cub scout summertime pack award

3 min read 11-01-2025

Summer is a time for fun, adventure, and earning achievements! For Cub Scouts, summertime offers a unique opportunity to build lasting memories and earn the prestigious Summertime Pack Award. This guide will provide leaders and Scouts with everything they need to know about this exciting award, helping your pack achieve a successful and rewarding summer program.

Understanding the Summertime Pack Award

The Summertime Pack Award isn't a standardized, nationally recognized award from the BSA. Instead, it's a customizable award designed and implemented at the Pack level. This means the requirements and activities are tailored to your specific Pack's resources, location, and the interests of your Scouts. This flexibility allows for a truly unique and engaging summer experience.

Think of this award as a celebration of summer fun and Scouting values, providing a framework for your Pack's summer activities. It’s a chance to reinforce skills, build camaraderie, and enjoy the outdoors.

Designing Your Pack's Summertime Award

Creating your Pack's Summertime Pack Award involves several key steps:

1. Define Your Objectives:

What skills do you want to reinforce? Consider focusing on skills like camping, knot-tying, first aid, nature identification, or swimming.
What values do you want to emphasize? Summer is a great time to highlight values such as teamwork, perseverance, respect for nature, and community service.
What kind of activities are feasible for your Pack? Consider your Scouts' ages, abilities, and the resources available to your Pack. Do you have access to a swimming pool, a campground, or local parks?

2. Develop the Requirements:

Once you've defined your objectives, you can develop specific requirements for the award. These requirements should be:

Age-appropriate: Ensure the requirements are challenging yet achievable for Scouts of all abilities within your den levels.
Diverse: Include a variety of activities to cater to different interests and skills.
Measurable: Make sure requirements are clearly defined and easily trackable.
Fun!: Remember, the goal is to have fun and make lasting memories.

Example Requirements (Adapt these to your Pack):

Attend 4 Pack meetings during the summer.
Participate in 2 Pack outings (e.g., camping, hiking, swimming).
Complete a nature scavenger hunt.
Learn and demonstrate 3 basic knots.
Perform a good turn for your community.
Read 2 books related to nature or Scouting.

3. Create the Award:

Design a unique award or patch to represent your Pack's Summertime Pack Award. This could be a custom-designed patch, a certificate, or a small trophy. The award itself should be a tangible reminder of their accomplishments and a source of pride.

4. Promote and Implement:

Announce the Summertime Pack Award to your Scouts early in the summer. Clearly communicate the requirements, timeline, and how the award will be presented. Regularly update parents and Scouts on progress.

Incorporating Summer Camp into the Award

Many Packs utilize summer camp as a significant component of their Summertime Pack Award. Attending summer camp naturally fulfills many requirements, such as learning outdoor skills, participating in group activities, and practicing Scouting values. You can design your award requirements to incorporate specific achievements or activities completed at summer camp.

Beyond the Award: The Bigger Picture

The Summertime Pack Award is more than just an achievement; it's a vehicle for creating positive experiences and fostering a sense of accomplishment among your Scouts. It's an opportunity to:

Strengthen Cub Scout skills: Reinforce fundamental skills learned throughout the year.
Promote fellowship: Encourage teamwork and camaraderie among Scouts.
Celebrate summer fun: Make lasting memories through exciting activities.
Build leadership skills: Empower Scouts to take ownership of their achievements.

By thoughtfully designing and implementing your Pack's Summertime Pack Award, you can create a memorable summer for your Cub Scouts, filled with fun, adventure, and a sense of accomplishment. Remember to adapt the ideas presented here to your specific Pack's needs and context. Happy Scouting!