Bobcat

Cub Scouts · Adventure, Required

Bobcat is where every Wolf year starts. You'll get to know your den, learn the words Scouts live by, and agree on how to treat each other. It's a friendly way to begin a great year together.

Why it's worth it

Bobcat is how your Wolf year begins. You'll learn the names of the kids in your den, say the Scout Oath and Law together, and help make the rules your den agrees to follow. By the end, your den feels like a team, and you know what it means to Do Your Best.

Start this week

Learn the name of one den member you don't know yet, and one thing they like.
Practice the Cub Scout sign and salute in front of a mirror with your adult.
Say the Scout Law one line at a time at dinner, and add a new line each night.
With your parent or guardian, pick a quiet evening this week for the Parent's Guide activities.

Requirements · 7

Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab).

Note: Bobcat is the first required Wolf adventure; complete it before starting other adventures.

Requirement 1
Get to know the members of your den
Tip: Play a name game, like tossing a ball and saying the catcher's name and favorite food.
Requirement 2
With your den and den leader, say the Scout Oath and Scout Law aloud
Tip: Say the Oath and Law together at each meeting. A little practice at home helps too.
Requirement 3
Learn about the Scout Law
Tip: Pick one point of the Law each week and talk about what it looks like at school or home.
For example: Pick one point of the Scout Law, like helpful. Then name a time you saw it this week: "My sister was helpful when she carried in the groceries."
Requirement 4
Create a den Code of Conduct with your den
Tip: Let everyone suggest a rule, then vote. Write the code on a poster and have each scout sign it.
For example: Your den's Code of Conduct might say: "We listen when someone is talking. We keep our hands to ourselves. We cheer for each other." Then everyone signs the poster.
Requirement 5
Show the Cub Scout sign, salute, and handshake and when each is used
Tip: Practice the sign, salute, and handshake with your den, then quiz each other on when to use each one.
For example: Use the sign when you say the Oath and Law, the salute for the flag, and the handshake when you meet another Scout. Your den can quiz each other: "What do we do when the flag goes by?"
Requirement 6
Tell your den or family about a time you showed the Cub Scout motto "Do Your Best"
Tip: Think of a time you kept trying even when something was hard, like riding a bike or reading a book.
For example: Do Your Best can be small. Maybe you kept practicing spelling words until you got them all, or you kept trying to ride your bike after you fell off.
Requirement 7
At home, do the activities in the youth protection Parent's Guide booklet with your parent or legal guardian
Tip: Sit down with a parent or guardian at a calm time. These talks help keep you safe.

Talk about it together

Who in your den did you get to know better, and what did you learn about them?
Which point of the Scout Law is easiest for you, and which one is hardest?
Which rule in your den's Code of Conduct do you think matters most?
When is a time you did your best even though it was hard?

Good questions to ask your den leader

Which point of the Scout Law do you try hardest to live?
Why do Scouts have a special sign, salute, and handshake?
What will our den get to do together this year?

Helpful reads

Cub Scouts: a guide for families, How Cub Scout ranks and adventures work from kindergarten through fifth grade, what an adult partner does, and how to keep it fun at meetings and at home., Families · Leaders · 4 min read

For leaders & parents

Make the den Code of Conduct together and post it at every meeting.
Remind families about the Parent's Guide early so it doesn't get left until the end.

People & places that can help

Den leader — Can lead the den activities and sign off each part.
Scouting America (opens in a new tab) — Official Cub Scout program information.
Scouting America: Bobcat (Wolf) (opens in a new tab) — The official requirements and fun den games for learning the Oath and Law.
Scouting America Youth Protection (opens in a new tab) — Help for grown-ups doing the Parent's Guide activities at home.

Wolf, Rank · 7 requirements

Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.