Printable Glossary of Cub Scouting Terms
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The definitions of all terms are presented in a single page for convenient reference:
Webelos activity badges are part of the Webelos advancement program. Each of the 20 activity badges has a set of
requirements that each Webelos Scout must meet, usually in den meetings. Certain activity badges are required to earn the
Webelos badge and Arrow of Light.
Every Tiger Cub has an adult partner. This is usually a parent or guardian but can be another relative or other adult approved
by the boy's parent/guardian. The partners share the leadership of the Tiger Cub den, usually taking responsibility for one
month's program.
Advancements in Cub Scout rank are presented at each pack meeting and include Tiger Cub, Bobcat, Wolf, Bear,
Webelos, and Arrow of Light badges.
Achievements are requirements for advancement listed in the Wolf Cub Scout Book and Bear Cub Scout Book. The badges
are awarded at pack meetings, but you can recognize your Cub Scouts' progress with the Immediate Recognition Kit, giving
each boy a bead for each three requirements he completes.
Akela is the Cub Scout term for a leader - any leader - including den leaders, Cubmasters, teachers, parents, and any other
adult the Cub Scout looks up to.
The Arrow of Light, the highest award in Cub Scouting, is awarded to a Webelos Scout who completes additional
requirements, including additional activity badges and interaction with a Boy Scout troop (such as a joint hike).
Arrow points are earned by Cub Scouts after they earn their Wolf or Bear badges. The first arrow point is gold; the rest are
silver. Cub Scouts can earn an unlimited number of arrow points.
An assistant Cubmaster is an adult (18 years or older) who assists the Cubmaster with the pack program. You may have
several assistant Cubmasters. One of them might be the next Cubmaster.
An assistant den leader is an adult (18 years or older) who assists the den leader with the den meetings.
An assistant Webelos leader is an adult (18 years or older) who assists the Webelos den leader with the den meetings.
Sir Robert S. S. Baden-Powell, a British war hero, founded Boy Scouting in England in 1906. He devoted his life to the
program. Boy Scouts around the world fondly call him B-P.
The Bear badge is awarded when a Cub Scout completes 12 of 24 achievements in the Bear Cub Scout Book.
The Bear Cub Scout Book contains the advancement program for all third-grade (or 9-year-old) Cub Scouts.
Most packs have a blue and gold banquet in February (the anniversary month of Boy Scouting) for all members of the pack
and their families.
The Bobcat badge is earned by all Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts when they join the pack. Tiger Cubs earn the Bobcat
badge after compleing the TIger Cub rank.
Boy Scouting is the program for 11- to 18-year-old boys that furthers the development of the boy through camping, outdoor
activities, skills development, and advancement. Boy Scouts belong to a troop.
A chartered organization is a community group - often a religious, civic, fraternal, educational, or other organization - that
sponsors a Scouting unit, such as a Cub Scout pack, Boy Scout troop, or Venturing crew. The Boy Scouts of America issues a
charter to each chartered organization, allowing them to use Scouting as part of their youth program.
Charter renewal is the annual process during which the charter issued by BSA to your chartered organization is renewed. The
pack committee must help by verifying the list of boys and adults registered in the pack.
To play Clown Volleyball, tie a string about 6 feet up off the ground to act as a net (play the game outdoors if you can).
Divide the den into two teams and give each team an inflated balloon. Both balloons are played at the same time, and the game
ends when both balls are "grounded."
The Code of Conduct helps your meetings run smoothly without disruption by getting the Cub or Webelos Scouts' agreement
on what behavior is acceptable. Many den leaders use a "good conduct candle," which is lit at the start of every meeting and
blown out when any boy breaks the code. When it burns down, the den gets a special treat or activity.
Your local Boy Scouts of America council supports Scouting units throughout its geographical area. If you don't know the
location or phone number of your council, ask an experienced leader or check the phone book under "Boy Scouts of
America." You can also find it on the Internet at http://www.bsa.scouting.org/councils.
The Cubmaster is responsible for monthly pack meetings, the program of the pack, and the operation of the dens.
Cub Scout Ceremonies for Dens and Packs shows you how to conduct ceremonies, from simple ceremonies in den
meetings to advancement, induction, and graduation ceremonies in the pack meeting.
A Cub Scout den consists of six to eight Cub Scouts with a den leader and one or more assistants, as well as a den chief. It
meets every week at a time and place chosen by the den leader and parents.
A Cub Scout den leader is an adult volunteer who leads a Cub Scout den, with the help of assistant den leaders and parents.
The Cub Scout Den Meeting Program form lists all the parts of a den meeting and is used to plan your weekly meetings.
You can find a copy in your Cub Scout Leader Book. Additional blank copies may be purchased at your council service
center.
Cub Scout Leader: You and all the other adult volunteers in your pack.
The Cub Scout Leader Book is the key reference for all Cub Scout leaders. It contains all of the details on running and
administering a den and pack, including organization, membership, advancement, policies, and much more.
The Cub Scout Leader How-To Book contains hundreds of ideas for games, crafts, skits, stunts, projects, and activities for
dens and packs.
The annual Cub Scout Program Helps contains suggested pack themes for each month of the year, including suggested pack
and den activities and meeting plans. It includes a month's worth of suggested den meetings for each theme.
The Cub Scout sign is used when Cub Scouts say the Cub Scout Promise and Law. The sign is also used to get the attention
of any Cub Scout group. To make the sign, hold up your right hand with the arm straight and first and middle fingers extended.
The other fingers and thumb are folded over into the palm.
A den chief is a Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, or Venturer who serves as an activities assistant, helping the den leader with the
den and providing fun and interesting things for the boys to do.
The Den Chief Handbook contains the Floating Ball Trick and other tricks and stunts.
A denner is one of your Cub or Webelos Scouts who is elected to help the den leadership for one month. An assistant denner
is also elected and will become denner the following month.
A district is a part of a council, covering a smaller area. Districts provide training, activities, roundtables, and other support to
units.
Field trips are den or pack trips away from the usual meeting place. They can be as simple as a den trip to tour a local fast
food restaurant or as big as a bus trip to a museum or sports event. If you are going outside your own town, you must file a tour
permit with your local Boy Scouts of America council.
To do the Floating Ball Trick, hold a table tennis ball over the end of a soda straw, tip your head back, and blow hard.
Release the ball and it will stay suspended above the straw as long as you blow.
Friends of Scouting (FOS) is a fund-raiser for your local council. You may be asked to host an FOS presentation at a pack
meeting. FOS was formerly called Sustaining Membership Enrollment (SME).
At the end of their Tiger Cub year, boys will graduate and become Cub Scouts.
A Webelos graduation ceremony is held to "cross over" Webelos Scouts into Boy Scouting. Ceremony ideas can be found in
Cub Scout Ceremonies for Dens and Packs.
An induction ceremony is usually held to welcome new Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, or Webelos Scouts into the pack.
Ceremony ideas can be found in Cub Scout Ceremonies for Dens and Packs.
For Lion Tamer, make a crepe paper whip and cover a hula hoop with crepe paper.
In a Living Circle, Cub Scouts and leaders stand in a circle, left hands extended to the center, palm down. Each person
grasps the thumb of the person to their left, forming a complete circle of hands. The right hand is raised in the Cub Scout sign.
Pumping the left hands up and down, everyone says "Ah-KAY-la, we'll do our best."
Outdoor activities are an important part of Cub Scouting. They can include hikes, picnics, games, and similar day events. Cub
Scouts can also participate in pack camping, in which each Cub Scout has family members present. Cub Scout day camp and
resident camp, as well as family camping opportunities, are also an important part of the program.
Pack activities are additional activities and trips run by the pack.
The pack committee is responsible for the operation of the pack, including planning, finances, records, activities,
advancement, and more.
A pack leaders' meeting is held monthly to finalize details for the pack program and pack meeting for the current month, and
to plan upcoming months.
The pack meeting is a monthly gathering of all the Tiger Cub, Cub Scout, and Webelos Scout dens in the pack, along with
their families, for recognition, fun, and program.
The Pack Meeting Planning Chart is a guide to planning your pack meeting. It lists all the required and optional parts of the
meeting. You can choose the parts you want, determine their order, and indicate who will be responsible for preparing each.
Parent-son overnight campouts are conducted by Webelos dens, with a parent present for each Webelos Scout.
Pinewood derby is an activity for all Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts. Boys build wooden race cars with adult assistance and
race them down pinewood tracks for prizes and trophies. Other similar activities are the raingutter regatta (boats) and space
derby (spaceships).
The annual pack program is planned to lay out the themes and activities that will be used for the upcoming year. A monthly
theme is chosen, and most den and pack activities for the month relate to that theme. The annual Cub Scout Program Helps
contains suggested themes.
Recognitions include Wolf and Bear arrow points, Webelos activity badges, and nonadvancement recognitions, such as Cub
Scout Academics and Sports belt loops, service stars, etc.
The Scout sign is used when Webelos Scouts say the Scout Oath or Promise and Scout Law. To make the sign, raise the right
hand palm forward, upper arm straight, and out to the side. The arm is bent at the elbow, forming a right angle. The three
middle fingers are held erect and the thumb covers the nail of the little finger.
Service projects are part of Cub Scouting's citizenship training. They can include service in the neighborhood, to the
community, or to the chartered organization.
Tiger Cub dens use shared leadership, in which no one adult is the leader. Each adult partner plans and leads the den
program for one month.
The Boy Scouts of America encourages the spiritual growth of its members but is absolutely nonsectarian and leaves
decisions about religion to each Cub Scout's family.
For Strong Man, make a set of "weights" out of cardboard. The boys can wear long-sleeved shirts with the sleeves stuffed for
"muscles."
A monthly theme is chosen by the pack committee, and most den and pack activities for the month relate to that theme. The
annual Cub Scout Program Helps contains themes suggested by the Boy Scouts of America.
To do the Throwing the Knot trick, tie an overhead knot in the corner of a neckerchief, and then hold the neckerchief with the
knot concealed in your hand and the rest hanging loose. Explain that you can sometimes "throw" a knot into the loose corner of
the neckerchief. Lift the loose corner with your left hand and place it between the thumb and first finger of the right hand; then
snap it out. After a couple of "unsuccessful" tries, switch the corners in your hand, and the knot appears on the next snap.
The Tiger Cub den leader is a pack leader who leads a Tiger Cub den, supporting the shared leadersip of the adult partners.
A Tiger Cub den consists of five to nine Tiger Cubs and their adult partners. Each month,the den has two meetings, a "Go See
It" activity, and participates in a pack meeting.
Every Tiger Cub gets a copy of the Tiger Cub
Handbook, containing advancement requirements and ideas used to plan the
den program.
The Tiger Cub motto is "Search, Discover, Share."
The Tiger Cub badge is awarded to a Tiger Cub when he completes 15 achievements in the Tiger Cub handbook.
A BSA Tour Permit is required when a den or pack conducts an activity outside of its normal meeting place. Contact your
council for tour permit forms and instructions for approval.
The Webelos badge is awarded to a Webelos Scout who completes the requirements, which include activity badges and
learning about Boy Scouting.
A Webelos den leader is an adult volunteer who leads a Webelos Scout den, with the help of assistant Webelos den leaders
and parents.
The Webelos Leader Guide has a suggested sequence of activity badges designed to help the boys earn the Webelos badge
and Arrow of Light. It also has suggested activities for each badge.
The Webelos Den Meeting Program form lists all the parts of a den meeting and is used to plan your weekly meetings. You
can find a copy in your Cub Scout Leader Book. Additional blank copies may be purchased at your council service center.
A Webelos Scout den consists of six to eight Webelos Scouts with a Webelos den leader and assistants, as well as a
Webelos den chief. It meets every week at a time and place chosen by the Webelos den leader and parents.
The Wolf badge is awarded when a Cub Scout completes all 12 achievements in the Wolf Cub Scout Book.
The Wolf Cub Scout Book contains the advancement program for all second-grade (or 8-year-old) Cub Scouts.