3rd grade · Ages 8–9
Bears are third graders. The Bear program ramps up the challenge — longer adventures, more outdoor skills, and the expectation that scouts take more ownership of their advancement.
What Bears do
Bears work on:
- Six required adventures to earn the Bear rank
- Bear-specific elective adventures focused on outdoor skills, problem solving, and citizenship
- Pack events: Pinewood Derby, Rain Gutter Regatta, Blue & Gold, campouts, service projects
- Their first overnight pack campouts (if they haven’t done one already)
Bear adventures lean harder into outdoor skills than earlier ranks. Bears learn to use simple tools, practice Leave No Trace principles, and start preparing for the more demanding Webelos year ahead.
How Bear dens work
Bear dens meet twice a month, usually for about an hour. Parents attend, especially for outdoor activities, but Bears are increasingly self-directed during meetings.
What you need
Bears wear the same Cub Scout uniform with a new neckerchief:
- Cub Scout uniform shirt (continued from prior years)
- Bear neckerchief (light blue) and slide
- Bear rank patch (earned during the year)
- Bear handbook
Most Bears are still wearing the same uniform shirt they got as Tigers or Wolves. If your scout has had a growth spurt, this is often a good year to size up.
What’s next
Bears move up to Webelos in 4th grade. Webelos is a noticeable shift — different program, different uniform options, more independence, and the start of the path toward Scouts BSA.