New: Den Meeting Plans

Thank you for agreeing to be a den leader, filling one of the most important roles in Cub Scouting and helping a den thrive and grow. Without your help and leadership, the den cannot exist, the youth cannot be served, and the pack cannot be sustained.

Den Leader Responsibilities

In addition to the leader’s responsibility to the boys in Cub Scouting generally, the den leader has certain other leadership responsibilities which may be summarized as follows:

Work directly with other den and pack leaders to ensure that their den is an active and successful part of the pack.
Plan, prepare for, and conduct den meetings with the assistant den leader and den chief (if Wolf, Bear or Webelos den leaders) or adult partners (if Tiger Cub den leaders).
Attend the pack leaders’ meetings.
Lead the den at the monthly pack activity.
Ensure the transition of their Cub Scouts to a den of the next rank (or to a Boy Scout troop if Webelos) at the end of the year.

Getting Your Den Started

If you are starting your program in June, invite the youth and their adult partners to participate in your pack’s summertime activities, such as marching in parades, going to a ball game, having a campfire and marshmallow roast, and participating in Cub Scout day camp. Youth may be able to earn the National Summertime Pack Award pin by participating in events.

Den Meetings

Along with the Cub Scout’s family, the den meeting is critical to the Cub Scout’s success and enjoyment of Cub Scouting. It is in and through the den that the boy makes social connections, has fun, completes his advancement, and bonds with the pack. Den meetings that are fun, organized, and interesting make a great environment for the youth. Planning and delivering such meetings is the goal of this section of the Den & Pack Meeting Resource Guide.

What Is a Den Meeting Plan and How Do I Use Them?

The den meeting plans for each rank are designed to be conducted in sequential order. Certain activities are partially completed in one meeting and finished in another. Other activities or skills are natural prerequisites for things that come later in the den’s year.

Local conditions (weather, events, etc.) or your den’s schedule may make altering the order of the den meetings attractive. As a den leader, you may change the order solong as you make sure the change does not jeopardize the youth's opportunity to earn their rank in the allotted time or disrupt the logical order of the activities and achievements.When there is any doubt, the planned order should be used. Discuss with your Cubmaster any changes, as they may also affect pack activities.

There are two types of den meeting plans.

Den Meeting Plans: These plans, modeled to support a school-year program, will, if followed, result in all boys in the den advancing in rank. The plans are developed around the following:

Two den meetings per month in addition to the pack meeting and other outings or activities
Beginning the Scouting year in September
Resulting rank advancement by the blue and gold banquet, usually in February
Continuing den and pack meetings through the school year and summer
The plans support other start dates. However, if starting later than September, it may be necessary to have more than two den meetings per month if rank advancement by blue and gold is the objective.

Supplemental Den Meeting Plans: Plans are provided for dens that meet more than twice per month during the school year or for dens that meet year-round. These may also be used after rank advancement is achieved to continue working toward electives, Academics and Sports belt loops/pins, and other individual and group awards.

Do, Home Assignment, and Verify

At the beginning of each rank section and throughout the den meeting plans, you will find the terms “do,” “home assignment,” and “verify.” These will guide you, your Cub Scouts, and their parents.

Do: Activities to be done during den meetings
Home assignments: Activities that Cub Scouts and/or their parents must do outside den meetings but that you should assign (usually during the closing)
Verify: A reminder, usually during the business items section of the den meeting, for you to confirm completion of a home assignment

Boy Scouts of America® Erie Shores Council