The activities introduce the family to Cub Scouting, and provide an exciting way for kindergarteners to explore the world around them. The program will fuel their imagination, creativity and fun as they experience the growth Scouting can provide. Lions join with a parent or caring adult partner. Lions form dens of six to eight Lion pairs and have one den meeting and one outing per month. They wear a special t-shirt and have their own adventures.
An experienced and engaged Lion den leader is recruited by the pack leadership to take the lead on facilitating den meetings with assistance and support from the parents.
Lion Den Leader Orientation Lion Den Leader Orientation Speaker Notes Lion Leadership
A cornerstone of BSA programs is training, and a variety of convenient training is available for every parent volunteer and leader. Some of these training courses are conducted by different districts, and some by the council; others are available online. As a new leader, you can learn all about Scouting and the wonderful adventure your son is about to experience.
Every den leader should take both Fast Start and Youth Protection Training online before the first den meeting. Leaders should then take Den Leader Position-Specific Training for their position and Hazardous Weather Training as soon as possible.
Fast Start Orientation Training is intended to be taken by leaders immediately following the acceptance of their new role, and is offered online.- Youth Protection Training (YPT) is the required child-abuse prevention and detection course. All registered leaders are required to take YPT every two years; every parent is highly encouraged to take YPT. YPT is taken online.
- Den Leader Position-Specific Training provides the specialized knowledge a new leader needs to assume a leadership role. Den leaders are provided with the information and tools needed to conduct successful den meetings. Take this training online or find a classroom version of the course near you.
- Lion Den Leader Orientation is a supplemental training offered through the district by the district Lion champion.
- Hazardous Weather Training. Weather conditions are an important factor in any outdoor Scouting activity. The online training is designed to help participants plan and prepare for hazardous weather.
Parent Training
BSA highly recommends that all Lion adult partners take the free online Youth Protection Training (YPT). YPT is the required child-abuse prevention and detection course. All registered leaders are required to take YPT every two years; every parent is highly encouraged to take YPT. YPT can be taken online and takes about 20 minutes to complete, or it can be taken in a classroom facilitated setting.
Supplemental Training
- Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Opportunity (BALOO) is the Cub Scout leader training required for any Cub Scout den or pack outdoor event, including packing camping, overnighters and Webelos den overnighters. BALOO training is now comprised of two components* – an online component, and a practical, hands-on component. Both components must be completed to qualify as a “Trained” Cub Scout outdoor leader and to receive the BALOO recognition patch. The online component contains introductory and basic information and must be completed prior to the practical component at my.scouting.org. The practical component is an overnight that takes about 16-hours to complete. Find a course near you.
- Cubcast podcasts are monthly audio presentations that provide information on topics of interest to Cub Scout leaders.
- Cub Scout Roundtable is conducted monthly in each district.
- Safety Trainings are offered online such as Safe Swim Defense, and Safety Afloat
- This is Scouting provides an overview of the Scouting organization, including history, values, programs, Youth Protection, community involvement, and training. The module consists of six video sections, each followed by a brief quiz and can be taken online.
- University of Scouting (spring and fall) is a one-day of workshops for parents and leaders to help you make sure your son gets the most out of the Cub Scout program! The training is held a Houston-area high school. Over 50 classes are offered on topics such as awards, crafts, games, songs, skits, outdoor cooking, derbies, den meeting ideas, field trips, pack committee resources, pack meeting ideas and more. Leaders and parents can increase their knowledge, improve their skills, and gain enthusiastic attitudes about Cub Scouting. Participants choose from a wide variety of activity and learning sessions and walk away with useful resources and tons of ideas!
- Wood Badge is advanced leadership training.
About Online Training
There are many training courses that can be taken online at My.Scouting.org.
Create an account - this can be done with or without your BSA membership ID.- If you enter your membership ID, your training records will be updated at the council office.
- If you are not yet registered, you can still take training, just print the certificate at the end of each course.
- After your account is created you will receive an email with a link. Click the link to activate your My.Scouting.org account. This must be done before you can log in. If you do not receive an email, check your spam/junk folder.
- Once logged in to My.Scouting.org, click E-Learning on the left-hand side. Program-related trainings are listed under tabs (Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing, and general).
- Submit certificate of completion to your district training chair.
- Click on training validation to review what courses taken, this includes courses recorded at the council office.
Lion Program
Scouts in kindergarten are Lions and work toward the Lion rank by completing six required and two elective adventures.
Monthly meetings and outings are the highlight of the Lion program. Together, they form a strong foundation for a lifetime of fun and meaningful family Scouting adventures.
BSA Lion Program
The Sam Houston Area Council offers a variety of events in which dens and packs are invited to participate. Districts also offer activities in your area. Here are a few you will not want to miss:
Fun With Family (October) is an overnight campout for all new Scouts. Scouts will enjoy participating in archery, crafts, games and more. Individual families can register for this event. Encourage your newly registered Scouts to attend.
Scouting for Food is an annual Good Turn project. Your pack leadership will have more details about the event.
Camping
The Sam Houston Area Council offers many camping opportunities for Cub Scouts. Packs and districts offer additional camping opportunities.
Family Camping opportunities are available for packs to camp at council camps. Packs organize their own activities. Check with your pack leadership for more information.
Adventure Camp (year-round) is a weekend campout for packs, dens and families. Admission includes three meals in the dining hall. Camp staff help parents lead activities such as archery, water park and one or two program areas. Check with your pack leadership for more information.
Day Camp (June) is hosted by districts in your area. Scouts earn rank advancements, shoot BB guns and archery, learn Scout skills, play sports and games and make crafts. Individual Scouts can register for this awesome opportunity. Day camps are held over four to five days and are held at various times during the day. You can attend a camp hosted by any district so find a camp that is convenient to your summer schedule. Youth can attend after completing kindergarten when they transition to Tiger.
Resident Camp (July) is a three-night summer campout where Scouts earn rank advancements and participate in many activities, including the water park, archery, crafts and games. Individual Scouts and their parent can register for this event. Youth can attend after completing kindergarten when they transition to Tiger.
Lion Leader Resources 
Follow Us. Follow the Sam Houston Area Council on Facebook and on Pinterest. Follow the BSA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit Cub Hub at cubscouts.org and follow Cub Scouting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
Find your local Scout Shop to get all of your Scouting supplies. There are five locations to serve you! Find a Scout Shop near you or visit www.scoutstuff.org when your local Scout Shop is closed and have your items shipped directly to your home.
Scout Safely. The Boy Scouts of America puts the utmost importance on the safe and healthy environments for its youth membership. Learn more about integrating health and safety into everything we do. Read the Sweet 16 of BSA Safety, Age-Appropriate Guidelines and the Guide to Safe Scouting.
Council Newsletter. The eScouter is a monthly newsletter containing information about upcoming council events and activities.
Leader Hints
Get to Know Your Scouts … You’ll be spending lots of time with them, so find out where they go to school, what they like and dislike, and how you can best contact them (phone, email, Facebook, etc.). … and Their Parents. What are their hobbies and talents? Who can haul the boys to camp? Any Eagle Scouts in the group? Give every parent a little job and your job won’t seem so big.
Popular Podcasts. Tune into the monthly Cub Cast and Scout Cast audio recordings that delve into topics you’ll find useful, such as recruiting, unit management and much more.
Nights at the Roundtable. Roundtable where you’ll find a bunch of Scouters who’ve been in your shoes and are eager to help you be successful. Some of the best discussions happen after the closing, so plan to stay late. Find your district dates and locations.
Stay Current. In addition to your copy of Scouting magazine, check out scouting.org/programupdates for new program-related news that affects you as a leader.
Less Taxing. If you itemize your taxes, you can deduct the cost of your uniforms and the miles you drive as a volunteer. You’ll need good records, so start a receipt file and mileage log. For more information, visit bit.ly/scoutingwriteoffs or consult your tax adviser.
Get a Life — or snag your Scout’s copy when they are not looking. Boys’ Life magazine content aligns with pack and troop programs, and the jokes are always good for a laugh. For a quick game, create a scavenger hunt where boys look for specific words or pictures in the current issue.
Meet and Greet: Seek out your chartered organization representative, the volunteer who oversees Scouting at your chartered organization (the school, community group, or religious institution that sponsors your unit). Ask how Scouting supports the organization’s mission and what your unit can do to help. This is especially important if you’re the unit leader or committee chair.
Subscribe to Scouting Magazine. Want to know what’s going on in the Scouting world? Stay in-the-know with the Scouting magazine blog, Bryan on Scouting. You can subscribe to receive each post in your inbox — making sure you never miss a beat.
Questions
The pack is a group of kindergarten through fifth-grade dens. Each pack has several volunteers who can help and answer questions. The Cubmaster is a volunteer who provides leadership, emcees the monthly pack meeting and plans and carries out the pack program. The pack committee chair is a volunteer who presides over the monthly pack committee meetings and recruits adults to perform administrative functions of the pack.
Districts
The Sam Houston Area Council is divided into geographic districts. Each district is served by at least one professional staff member -- district executive and/or district director. The district is a division of the council that helps bring Scouting to your local area. Districts focus on membership, unit support, fundraising, training, district activities and promoting advancement and camping. There are a variety of volunteers on the district committee who can help including the district training chair, district advancement chair, district activities chair, and district finance chair. Commissioners are volunteers who help Scout units succeed and can be a valuable resource. Each district has a district executive who is a Scouting professional available to answer your questions and can help explain BSA policies.
Locate your District
Roundtable
A good place to meet district volunteers and other leaders in your area is at the district monthly roundtable meeting. Roundtable is a monthly program offered by districts that gives leaders hands-on experience and provides a forum for leaders to offer and receive help from their fellow Scouters. Roundtable is a form of supplemental training for volunteers. The objective of Roundtable is to give leaders program ideas, information on upcoming events and trainings, and an opportunity to share experiences and enjoy fun and fellowship with other Scouting leaders. As a result of the roundtable experience, unit leaders will be inspired, motivated, informed, and able to provide a stronger program for their Scouts.
There are typically separate sessions for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA and Venturing leaders. The Cub Scout Roundtable provides information about the upcoming month’s planned program theme, while the Scouts BSA and Venturing roundtable sessions explore a particular activity or area of interest. In both sessions, leaders are encouraged to share their questions, their successes and their failures (usually the latter is the most instructive!). Helping you, the Scouting leader is the sole purpose of Roundtable.
Who should attend? Everybody! Roundtable is designed for all leaders – Scoutmasters, Cubmasters, den leaders, committee members, assistant Scoutmasters; every Scouting position has a place at roundtable. In the Cub Scout session there are separate break-out programs for den leaders, Cubmasters, and pack administration. Whether you’ve been in Scouting for 40 years, or just signed up last week, roundtable has a lot to offer you.
Because roundtable is by, for, and about YOU, every job is made easier by sharing the load, and roundtable takes on the job of creating and presenting your program. Sure, you can make your own program from scratch, but you certainly don’t have to! Roundtable is loaded with ideas and demonstrations of all kinds. Got a particular problem you just can’t work out? Come to roundtable and ask the group – draw on the years of Scouting experience made available just for you. Roundtable is open to all adults involved with any BSA program. Registered leaders are especially encouraged to attend.
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Discuss topics of interest, both formally and informally with other leaders
• Learn about upcoming district and council events and programs
• Meet and exchanges ideas with other leaders
• Information on advancement and training programs
• Fellowship with other leaders
• Learn more about BSA
• Updates on policy/procedure changes
• A place to have your questions answered
• Have fun and make some great friends