LION CUBS
A Cub Scout Program for
Kindergarten Boys and their Families
District Coordinators: Please review this presentation to understand the Lion
Cub pilot program. It can be used as a training tool for pack coordinators.
Welcome to Lion Cubs – A Cub Scout program for kindergarten boys and an
adult partner.
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Pilot Program Concept
• Background
• Rationale
• Integration and
Implementation
PILOT PROGRAM CONCEPT
Northern Star Council and its predecessor councils are experienced at piloting
programs. In an organization of the scope and scale of the BSA, new ideas
must be in constant development, and our volunteers enjoy being a part of
such work.
We believe a substantial effect on declining traditional membership trends
comes from the reality that children are ready for Scouting programs at an
earlier age, but are choosing other activities before they are eligible to join
Scouting.
One specific idea is in relation to the dramatic changes in school access. We
need to train and support volunteers (local Cub Scout packs) to be local
recruiters with a classic beginning-of-school-year approach – including
kindergarten as well as other grades.
Integration with existing Cub Scout packs and programs is key. Creating a
Lion Cub Coordinator position for both the district and each pack is important
for the success of the program.
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Pilot Overview
Purpose of the Boy Scouts of America
Provide an educational program for boys
– To build character
– To foster citizenship
– To develop personal fitness
PURPOSE OF THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America is to provide an educational
program for boys . . .
To build character
To foster citizenship
To develop personal fitness
As children grow, we know how important it is to offer the very best information
and provide resources to teach self-assurance as they build respect for other
people.
The Boy Scouts of America has been serving grade school-aged boys since
1930 through the Cub Scouting program.
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Goals of the Program
The goals of the Lion Cubs Program:
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Strengthen Scouting
Reflect diversity
Offer greater support
Introduce fun of the outdoors
Provide learning opportunities
THE GOALS OF THE LION CUBS PROGRAM:
•To strengthen Scouting’s position in the community
•To reflect the diversity of our communities
•To offer greater support for children and their families
•To introduce children and their families to the fun of the outdoors
•To provide extended learning opportunities outside of school
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM PILOT “CONCEPT PAPER”
“This new program would be focused on parent planning and delivery, with
youth participation. The primary curriculum/educational outcomes would be
for parents (learning about the basics of youth development, and Scouting’s
proven tools for raising happy, healthy children), and the outcome for kids
would be to commit to Scouting fun earlier than now.”
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Lion Cub Family Benefits
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Age appropriate activities
Value for families
Enhances quality time
“Go for my kids . . .”
Encourages interaction
Strengthens parenting skills
Introduces families to Scouting
LION CUB FAMILY BENEFITS
•Offers age appropriate activities each month
•Provides value for families
•Enhances quality family time
•Parents would “Go for my kids, stay for myself”
•Encourages interaction with others
•Strengthens parenting skills
•Introduces families to Scouting
As a parent or caring adult, parents want their children to grow up to be selfreliant and dependable, worthy and caring. Scouting has these same goals in
mind for them.
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Who are Lion Cubs?
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Kindergarten boys
Join with adult partner
Form dens
Part of a pack
Wear special T-shirts
“Graduate” to Tiger Cubs
WHO ARE LION CUBS
•Lion Cubs are kindergarten boys
•Lion Cubs join with a parent or caring adult partner
•Lion Cubs form dens of 6 to 8 Lion Cub pairs (boy and adult)
•Lion Cub dens are part of a Cub Scout pack
•Lion Cubs may wear a special Lion Cub t-shirt to their activities
•Iron-on decals will be provided to each Lion Cub pair
•Lion Cubs move to the next Cub Scout level (Tiger Cubs) at the end of
Kindergarten (May/June)
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What do Lion Cubs Do?
– Lion Cubs Explore
• Lion Cub Activity Book
– Adult Members Plan
• Activity Suggestions in Adult Guide
– Meet twice a month
• Den Meeting
• Grand Adventure Outing
WHAT DO LION CUBS DO?
• Lion Cubs use the Lion Cub Activity book to explore themselves, their
homes, and their neighborhoods.
• Adult Lion Cub members use the Activity Suggestion pages of the Adult
Guide to plan family and den activities. Each of these Activity Suggestions
has seven parts:
1.Family/Den Activity
2.At-home Activity
3.Grand Adventure Activity
4.Read-Together Selections
5.Fiver year-old Developmental Information
6.Adult Reflection on Parenting Practices
7.“Notes to Self” on the Activity Completed
The Lion Cubs and their partners will meet together twice per month:
• Once a month for a den meeting
• Once a month for a Grand Adventure outing
• Family nights will be held periodically throughout the year
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LION CUB
Pack Coordinator
District Membership Committee will support district participation. While a
District Lion Cub Coordinator is not required – it is highly recommended. A
member of the District Membership committee can fill this role.
Packs must build in adult leadership – a Lion Cub Coordinator is essential to
the success of the program.
This person helps recruit Lion Cub pairs in September and hosts the first
gathering in October and ensures that each month’s Lion Cub den meeting is
hosted by a parent/caring adult.
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Responsibilities:
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Pack’s representative to Lion Cub dens
Explains program to adult partners
Handles paperwork: registration and evaluation
Hosts initial meeting with Lion Cub pairs
Establishes Lion cub meeting calendar
Recruits/helps parents plan meetings
Calls meeting “leader” one week prior as reminder
Plans Tiger Cub transition ceremony
Pack Lion Cub Coordinator . . .
Pack’s representative to Lion Cub dens
Explains program to adult partners
Handles paperwork: registration and evaluation
Hosts initial meeting with Lion Cub pairs
Establishes Lion cub meeting calendar
Recruits/helps parents plan meetings
Calls meeting “leader” one week prior as reminder
Plans Tiger Cub transition ceremony
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Coordinator’s Guide
Includes:
– Pack Coordinator Position Description
– Lion Cub Information Sheet
– Welcome Letter
– Evaluation forms: Oct / Feb / May
– Advancement Record
Lion Cub Coordinator’s Guide Includes:
Council, District and Pack Coordinator Position Description
Lion Cub Information Sheet
Welcome Letter
How Does it Work
Recognition
Evaluation forms: Oct / Feb / May
Advancement Record
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LION CUB
Program Materials
Lion Cub Adventure Guide
Lion Cub Adult Guide
Iron-on Decals
Instant Recognition Kits
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Lion Cub Materials
– Lion Cub Adventure Guide
• One for each boy
– Lion Cub Adult Guide
• One for each adult partner
– Lion Cub Coordinator’s Guide
• One for each Pack Lion Cub Coordinator
LION CUBS CURRICULUM – SUPPORT MATERIALS
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Lion Cubs Adventure Guide
•Colorful, fun and age appropriate
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Lion Cubs Adult Guide
•Informative
•Parenting Truisms
•Scouting Information
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Lion Cubs Coordinator’s Guide
•Position Description
•Program
•Evaluation
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Activity Planning
• Lion Cub Adult Guide has suggestions for family,
Lion Cub den and Grand Adventure activities.
• Coordinator assists families in planning meetings.
Lion Cub Adult Guide has suggestions for family, den and Grand Adventure
activities.
Lion Cub adults set the schedule of den meetings and Grand Adventures at
their first gathering, guided by Pack Lion Cub Coordinator
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Lion Cub Activities
OCT
NOV
DEC
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
I am special, we are special
My family is special
My neighborhood is special
How does it work?
I’ll use my words
Let’s figure it out
Health and fitness
Let’s go outside
Lion Cub Activities include:
OCT I am special, we are special
NOV My family is special
DEC My neighborhood is special
JAN
How does it work?
FEB
I’ll use my words
MAR
Let’s figure it out
APR
Health and fitness
MAY Let’s go outside
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LION CUB
PROGRAM
Lion Cubs Program
•Curriculum starts out on a very personal level
•Expands to family, neighborhood and community
•Includes Read-together suggestions
•Includes 5-year old developmental information
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My Family is Special
Reinforces Core Value: Caring
• Theme: Families Change and Grow
– Activity: Draw a Picture
MY FAMILY IS SPECIAL ACTIVITY
Each activity reinforces one of the core values of Scouting
My Family is Special reinforces Caring
One of the pages from the Lion Cubs Activity Book talks about families.
Youth are asked how many people are in their family?
They can draw a picture of their family showing how they care for each other
An at-home activity suggestion is to create a family mural.
Read-together suggestions include “My Monster Momma Loves Me”
5-year old Developmental Information includes:
Five year olds have a strong desire to please parents and other adults
Beware – children this age imitate speech, slang and exaggerations.
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We Are Special
Reinforces Core Value: Respect
• Theme: Alike and Different
– Activity: Colored Dots
Alike and Different: We Are Special – Sample Curriculum from Adult Guide:
Treat each group differently based on colored dots on activity sheets
Red and Green get a drink, may use the restroom, and wash up for a snack
Blue gets a drink only.
Yellow stays at their place.
Blue gets popcorn and juice
Red and Green get peanut butter and graham crackers with juice
Lead a discussion about how some people are given advantages based only
on skin color. Ask the Scouts if this game was fair or not and why. Assist the
Scouts in coming up with ideas for making the game fair.
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Recruitment
Materials
Lion Cub Recruitment Packet will include:
•Instruction Sheet
•Welcome Sign
•Registration Table Sign
•Attendance Roster
•Den Roster
•Kindergarten Table Sign
•Lion Cub Activity
•Welcome Booklets
•Youth Applications
•Temporary Membership Cards
•Report Envelope
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Lion Cub Recruitment
• Promote directly to kindergarten
boys at your school. Consider calling
or mailing them an invitation.
• Hold a Lion Cub Roundup, or
• Register kindergartners on night of
your Roundup with 1st-5th graders;
• Hold separate breakout conducted
by Pack Lion Cub Coordinator.
Lion Cub Recruitment
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Promote directly to kindergarten boys at your school. Consider calling or
mailing them an invitation.
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Hold a Lion Cub Roundup, or
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Register kindergartners on night of your Roundup with 1st-5th graders;
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Hold separate breakout conducted by Pack Lion Cub Coordinator.
It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you hold a Lion Cub recruitment event
separate from your Fall Youth Recruitment.
Reasons:
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Fall Youth Roundup includes information on Advancement, Training,
Camping, Uniforms, Popcorn Sale, Friends of Scouting, and Den Leader
Recruitment – which are not part of the Lion Cub program.
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Registration Procedure
• Register Pack Lion Cub Coordinator as a
Den Leader on adult application
• Register Lion and Adult Partner on Youth
Application. Write “Lion Cubs” at top
• Registration fee is $20.00 per Scout/
Adult Partner pair and includes Lion Cub
Activity Book and Adult Guide
• Will be listed as pairs on separate sheet
rather than on pack roster
Registration Procedure
Lion Cub Coordinator
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Register as a Den Leader on adult application (May also be registered in another
pack position)
Lion Cubs and their Adult Partners
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Register youth and Adult Partner on BSA Youth Application. Write “Lion
Cubs” at top of application.
Fees:
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Registration fee is $20.00 per Scout/ Adult Partner pair and includes Lion
Cub Activity Book and Adult Guide
Registration
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Will not appear on unit roster
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Will be listed as pairs on separate sheet rather than on pack roster
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Pilot Program
Northern Star Council has received permission from the National Cub Scout
Division to pilot the Lion Cub program with 500 youth. All youth must be
registered on a BSA Youth application. Each pack participating in the pilot
must recruit and register a Lion Cub Coordinator – to be registered on a BSA
Adult application.
It is important for packs to make a commitment to follow the program as
written. District and Pack Coordinators as well as Lion Cub pairs will provide
necessary recommendations for additions/changes/etc. for the improvement of
the program.
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Pilot Program Testing
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Test Group
Test Timeline
Evaluation
Pilot Implementation
Tracking Retention
Districts make commitment to support program and recruit District Lion Cub
Coordinator. Training is available online.
Packs make commitment to support program and recruit Pack Lion Cub
Coordinator. Training is available online.
Requirements include:
Top Leaders Trained, Year-round program, Fall Recruitment and the full family
of Cub Scouting (Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelos Scouts)
September – Youth recruited. Curriculum available at all four Scout Shops
October – Lion Cub program begins
October through May – Evaluations
May/June – Transition to Tiger Cubs
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Q & A
See “Frequently Asked Questions” document
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Contacts
• Your District Lion Cub Coordinator
• Your District Membership Chair
• Lion Cub Staff Advisor
Elaine Sinn at [email protected]
Questions or Concerns – Contact:
•Your District Lion Cub Coordinator
•Your District Membership Chair
•Lion Cub Staff Advisor
Elaine Sinn at [email protected]
763.231.7274
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Thank You!
Thank you for your interest in the Lion Cub program.
We hope you have a “Roarin’ Good Time”
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