Ranks, adventures and requirements
Cub Scouts has six ranks, one for each grade from kindergarten through fifth. A Scout earns a rank by finishing that year's required adventures, starting with Bobcat, plus two electives the den chooses. Every adventure below has its requirements in plain language and a sixty minute den meeting plan you can run.
Requirements are paraphrased from Scouting America's published program. Check the handbook or Scoutbook Plus before you sign anything off.
Every Cub Scout completes the Bobcat adventure before the badge of rank for the year they are in. A Scout who joins in third grade does Bobcat and Bear in the same year. If your den is new, Bobcat is the only thing worth planning until it is finished.
Cub Scout dens are grouped by school grade, so a den moves up together every year.
Lion Kindergarten
Lions are kindergarteners. A parent or adult partner attends every meeting, and every adventure is built around doing things together.
Ages 5–6. The badge takes 6 required adventures and 2 electives. 26 adventures listed here.
Tiger 1st grade
Tigers are first graders. Adult partners still attend, and the den starts to run its own gatherings, openings, and activities.
Ages 6–7. The badge takes 6 required adventures and 2 electives. 29 adventures listed here.
Wolf 2nd grade
Wolves are second graders. This is the first year most dens run without adult partners at every table.
Ages 7–8. The badge takes 6 required adventures and 2 electives. 30 adventures listed here.
Bear 3rd grade
Bears are third graders. Knife safety, first aid, and the first real outdoor skills show up in the required adventures.
Ages 8–9. The badge takes 6 required adventures and 2 electives. 35 adventures listed here.
Webelos 4th grade
Webelos are fourth graders. The program starts to look like Scouts BSA: patrols, camping, and Scouts leading parts of the meeting.
Ages 9–10. The badge takes 6 required adventures and 2 electives. 33 adventures listed here.
Arrow of Light 5th grade
Arrow of Light is the final Cub Scout rank and the bridge to a troop. Required adventures include visiting a troop and a troop campout.
Ages 10–11. The badge takes 6 required adventures and 2 electives. 28 adventures listed here.
Lion Kindergarten, ages 5–6
Tiger 1st grade, ages 6–7
Wolf 2nd grade, ages 7–8
Bear 3rd grade, ages 8–9
Webelos 4th grade, ages 9–10
Arrow of Light 5th grade, ages 10–11
Start from your rank, then read down the required adventures. The ones nobody has started are your next three meetings.
Every adventure page has a sixty minute plan: gathering, opening, talk time, the activity blocks that close each requirement, and a closing. Print it and run it.
Tick requirements off as Scouts finish them, not from memory a month later. DenBuddy turns the agenda into the record sheet and exports a file you upload to Scoutbook.
Import your den from Scoutbook Plus and DenBuddy shows you the requirements each Scout is still missing, then builds the meeting around them. One den is free, forever.
Free for one den. No credit card. Works with Scoutbook Plus.
DenBuddy is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Scouting America. Cub Scouts, Scoutbook and adventure names are trademarks of their respective owners.