Being a Cub
8 to 10½ years
Develop new skills. Soar to great heights. Being a Cub opens up a whole other world.
When do Cubs meet?
We run two Cub packs Merlin & Concorde
- Merlin meets Mondays 6:30-8pm
- Concorde meets Wednesdays 6:30-8pm
Meetings are held every week during term time only and mainly at our Scout Hut.
Who are Cubs?
Cubs are young people aged 8 to 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
Every week, they gather in groups called Cub Packs to take part in lots of interesting and challenging activities – achieving anything they set their minds to, and having lots of fun along the way.
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
Learning new skills
Helping others
What does a Cub Pack look like?
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 to 8) and Scouts (aged 10½ to 14). When they’re older, they can join Explorers (for 14 to 18 year olds) and – eventually – Scout Network (for our young adult members aged 18 to 25).
Each Pack is made up of young people aged 8 to 10½, 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 programme. 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.
Promises 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.
How to join Cubs
Interested in joining? The first step to becoming a Cub is to enter the young person’s details on our waiting list.
We will then contact you and let know the situation.
For anything else please use our Contact Us page.
Cubs is open to all, and adjustments can always be made to make sure everyone can join in the fun. If you have any questions about accessibility, it’s best to chat with our Group Scout Leader (GSL) as soon as possible. By being upfront about additional needs from the start, parents/carers can work in partnership with leaders to make sure their young person has the best experience possible. More information on specific adjustments can be found here.
Cubs uniform and badge placement
What Cubs wear
Cub uniform consists of a green sweatshirt with your badges sewn on and a coloured scarf or ‘necker’ to represent your local group. There are lots of other optional accessories you can wear such as hats, hoodies, navy blue trousers or shorts.
Why uniform is important
Wearing a uniform is comfy and practical. It means you can run around and get messy without ruining your other clothes. It makes you feel part of a team. It means no one feels uncomfortable or left out. And it gives you a place to show off all the brilliant badges you earn.
Where you can buy the uniform
Uniform can be bought from our District Scout Shop. If you’re stuck, ask adult volunteers to tell you more about what to buy and where to buy it.
Moving up to Scouts. What will happen?
Although most Cubs make the move up to Scouts when they’re 10½ , your leader will bear your personal situation in mind, and make sure you only move on when you’re ready. They’ll also have a think about when your friends are moving on, and time things so that you can start your new adventure together where possible.
Talk to your leader about the Moving on Award. Completing it involves spending three weeks with your new Scout Section, while keeping up your normal routine at Cubs. During that time, you’ll have the opportunity to see what Scouts is like first-hand – getting to know your new leader, making friends and participating in lots of new and exciting activities. You’ll also get a better understanding of the difference between Cubs and Scouts, and feel more prepared to embrace all of the challenges and adventures the move throws at you.
