I'll Do It Myself

Cub Scouts · Adventure, Elective

I'll Do It Myself is about growing up and taking care of yourself. You'll pack your own Scouting bag, make a checklist for taking care of you, and practice putting on your own shoes. Each little skill makes you more ready for big adventures.

Why it's worth it

"I can do it myself." Those are powerful words. In this adventure you'll pack your own Scout bag, make a checklist for taking care of yourself, and put on and put away your own shoes. Each small job you can do alone makes mornings smoother, den meetings easier, and you more ready for campouts and big adventures ahead.

Start this week

Find a bag or backpack you can use just for Scouting, and decorate it with your name or drawings.
Tell your grown-up the things you do every morning, and draw a picture for each one.
Pick one spot by the door where your shoes always go.

Requirements · 3

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

Requirement 1
Make a "lion bag" for your Scouting gear and use it
Tip: Decorate a bag and fill it with what you need for den meetings. Bring it every time.
For example: Your Lion bag might hold your handbook, a pencil, a water bottle, and a snack. Before each den meeting, you check that everything is inside and carry the bag yourself.
Requirement 2
Create a personal care checklist
Tip: Draw pictures for each step, like brushing teeth and washing hands, and put the checklist on the bathroom mirror.
For example: A morning checklist could have pictures for: use the bathroom, wash hands, brush teeth, comb hair, and get dressed. Put it at your eye level on the bathroom wall and check each one.
Requirement 3
Put on your shoes by yourself, then take them off and put them away
Tip: Practice putting on shoes, taking them off, and putting them in the same spot each time.
For example: Sit down, put each shoe on the right foot, and fasten the straps or laces with your adult cheering you on. After the walk, take them off and line them up in their spot.

Talk about it together

What is something you can do by yourself now that you couldn't do last year?
Which step on your checklist is the hardest to remember?
How does it feel when you finish something all by yourself?
What would you like to learn to do on your own next?

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

Have Lions bring their Lion bags to a meeting and share what they packed.
Encourage adults to step back and let Lions try on their own, even if it takes longer.

People & places that can help

Your den leader — Can share den plans and help you sign off what you've done.
Public library — Picture books and videos on the topic; librarians can help find more.
I'll Do It Myself adventure page (opens in a new tab) — Den activities for Lion bags, checklists, and shoe practice.
KidsHealth (opens in a new tab) — Kid-friendly articles on brushing teeth, washing up, and taking care of yourself.

Lion, 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.