About Wolf Cubs in Canada...
Cubs is a fun program designed for youth between 8 and 11 years of age.
The outdoors is an essential part of the Cub program. Challenging hikes, weekend camps, and an introduction to water activities like canoeing or kayaking are just a few of the fun outdoor adventures that Cubs enjoy.
With the Cub motto of "Do Your Best" front and centre, Cubs are encouraged to try new and more challenging activities. Learning important first aid skills, paddling a canoe for the first time, or leading a game at camp will open the door for Cubs to try other adventures they never thought possible.
Cubs also experience an exciting variety of other activities: games and sports, model-building, music, story-telling and play-acting. And like Beavers, Cubs enjoy their adventures with their friends.
Each Cub learns a promise, law and motto to help guide their personal development.
Individual interests and skills are recognized through badges and awards. For an interesting look at these awards and badges have a look at these sites:
How Packs Are Organized
The Wolf Cub theme is based on Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. It provides a sense of outdoor adventure and fantasy that appeals to a Cub's imaginative mind. The pack refers to all members in your child's Cub program. Within the pack, Cubs are broken into small groups called sixes. A Cub who is asked to lead a six is called a Sixer. The Sixer has an assistant called a Second. Cubs usually rotate through these early leadership jobs based on age and experience.
Jungle Names
The primary adult leader of the pack is referred to as Akela -- the name of the old wolf and leader of the pack in The Jungle Book. Other leaders take a jungle name such as Baloo (the bear), Bagheera (the panther), Mang (the bat), Raksha (the mother wolf), or Hathi (the elephant.) Your pack may also have a Kim -- a Scout who works with the Cubs. Kim is another Kipling character. Older Cubs are sometimes invited to work with a Beaver colony. Each Cub helper working in a colony is called Keeo after a character in the Beaver book Friends of the Forest.
Behind the Scenes
The leaders in your Cub's pack are supported by a group committee. The committee is responsible for ensuring the programs offered meet Scouts Canada's guidelines and that the pack has enough resources to operate effectively. Our Group Committee meets once per month, usually on the second to last Tuesday. The group committee represents a sponsor which is the overall partner with Scouts Canada. Sponsors are typically community centres (ours is the Royal Candian Legion Brach #119), clubs, religious institutions, or parent groups. The sponsor works closely with Scouts Canada to ensure Scouting programs and resources are meeting the needs of all its youth and adult members.
Tenderpads and Investiture
While learning a bit about Cubs, your child will be a tenderpad, a Cub who is not yet ready to become a formally welcomed member of the pack. After a brief period of training (mostly to learn the background, rules, and expectations for being a Cub) parents will be invited to attend the investiture ceremony to help welcome your child officially into the Cub pack.
The Cub Uniform
The Wolf Cub Uniform is designed to fulfill two functions - to be practical and to allow a more formal look. The basic uniform consists of a shirt, a neckerchief (necker), and a sash. While there is a wide variety of optional items (belts, hats, etc.) this is the basic outfit. Along with a Cub Book, these are the most important items to purchase.
At each meeting and formal event the full uniform is worn. For less formal activities, the sash is not required. For some rough-and-tumble-and-let’s-get-dirty activities, only the necker is worn – and it is tied (leave the woggle at home!)
The Shirt
The shirt will have all the identifying badges/patches that identify to which country (Canada), province (British Columbia), council (Fraser Valley), and area (COHO) your Cub belongs. Those that don’t come with the shirt will be provided. Epaulettes (also provided) will be handed out to indicate that your Cub has been invested, and are also used to indicate whether a Cub is a sixer or a second. Where to sew on the badges is identified in the Cub Book.
The Sash
The sash is red, with yellow stripes. On the sash will go the stars, badges, and awards that the Cub earns either during the meetings or through personal or family activities.
The Necker
The necker is the easiest way to identify which pack a Cub belongs to. Each pack has its own distinctive colours. Ours is burgandy with a black trim. The standard way of attaching it is with the Cub woggle. The necker and the first woggle will be provided.
*** Put your Cub's name on every item of clothing! ***
The Cub Book
The Cub Book will encourage your child’s participation within six activity areas. While your Cub will see only the fun and excitement the activities present, each area focuses on a clear purpose and goal. The purpose and goals for each activity area set out how the activities are relevant to today's child while meeting developmental needs.
The six activity areas are:
The Natural World Activity Area
Purpose
To create a feeling of care and concern for the natural world and an interest in nature study.
Goals
- To provide practical environmental activities that explore the wonders of nature.
- To develop an understanding that all life requires food, water, shelter and space.
- To explore and develop an understanding of the positive and negative impacts people have on the environment.
- To give direct ideas on how to help the environment in everyday situations.
The Outdoor Activity Area
Purpose
To provide opportunities for Cubs to develop self-confidence and early leadership skills through the introduction of basic camping and other outdoor pursuits.
Goals
- To instruct Cubs on how to enjoy the outdoors safely.
- To introduce Cubs to various outdoor pursuits through age-appropriate activities based on simple skill learning and fun.
The Creative Expression Activity Area
Purpose
To encourage Cubs to creatively explore and express themselves through activities which utilize imagination and innovation.
Goals
- To develop a creative outlet for child interests through the use of music, arts, and crafts in the Cub program. · To enhance Cub awareness of how modern technology can be used for creative expression.
- To stimulate and foster Cub literacy through activities which promote, or require, reading skills.
- To provide opportunities for Cubs to pursue a project from start to finish, thereby producing a sense of accomplishment.
The Health and Fitness Activity Area
Purpose
To encourage Cubs to lead active and healthy lives and to have a positive image of themselves.
Goals
- To encourage Cubs to have healthy lifestyle attitudes through developing active living habits.
- To promote the positive benefits of being involved in physical activities.
- To educate Cubs about health risks associated with tobacco products, and with drug and alcohol abuse.
- To encourage the practice of good hygiene habits for maintaining personal health and promoting self-reliance.
The Home And Community Activity Area
Purpose
To create in a Cub a positive feeling of family and community responsibility, as well as personal self-reliance through opportunities to develop home care skills and knowledge about various community services.
Goal
- To provide support to the Cub's family by teaching skills related to home care.
- To explore and appreciate the challenges facing disabled people in the community.
- To explore what services are needed to support a community, and how a person would access these services if required.
Canada and the World Activity Area
Purpose
To provide opportunities for Cubs to better understand how to actively participate in Canadian society and the world we live in.
Goals
- To learn about and appreciate Canadian society through active participation in community service projects.
- To discover and learn about their own faith and the various world religions.
- To participate in programs which highlight people and their cultures that make up Canada and the world.
- To demonstrate the inter-relationships Canadians have with people in other countries.
