Beavers

Try new things. Make new friends. Joining Beavers is just the beginning of your big adventure.

Monday 6.30-7.30pm

Who are Beavers?

Beavers are young people aged 6 to 8 who:

• Master new skills and try new things
• Have fun and go on adventures
• Make friends
• Are curious about the world around them
• Help others and make a difference, on their own doorstops and beyond

Every week, they gather in groups called Beaver Colonies to hop, skip and jump their way through lots of different games and activities – achieving anything they set their minds to, and having lots of fun along the way.

What do Beavers get up to?

Every week, they gather in groups called Beaver Colonies to hop, skip and jump their way through lots of different games and activities – achieving anything they set their minds to, and having lots of fun along the way.

Being a Beaver is all about growing and learning in small but mighty ways. Here are some of the things you’ll get up to with your new friends.

Exploring the great outdoors

You’ll spend lots of time outside with your Colony. Together, you might build a den, or go on a trip to the seaside, or host a Beaver sleepover beneath the stars. And even though you might not be ready to climb Mount Everest just yet, you’re guaranteed to have plenty of adventures on your own doorstop, because being a Beaver is all about making the most of what you have, wherever and whoever you are.

Trying new activities and learning new things

Going to Beavers is very different from going to school. Instead of learning from books, you’ll figure the world out by exploring, playing and doing.
The most important skills you’ll learn at Beavers are the ones that will make you feel super strong standing on your own two feet. We call these character skills. They include things like integrity – which means being honest and doing what you think is right – and initiative – which means knowing how to take the lead on something without being asked. It’s all about having the courage to try new things and learn from them.

Helping others

Beavers work as a team to help other people, in their local communities and beyond. Whether they’re changing the whole world or helping a friend take the leap to try something new on a rainy Wednesday night, they always lend a hand

Who leads Beavers?

Each Colony is made up of young people aged 6 to 8, led by an adult Beaver leader. Other adult volunteers are on hand to supervise activities, share their skills and keep everyone safe. You can meet the Beaver Scout Leadership Team here.

Within their Colony, some Beavers are also part of a Lodge. A Lodge is a smaller group of Beavers, usually headed up by a young person who takes on a peer leadership role, known as a Lodge Leader.

Being a lodge leader is about being a superhero for a little while – doing things like welcoming new people to the Colony, being extra helpful during a camp, or taking charge of a game or activity. Everyone takes it in turns to take on the challenge. 

Beavers usually stand together in their Lodges at the beginning and end of meetings. They tend to stick together on trips away, or during certain activities.

The bigger Scout family

There are Scouts all over the world. From the rainy rainforests of the Amazon to the smallest of the Scottish Isles, Beavers are a part of this worldwide Scout family. Closer to home, they’re also part of their wider local Scout Group, alongside Cubs (aged 8 to 10 1/2), and Scouts (aged 10 1/2 to 14). When they’re older, they can also join Explorers (for young people aged 14 to 18) and Scout Network (for young people aged 18-25). Although both of these are closely associated with the younger sections, they are not part of the local Scout Group.

Promises and Ceremonies

As well as enjoying plenty of adventures, being a Beaver is about exploring who you are and what you stand for. These are big ideas, and when you join the Colony, you’ll start thinking about them by making a promise. A promise is a set of words that mean something to you, which you try to follow everyday. Beavers choose the promise that best suits them. Options can be found here.

Making the promise is a big celebration within the Colony. Every time a new Beaver decides to join, they chat through their promise with their leader before saying it out loud in front of their fellow Beavers. Family and friends might come along to see this, too. Doing this is called being ‘invested’ into Beavers, and it usually takes place once you’ve had a few weeks to settle in.

Everyone is unique but there are some things all Beavers agree on – such as treating everyone with kindness and promising to do their best. Depending on their own beliefs, they might also promise to live by their faith.

Badges

Challenge Awards

Challenge Awards are all about stepping outside your comfort zone. Try out something you wouldn’t normally be interested in. Take the lead on something that scares you. Along the way, you’ll unlock hidden talents and stand tall. Achieving a Challenge Award involves accomplishing a number of more ambitious tasks within the Colony or community. 

Activity Badges

Become an expert in something you love, or try something shiny and new. There’s a badge to suit each and every Beaver. Activity badges allow Beavers to work towards a badge that interests them or encourages them to try something new, some of these badges are covered in the Colony activities but can also be completed at home.

Staged Activity Badges

Staged Activity Badges are available to young people from Beavers to Explorers, and cover a range of topics and skills. The stages have increasing levels of difficulty, and a Beaver can begin at whichever stage offers them an appropriate level of challenge. 

How to join

Lots of young people want to join Beavers and you might have to wait for a space to become available before you can start your journey. If you have any questions about accessibility, it’s best to contact us in addition to your application. By being upfront about additional needs from the start, parents/carers can work in partnership with local leaders to make sure their young person has the best experience possible.

On your first night at Beavers, you’ll be taking part in lots of activities, and should just wear something you feel comfortable in.

Eventually, you’ll get your own Beaver uniform to wear to meetings and on trips and nights away. Wearing a uniform is comfy and practical. It means no one feels uncomfortable or left out and helps everyone to feel a part of the Colony. It also gives you a place to show off all the Beaver badges you earn.

For Beavers, the uniform consists of a blue sweatshirt with your badges sewn on and a coloured scarf or ‘necker’ to represent your local group. Uniform can either be bought from the online shop – Scout Store – or from a local supplier. If you’re not sure where to start, adult volunteers can give you more information about what to buy and where to buy it.