The Advancement Trail...

On the advancement trail, a Cub Scout progresses from rank to rank, learning new skills as he goes. Each of the ranks and awards in Cub Scouting has its own requirements. As you advance through the ranks, the requirements get more challenging, to match the new skills and abilities you learn as you get older. 

 Bobcat

• Learn and say the Cub Scout motto, the Scout Oath, and the Scout Law and tell what they mean;
• Show the Cub Scout sign, salute, and handshake and tell what they mean; and
• With your parent or guardian complete the exercises in the pamphlet How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide. 

 Lion

As a Lion, your kindergartner will make friends, laugh loud, gain confidence, discover nature, and most of all…have fun! They’ll experience the Scouting concepts of character development, leadership, citizenship, and personal fitness through engaging and exciting adventures! Kindergartners will have a blast exploring the world around them in ways that fuel their imagination and creativity. Together, they’ll take their first steps down the path to success. At the end of the Lion year, they "graduate" to Tiger and advance through Cub Scouting.

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  Tiger 

   Wolf 

The Wolf rank is for boys who are starting second grade. To earn the Wolf badge, a boy must complete six required adventures and one elective adventure with his den. When a boy has done the requirements for an adventure, the Wolf den leader approves the completion of the adventure by signing his handbook. With each adventure he completes he will receive an adventure loop for that adventure, which he can wear on his belt. When the boy has completed all seven adventures, he can receive the Wolf badge which is presented during a grand ceremony.

After he has earned the Wolf badge, a Wolf Scout can work on the remaining 12 Wolf electives until the end of his second grade scouting year on May 31st. He can choose elective adventures that may show him new hobbies and teach him skills that will be useful during his Boy Scout years. When he completes an elective adventure, he receives an additional adventure loop to wear on his belt.

   Bear

The Bear rank is for boys who are starting third grade. To earn the Bear badge, a boy must complete six required adventures and one elective adventure with his den. When a boy has done the requirements for an adventure, the Bear den leader approves the completion of the adventure by signing his handbook. With each adventure he completes he will receive an adventure loop for that adventure, which he can wear on his belt. When the boy has completed all seven adventures, he can receive the Bear badge which is presented during a grand ceremony.

After he has earned the Bear badge, a Bear Scout can work on the remaining 12 Bear electives until the end of his third grade scouting year on May 31st. He can choose elective adventures that may show him new hobbies and teach him skills that will be useful during his Boy Scout years. When he completes an elective adventure, he receives an additional adventure loop to wear on his belt.

   Webelos 
Webelos dens are for boys who are starting fourth grade. Webelos Scouts get to work on the five required Webelos adventures and choose two of the 18 elective adventures with their den that are shared by the Webelos and Arrow of Light ranks. When a boy has done the requirements for an adventure, the Webelos den leader approves the completion of the adventure by signing his handbook. For each adventure a boy completes, he receives a pin to wear on the Webelos colors or on his hat. After completing seven adventures he can receive the Webelos badge which is presented during a grand ceremony.

After he has earned the Webelos badge, a Webelos Scout can work on the remaining 18 shared Webelos and Arrow of Light electives until the end of his fourth grade scouting year on May 31st. He can choose elective adventures that may show him new hobbies and teach him skills that will be useful during his Boy Scout years. When he completes an elective adventure, he receives an additional adventure pin to wear on his Webelos Colors.

   Arrow of Light      

The highest rank in Cub Scouting is the Arrow of Light Award. Earning this rank prepares a Webelos Scout to become a Boy Scout. Scouts must complete four required adventures and three elective adventures with their den to earn the Arrow of Light rank. When a boy has done the requirements for an adventure, the Arrow of Light den leader approves the completion of the adventure by signing his handbook. For each adventure a boy completes, he receives a pin to wear on the Webelos colors or on his hat. After completing seven adventures he can receive the Arrow of Light badge which is presented during a grand ceremony.

After he has earned the Arrow of Light badge, a Arrow of Light Scout can work on the remaining 18 shared Webelos and Arrow of Light electives until the end of his fifth grade scouting year in March when he bridges into Boy Scouts. The Arrow of Light badge is the only Cub Scout badge that can be worn on the Boy Scout uniform when a boy graduates into a troop. 



Adult leaders who earned the Arrow of Light Award when they were young may also show their achievement by wearing a special square knot on their adult uniform. 

The Cub Scout Uniform The Boy Scouts of America has always been a uniformed body. Uniforms help to create a sense of belonging. They symbolize character development, citizenship training, and physical fitness. Wearing a uniform gives youth and adult members a sense of identification and commitment.   Equality. The uniform represents a democratic ideal of equality, bringing people of different backgrounds together in the Scouting tradition.    Identification. The uniform identifies youth and adult members of the Boy Scouts of America, visible as a force of good in the community. When properly and smartly worn, the uniform can build unit spirit.   Achievement. The uniform shows the wearer's activity, responsibility, and achievement. The accomplishments of every youth and adult member can be recognized by the insignia worn on the uniform.   Commitment. Wearing a uniform is a constant reminder to all members of their commitment to the ideals and purposes of the Scouting movement: belief in God, loyalty to country, and helping others at all times. For these reasons, among others, all parents should emphasize to their Scouts the importance of wearing the correct and complete uniform on all suitable occasions.  Badges and Insignia When a boy first joins Cub Scouting, his uniform will display only those badges that identify his status: the World Crest, which shows him to be a member of the worldwide Scouting movement; the national flag; his council strip; his pack number; and his den number. As he progresses, the Cub Scout will earn badges, pins, medals, and other insignia that tell of his accomplishments in Scouting. These items should be added to the uniform only after they have been earned.
Other Awards Your Scout Can Earn...  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 part in outdoor recreation and conservation projects. In many cases, you can earn this award while doing other Scouting activities.  Religious Emblems To encourage members to grow stronger in their faith, many religious groups have programs for young people to earn a religious emblem. The Boy Scouts of America approves of these programs and allows the religious emblems to be worn on the official uniform.   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 interdependent with our world environment. Requirements for this award must be completed in addition to any similar requirements completed for rank. This award may not be earned by Tigers.   Outdoor Ethics Awareness Award/Outdoor Ethics Action Award Cub Scouts who are interested in learning about Outdoor Ethics and Leave No Trace may earn the Outdoor Ethics Awareness Award. The Outdoor Ethics Action Award asks Scouts to use their new knowledge to take steps to improve their outdoor skills.   STEM/Nova Awards The Nova Awards for Cub Scouts are for Wolf, Bear, Webelos Scouts who are interested in learning more about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These awards may not be earned by Tiger Scouts. For their first Nova awards, Scouts have the opportunity to earn the Nova award patch, followed by three more pin-on devices. The patch and the three devices represent each of the four STEM topics. The Supernova awards have more challenging requirements and recognize the more in-depth, advanced achievement in STEM related activities.  Emergency Preparedness Award   "Emergency preparedness" means being ready for all kinds of emergencies. It means you're ready and able to help in times of trouble to save lives and property and to help a community—or even a nation—get back to normal after a disaster happens. To encourage Scouts of all ages to be prepared for emergencies, the BSA has approved an Emergency Preparedness Award program for members of all ages.     Awards for Dens and Packs... Just as Cub Scouts can earn individual awards for themselves, they can also work together to earn awards for their whole den or their pack. Getting together to work on these awards is a great way to practice teamwork and to show every Cub Scout how important he is as a member of his den or pack. National Summertime Pack Award A pack can earn the National Summertime Pack Award by doing three pack activities when school is out for the summer—one activity each in June, July, and August. Packs that qualify get a colorful streamer for their pack flag. Dens that have at least half of their members at the three summer pack events can earn a den ribbon. Pack members who take part in all three events are eligible for the National Summertime Pack Award pin, to wear on the right pocket flap of their uniform. Scouting's Journey to Excellence The BSA’s new council performance recognition program designed to encourage and reward success and measure the performance of our units, districts, and councils. It is replacing the Centennial Quality Awards Program as a means of encouraging excellence in providing a quality program at all levels of the BSA.