting emphasizes relationships between boys and their parents, parents of 1st graders accompany Cub Scouts to all meetings, and parents of older Scouts are invited to attend den meetings and encouraged to run activities at one or more den meetings. Activities in Scouting are oriented to involve both the Scouts and their parents.
Once a month, all of the dens and family members gather for a Pack meeting under the direction of a Cubmaster and Pack Committee made up of den leaders and other parents. Pack meetings usually involve one or more activities and award ceremonies. Meetings for Pack 3 are typically the last Tuesday of the month at 7pm at the Concord Road School Cafeteria and go for an hour. Please see the calendar for Pack meeting dates.
Pack 3 is proudly sponsored by the Ardsley United Methodist Church. However, Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting are strictly non-sectarian and families of all religious backgrounds are welcome. Pack 3 primarily serves the Ardsley school district but welcomes families from neighboring communities. Ardsley Pack 3 is part of the Mohican District within the Westchester-Putnam Council.
Volunteer Leadership
Thousands of volunteer leaders, both men and women, are involved in the Cub Scout program. Pack 3 parent volunteers typically serve in a variety of direct leadership positions from Den Leader to Cubmaster and in a variety of support positions from Committee Member to Committee Chairman.
Parents are a vitally important part of the cub scout experience. Parents serve as pack and den leaders, but more importantly all cub scout activities involve both the scout and his parent or other adult partner. While all parents are not required to be at every meeting, Cub Scouting is not a “drop off” activity. Each parent is expected to pitch in somewhere to help the den and pack leaders. This provides a chance for parents and boys to interact and develop their relationship in a setting different from the normal hustle and pressure of school, sports, and other extracurricular activities. Cub Scouting particularly focuses on community values, helping others, respect and sportsmanship, independent skills and working together as a team, and developing self-esteem and pride for doing one's best.
Advancement Plan
Recognition is important to young boys. The Cub Scout advancement plan provides fun for the boys, gives them a sense of personal achievement as they earn badges, and strengthens family understanding as adult family members or partners work with boys on advancement projects. Each level comes with a comprehensive handbook that guides the Cub Scout through his year.
Tiger (first grade)
The Tiger program introduces first graders to the Cub Scout program. Tiger Cubs work on achievements with their parents/adult partners and are awarded beads which they wear on their uniform. At the end of the year, they earn their Tiger badge and graduate to the next level.
Bobcat
The Bobcat badge is the first badge earned by all Cub Scouts and involves learning about key elements of Cub Scouting such as the Cub Scout Promise, Motto, Salute and Handshake, as well as important safety information.
Wolf (second grade)
The Wolf program is for second graders. To earn the Wolf badge, a boy must complete twelve groups of achievements, many of which will be done by the den as a group.
Bear (third grade)
The Bear rank is for boys in third grade. There are twenty-four Bear achievements in four different categories. The Cub Scout must complete twelve of these to earn the Bear badge. These requirements are somewhat more difficult and challenging than those for Wolf rank.
Webelos (fourth and fifth grade)
This program is for fourth and fifth grade boys. This is the first step in his transition from the Webelos den to the Boy Scout troop. As he completes the requirements found in the Webelos Scout Book, he will work on activity badges, attend meetings led by adults, and become familiar with the Boy Scout requirements - all leading to the Arrow of Light Award.
Activities
Cub Scouting means "doing." Everything in Cub Scouting is designed to have the boys doing things. Activities are used to achieve the aims of Scouting - citizenship training, character development, and personal fitness. Typical Pack 3 activities include:
The Pinewood Derby, where Scouts build cars with their parents' help and race them together for fun
Camping trips (see below)
Charity/community activities like Scouting for Food, Bowl-o-Ree and Clean Up Day
Fun/family events like our holiday party, Blue & Gold family dinner (a Cub Scout tradition), and spring family picnic
Skits put on by the Scouts
Trips to local games and other events
Cub Scouts take pride in wearing their uniforms to meetings and other Scout events. Cub Scouts are recognized for their contributions and participations with badges, patches and other awards.
Camping
Age-appropriate camping programs combine fun and excitement with doing one's best, getting along with others, and developing an appreciation for ecology and the world of the outdoors. Pack 3 typically participates in the county-wide Thunderbird Games and campout in October with over 4,000 participants, and a smaller district-run campout in May. In June we run a picnic, campfire, and campout right here on the ball fields of Ardsley’s own McDowell Park. We will do more if the interest is there. While participation is entirely optional, many kids and the parents/adult partners find it among the highlights of the year.
For more information about Cub Scouts, see our Links page.
