Den Leader Resources

Here Come the Boys!!! Are You Ready?

Have you taken Fast Start and Youth Protection Training?
Are you familiar with your responsibilities
Are you prepared for the meeting?

Thank you for agreeing to be a den leader, filling one of the most important roles in Cub Scouting and helping a den thrive and grow. Without your help and leadership, the den cannot exist, the boy cannot be served, and the pack cannot be sustained.

Den Leader Responsibilities

In addition to the leader’s responsibility to the boys in Cub Scouting generally, the den leader has certain other leadership responsibilities which may be summarized as follows:

Work directly with other den and pack leaders to ensure that their den is an active and successful part of the pack.
Plan, prepare for, and conduct den meetings with the assistant den leader and den chief (if Wolf, Bear or Webelos den leaders) or adult partners (if Tiger Cub den leaders).
Attend the pack leaders’ meetings.
Lead the den at the monthly pack activity.
Ensure the transition of their Cub Scouts to a den of the next rank (or to a Boy Scout troop if Webelos) at the end of the year.

Getting Your Den Started

If you are starting your program in June, invite the boys and their adult partners to participate in your pack’s summertime activities, such as marching in parades, going to a ball game, having a campfire and marshmallow roast, and participating in Cub Scout day camp. Boys may be able to earn the National Summertime Pack

As you gear up for another great season of Cub Scouting, here are some of the basic documents you’ll need to run your Cub Scout dens. We’ve scanned all of our Cub Scouting resources looking for the most pertinent items, then added some notes of our own. You can quickly see what these documents contain without having to open each one.

Note that these are Adobe Portable Document files (.PDF), which you can print directly or send out for professional printing. Many of these are readily available and can be ordered through your district executive at no charge. In your order, please refer to them by name and number.

Essential Resources

Den and Pack Meeting Resource Guide
Designed to have everything a leader needs to plan and conduct den and pack meetings. The activities found in the Resource Guide are designed to support the purposes of the Cub Scouting and are chosen to help promote the oeverall aims of Scouting.

Cub Scouting's 12 Core Values
Cub Scout leaders should strive to use Cub Scouting's 12 Core Values throughout all elements of the program—service projects, ceremonies, games, skits, songs, crafts, and all the other activities enjoyed at den and pack meetings.

Guide to Safe Scouting (34416)
The purpose of the Guide to Safe Scouting is to prepare adult leaders to conduct Scouting activities in a safe and prudent manner.

The Language of Scouting
Provides information about the terms and style associated with Scouting. Refer to this guide when preparing any unit publication to ensure correct and consistent use of our terms.

Brand Identity Guide
Provides information about the proper use of trademarks and signature artwork. Refer to this guide when preparing any unit publication to ensure correct and consistent use of our logos.

Highly Recommended

This Is Scouting, No. 511-003
Fast Start, Youth Protection (Online Training Outline)

Outdoor Program Guidelines, No. 510-631
This booklet gives a comprehensive view of outdoor Cub Scouting and directs the reader to more resources. You’ll find that it is an essential part of program planning meetings. (8 pages)

Age-Appropriate Guidelines for Scouting Activities (18-260)
Program-specific criteria are designed to assist unit leaders in determining what activities are age-appropriate for their participants.

Sample Parent Info Letters

Tiger Download
Wolf Download
Bear Download
Webelos Download
Arrow of Light Download

Also Helpful

So You’re a New ...
Introduction to the role includes a bulleted list of tasks and rewards of volunteering. It’s a useful handout for any training activity. Similar treatment is provided in the publications below (4 pages each):

Newsletter, Poster, and Calendar Templates (13-288)
A monthly newsletter and an annual pack calendar can be two of the most important tools in publicizing the pack's excitement and fun year-round. At pack meetings, you can put up a poster-style version of the newsletter to keep everyone informed.

Scouting for Youth With Disabilities , No. 34059
Users will find this manual a helpful resource for better understanding youths with disabilities, how to help integrate them in the unit, how to more effectively serve Scouts with disabilities, and where to locate outside resources.