Cub Scout Ranks
Bobcat (All grades)
Before beginning any Cub Scout rank, the Cub Scout must earn the Bobcat Badge.
Tiger Cubs (1st Grade)
Tiger Cubs BSA gives parents an opportunity to provide their children with a safe, structured, and nurturing environment. Tiger Cubs and their adult partners have fun together while developing closer family relationships. Scouting can provide positive, enriching experiences and activities to complement a child's formal classroom education. Scouting and education share the common goal of helping young people grow into self-reliant, dependable, and caring adults.
Tiger Cubs BSA is a simple, fun, easy-to-operate program that helps a boy and his adult partner gain a better understanding of and an appreciation for the community environment in which they live, and even the world at large.
Tiger Cubs BSA offers an opportunity for boys to enter the Scouting family at an important age. Research has shown that early involvement in values-based programs is vital to strong character development. The longer a boy stays in Scouting, the more likely he is to develop the values and skills needed to become an ethical and productive citizen.
The Tiger Cub dens are a part of the Pack. Tiger Cub dens meet twice a month as a den, plus once a month for a "Go See It" activity, and they attend all pack meetings. There are Tiger Cub resource books and program helps available for the Tiger Cub Den Leaders, and a Tiger Cub Handbook for each Tiger Cub. Tiger Cubs BSA introduces boys and their adult partners to the excitement of Cub Scouting as they "Search, Discover, and Share" together.
The Tiger Cub program is designed for First Grade boys and the ideas are geared to their level. They are also arranged to help the boy and his adult partner interact together in a positive way.
Click Here to see the requirements for the Achievements which are done to earn the Tiger Cub Badge, and Click Here for the requirements for the Tiger Cub Electives, which can be done to earn Tiger Track Beads.
Wolf (2nd Grade) & Bear Cubs (3rd Grade)
To earn the Wolf Badge, a Cub Scout must complete all 12 achievements that are offered in the book. These activities are primarily done at home and are signed off by the parent after the boy has completed each task. The book is then shown to the Den Leader who records the progress and also signs the boy's book.
To earn the Bear Badge, a Cub Scout must complete 12 achievements out of a possible 24 that are offered in the book. The achievements are grouped in 4 major areas, GOD, COUNTRY, FAMILY, and SELF. Within each group, a required number of achievements must be completed. As with the Wolf activities, these achievements are primarily done at home and are signed off by an adult family member after the boy has completed each one. The book is then shown to the Den Leader who records the progress and also signs the boy's book.
Arrow Points may be earned as a Wolf or Bear scout by completing certain electives. These electives may be worked on at any time, but will not be awarded until the rank has been earned. The scout earns a Gold Arrow Point for the first set of 10 electives completed and a Silver Arrow Point for each set of 10 electives completed thereafter. Click Here and here for the Wolf and Bear Arrow Point electives. Note that, for Bear scouts, any rank achievements completed beyond that which were required for earning the Bear rank may be applied toward earning Arrow Points.
Webelos - WE'LL BE LOYAL SCOUTS! (4th and 5th Grade)
The Webelos Badge is the fifth rank in Cub Scouting (coming after Tiger Cub, Bobcat, Wolf, and Bear.) You can start on it as soon as you join a Webelos den, and have earned the Bobcat Badge. To earn the Webelos badge you must be active in your den for at least 3 months and complete the requirements. You'll be proud to earn the Webelos rank and receive your badge at a pack meeting.
Also, your Webelos Den Leader will now sign off your activities (your parent or guardian does not sign off the activities as they did when you were a Wolf or Bear).
The Arrow of Light Award is the highest rank in Cub Scouting. A Webelos Scout should set his sights on it early. It's tougher to earn than the Webelos badge, but he can do it! The Cub Scout will have to earn the Webelos badge and at least eight activity badges, including Citizen, Readyman, and Fitness.. The total must include one from each of the five activity groups.
By the time he has earned the Arrow of Light Award, he will have learned many things about a lot of subjects - and a lot about Boy Scouting. He will be ready to join a Boy Scout troop!
Before he get's started on the Arrow of Light Award, he should read through the requirements with a parent, guardian, or den leader. Each time a requirement is satisfied, he should have his Webelos Den leader sign it off in his Webelos Scout Book.
Details regarding the completion of the requirements and can be found in the BSA Webelos Handbook (No. 33452, 2003.)