Beaver Scouts (6-8)

Who are Beavers?

Beaver Scouts belong to the first and youngest Section in the Scouting family.

Easily recognised by their distinctive turquoise sweatshirts, Beaver Scouts enjoy making friends, playing games, going on visits and helping others.

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 activities – achieving anything they set their minds to, making new friends and having lots of fun along the way.

When do we meet?

We meet on Tuesday nights in term time 6pm-7.15pm.

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 Tuesday night, they always lend a hand.

What does a Beaver Colony look like?

Our Colony is led by our Beaver leader, Natalie (Squirrel). Other adult volunteers are on hand to supervise activities, share their skills and keep everyone safe.

Within their Colony, our Beavers are organised into smaller groups, called Lodges.

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.

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.

All about badges!

Animal lover – check. Book worm – check. Photographer – check. Footballer – check. Daredevil – check. You name it, we’ve got a badge for it – over 200 of them actually. The Beavers work together on badges at their weekly meetings, away at camps and events or at home.

There’s never any pressure to do badges. Beavers can do as many or as few as they like. But for those up for a challenge, there are loads of exciting badges to aim for, with the top award for Beavers being the Chief Scout Bronze award.

Where do they go?

Here’s where to sew them on!

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.

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.