Den Meetings
At your bi-monthly Den Meetings, your den will go places and do things you may not get to do on your own. Your den meetings will be adventures! Some den meetings will be tours or field trips. Other meetings will work on cool projects.
During Den Meetings the youth will work on adventures to earn belt loops and/or patches for completing the required and elective adventures. Many of the activities planned are both fun and exciting for the youth. From making family trees and learning about heritage to building bird feeders these activities help build character, teach the scouts to work as a team and build meaningful and long lasting relationships.
The Den Meeting Location
Dens may meet at the home of an adult leader but with youth protection concerns, many meet at their charter organization, a church, school, or other public location. But if you ask your youth, they will tell you that they joined Cub Scouts for adventure. Sitting quietly at a table is called a “time-out.” At least one den meeting each month should be at a park, fire station, police station, bank, bakery, pizzeria, bicycle shop, and other field trips.
Den Meeting Attendance
The den leader and assistant den leader (or another adult) attend all den meetings with the Cub Scouts. (At least two adults must be present at all meetings.) Tiger den meetings are also attended by each Tiger’s adult partner. Wolf, Bear, and Webelos den meetings are often attended by a den chief, a Boy Scout, Sea Scout, or Venturer who assists the adult leaders. Sometimes, a parent, guardian, or other family member might be asked to help at a specific meeting, but family members do not normally attend Wolf, Bear, or Webelos den meetings.
The Den Meeting Agenda
All Cub Scout den meetings have the following parts:
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Preparation and Materials Needed. Before the Cub Scouts arrive, leaders gather to make preparations and handle last-minute details.
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Gathering. As the Cub Scouts begin to arrive, they join in an informal activity or game, often conducted by the den chief to keep the boys interested and active until the entire group has arrived.
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Opening. The Opening is the official start of the den meeting. It usually consists of a formal ceremony, such as a flag ceremony, a prayer or song, or a group recital of the Cub Scout Promise.
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Talk Time. This is where the business items of the den take place. Business items can include dues, recording advancement, notification of upcoming events, introducing a new adventure, and other items. Talk Time should be brief so the den can get right to the fun of the meeting.
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Activities. The Activities part of the meeting will vary by the age of the boys (see below), and may be broken into two or more parts. Generally, most of the meeting consists of craft projects, games, and activities that are all based on the current adventure.
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Closing. The Closing draws the meeting to an end. It’s usually serious and quiet. Den leaders could present a thought for the day or give reminders about coming events.
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After the Meeting. The leaders review the events of the meeting, finalize plans for the next den meeting, and review their progress toward the upcoming pack meeting.
