Cub Scouts

Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programmes associated with some Scout organisations, imitating some aspects of Scouts but for young children, usually between 8 and 12, who are too young to be Scouts and make the Scout Promise. A participant in the programme is called a Cub and a group of Cubs is called a "Pack". The Wolf Cub programme was originated by The Scout Association in the United Kingdom in 1916 to provide a programme for boys who were too young to be Boy Scouts and make the Scout Promise. It was adopted by some other Scout organisations. Most Scout organisations, including The Scout Association, no longer use the Wolf Cub programme and have replaced it with other programmes but have retained the name Cubs. Others, including some Traditional Scouting organisations, maintain the original Wolf Cubs programme. However, some Scout organisations, such as some Traditional Scouting organisations, have never adopted programmes for younger children at all, typically on the grounds that they were not part of Robert Baden-Powell's original programme and his warnings against too close identification with juvenile programmes. Originally, cubs programmes were open only to boys. Some Cub organisations are open to both girls and boys, although not necessarily in the same unit. A few organisations have operated a Sea Cub version of Cubs.