Frequently Asked Questions: Uniforms, Rank, & Adventures

Yes! New Cub Scouts will need to purchase a Cub Scout uniform shirt to wear at Scout meetings, which can be purchased in person at a local Scout Shop or online.

The closest Scout Shop for most is located near Fort Snelling at Base Camp (6202 Bloomington Rd., Fort Snelling, MN 55111). See here for store hours and other locations. The shop staff will help determine the right shirt and patches; including size to purchase. They have fitting rooms also available. When purchasing your scout's uniform, you will need to tell them you are joining Pack "168" in the Northern Star Council. Scout Shops do have Cub Scout and Webelos shirts with pre-sewn patches, while a local seamstress is a great option for sewing unit number patches.

In addition to the shirt, grades 1-5 will also need a neckerchief and neckerchief slide (see store staff for assistance). As Kindergarten through 3rd grade Cub Scouts complete adventures within their Dens, they will receive a belt loop award, which fit on the Cub Scout belt with belt buckle. It is recommended that you purchase a Scout Handbook for your Scout’s rank, although this is not strictly necessary as much of the handbook information is also available through Scoutbook. Please note that we do not require the purchase of official pants, hat, or socks, although you are welcome to purchase them if desired.

If any of these costs are a financial burden for your family, please note that there are programs available to assist with the cost of both uniforms and membership fees (this information is provided during online registration). All incoming Cub Scouts will receive a Pack t-shirt which can be used in place of the uniform shirt when camping or during "messier" Den activities!

What's the total cost for a New Scout? $100 for the Cub Scout uniform and handbook is a safe estimate for your initial items to be purchased from the Scout Store.

Pro tip: Attend the Pack 168 Fall Hotdog Roast on September 9th. We ask that renewing scouts turn-in any uniform items they will not be wearing as a result of advancing Rank; e.g. a Bear Den scout will no longer need a Wolf Den neckerchief and slide, which will be handed down to Wolf Den scouts.

Will I receive a Pack 168 t-shirt, aka "Class B Uniform Shirt"? Yes! All scouts who register by September 30th will receive a Pack 168 t-shirt. For those who have registered ahead of the Fall Hotdog Roast on September 9th, or ahead of our Curbside Pickup Pack Meeting on September 16th, you'll be able to pick up your shirt at either event, and will be asked for a t-shirt size: Youth Xtra Small, Youth Small, Youth Medium, Youth Large, Youth Xtra Large.

If you are unable to register/renew your scout prior to September 30th, or would like an additional Pack t-shirt for your youth or for an adult, please complete the Pack 168 Class B Shirt Order Form along with payment as instructed when completing the order form.

Do I purchase my Scout’s awards and advancements (e.g. rank, adventure belt loops) when earned? Only if you are the “Advancement Chair” or an Advancement Coordinator: then you can be one of the Parents who does that for all of the Den or Pack when it is time for Badges and Awards.

The advancement trail begins for all scouts with either Lion, or Bobcat. On the advancement trail, a Cub Scout progresses towards a badge of rank based on their grade. They need not have earned the previous rank in order to earn the next. Each of the ranks in Cub Scouting has its own requirements that are age appropriate, so earning a rank below a Cub Scout’s current grade is not permitted. As a Cub Scout advances through the ranks, the requirements get more challenging, to match the new skills and abilities they have learned.

• Kindergarteners and their Parents are in a “Lion” Den, working towards the Lion Rank.

• Bobcat: First graders, and anyone beyond that grade who is new to Cub Scouting, completes the Bobcat Badge prior to working on their grade-specific badge of rank. Kindergartners, who are Lions, do not work on the Bobcat Badge.

• First graders and their Parents are in a “Tiger” Den, working towards the Tiger Rank. (because younger kids need more supervision, the Cub Scout program has those kids participate with an Adult Partner)

• Second graders are in a “Wolf” Den, working towards the Wolf Rank.

• Third graders are in a “Bear” Den, working towards the Bear Rank.

• Fourth graders are in a “Webelos” Den, working towards the Webelos Rank. (Webelos stands for “WE’ll BE LOyal Scouts”, by the way)

• Fifth graders are in an “Arrow of Light” Den, working towards the Arrow of Light.

At the heart of Scouting are hands-on, interactive activities. In Cub Scouts, there are opportunities to spend time as a family and to do things that help build upon the Scout Oath and Scout Law. They're also fun!

Each adventure includes several requirements, and optional activities to complete. Cub Scouts typically complete six adventures, an additional adventure of their choosing (i.e. an elective adventure), the Protect Yourself Rules and Cyber Chip award appropriate for the scout's age group. Scouts complete adventures at their own pace, and typically an adventure is completed during the course of one or two Den meetings, or completing part of an adventure activity at home with a parent or caring adult. The Scout Handbook for each Rank includes full descriptions of each adventure, a list of requirements, and materials and other guidance to complete the adventure requirement. Requirements typically take between 10 to 30 minutes to complete.

Den Leaders and Assistant Den Leaders will plan, organize, guide, instruct, and review completion of requirements with a Scout and parent (parent participation is required with their scout for completing Lion and Tiger Rank adventures) during Den Meetings. Parents may also be requested to complete some adventure requirements with their scout at home.