The Dens → Webelos
WEBELOS SCOUTS
The trail toward independence
Fourth grade
Webelos Scouts are fourth graders preparing for the greater independence and adventure of the Arrow of Light year and, eventually, Scouts BSA.
The name “Webelos” comes from the phrase “We’ll Be Loyal Scouts.” The program gives Scouts more responsibility for planning, preparing, leading, and evaluating their activities. Adults still provide guidance and safety, but Webelos Scouts increasingly learn by making decisions and working together.
Under the current program, Webelos is the fourth-grade rank and Arrow of Light is a separate fifth-grade rank.
AT A GLANCE
Grade: Fourth grade
Recognition: Webelos rank badge and diamond-shaped adventure pins
Advancement: Six required Adventures and at least two electives
Program emphasis: Outdoor preparation, stronger skills, service, safety, and beginning youth leadership
REQUIRED WEBELOS ADVENTURES
Character and leadership
Bobcat
Webelos Scouts build a den identity, review the Scout Oath and Scout Law, create a code of conduct, learn about the denner position, demonstrate Cub Scout signs and courtesies, and discuss what doing their best means.
At this age, the Adventure increasingly asks Scouts to hold themselves and one another accountable to standards they helped create.
The outdoors
Webelos Walkabout
Webelos prepare for a two-mile walk by packing the Cub Scout Six Essentials, planning a route, checking weather, considering likely hazards, reviewing the BSA SAFE Checklist, and practicing outdoor first aid.
They complete the walk using the Outdoor Code and Leave No Trace principles and then evaluate what went well and what they would change.
This is not merely a longer hike. It is an introduction to planning an outing responsibly.
Personal fitness
Stronger, Faster, Higher
Webelos plan and eat a balanced meal, participate in group fitness, complete individual activities involving cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility, and practice relaxation.
Scouts begin making more intentional decisions about personal wellness and recognizing progress over time.
Citizenship
My Community
Webelos identify a community service need, help develop a safe plan, learn about organizations and leaders in their area, and participate in service.
The focus moves from being assigned a service task to understanding why the work is needed and how a group can organize to accomplish it.
Safety and first aid
My Safety
Webelos complete age-appropriate personal-safety education, investigate hazards at home, discuss family and meeting-space safety, and prepare for natural events likely to occur in their community.
Depending on the activities selected, Scouts may also work with safety equipment, emergency planning, digital-device rules, or basic first-aid concepts.
Family and reverence
My Family
Webelos reflect on their family’s beliefs, values, traditions, and ways of serving others. The Adventure encourages respectful conversation about what gives a family meaning and how those values shape everyday decisions.
WEBELOS ELECTIVE ADVENTURES
Webelos electives offer substantial skill-building:
- Catch the Big One — Advance fishing knowledge and techniques.
- Let’s Camp — Participate in a pack or eligible Webelos den camping experience.
- Race Time — Apply design, preparation, and sportsmanship to racing.
- Pedal Away — Strengthen cycling and bicycle-safety skills.
- Aquanaut — Practice swimming skills and aquatic safety.
- Champions for Nature — Examine environmental issues and complete conservation work.
- Art Explosion — Explore artistic techniques and creative expression.
- Aware and Care — Develop understanding and respect for people with differing abilities.
- Build It — Plan and complete a construction project.
- Earth Rocks! — Investigate rocks, minerals, and geology.
- Math on the Trail — Use measurement, estimation, and mathematics outdoors.
- Modular Design — Explore engineering through components and systems.
- Tech on the Trail — Learn how technology can support outdoor adventures.
- Yo-Yo — Build coordination, persistence, and performance skills.
- Paddle Onward — Participate in approved paddle-sports activities.
- Chef’s Knife — Learn age-appropriate kitchen-knife safety and food preparation.
WHAT A WEBELOS MEETING FEELS LIKE
Webelos activities are increasingly collaborative and Scout-driven. A den leader may present a goal while asking the Scouts to determine parts of the plan.
Scouts may:
- Choose roles for an activity.
- Plan a walking route.
- Prepare a menu.
- Lead an opening or game.
- Present research to the den.
- Help organize a service project.
- Evaluate an outing afterward.
Leaders guide the process, protect safety, and help the Scouts learn from both success and mistakes.
CAMPING AND OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES
Webelos may participate in pack camping and, under current Scouting policies, may also participate in eligible den camping with the required trained leadership and supervision.
Camping at this level may introduce Scouts to:
- Packing personal gear.
- Setting up and caring for a tent.
- Outdoor cooking.
- Campsite organization.
- Weather preparation.
- Campfire programs.
- Greater responsibility for personal belongings.
Your pack’s exact camping schedule will depend on available leaders, locations, weather, and council opportunities.
WHAT PARENTS SHOULD EXPECT
The adult role begins shifting from direct helper to coach.
Parents can support Webelos Scouts by:
- Asking what their plan is before supplying a solution.
- Letting them pack, cook, build, and lead within safe limits.
- Helping them maintain a calendar and remember commitments.
- Providing transportation and outing support.
- Encouraging them to speak directly with leaders when appropriate.
- Allowing natural, manageable consequences when they forget something.
A forgotten nonessential item on a short outing can sometimes teach preparation more effectively than an adult silently repacking the bag.
BY THE END OF THE WEBELOS YEAR
Webelos Scouts are likely to have:
- Planned and completed a two-mile outdoor walk.
- Practiced outdoor first aid and risk awareness.
- Helped plan service.
- Prepared food or a balanced meal.
- Taken on a den leadership responsibility.
- Completed projects requiring patience and precision.
- Become more responsible for personal equipment.
- Begun working as a den rather than simply alongside a den.
Webelos is the year Scouts begin taking ownership of the trail ahead.