TIGERS

As of June first your Tigers will be Wolfs.  They should have already earned their Bobcat awards and be ready to start on the trail to Wolf.  Has your pack awarded them books and neckerchiefs??  We give the books out in June so the boys have them for summer camp and family adventures in the summer.  We award the neckerchiefs in the Fall at the first Pack Meeting.

Since we should all be out recruiting new Tiger Cubs for the Fall I thought I would give you answers to some FAQs so you can be prepared when you recruit new leaders -

Tiger Cub Program Facts

Long Beach, Verdugo Hills & San Gabriel Valley Councils

The Tiger Cub program is unique in that every Tiger must have an adult accompanying him on his adventures in Scouting. The adult does not necessarily need to be one of his parents, but can be a grandparent, older brother or sister, or a very good friend of the family. Regardless, it is someone who serves as that boy's adult partner. The adult partner must be at least 18 years old.

Primarily the actual Tigers and the adult partners of the Tigers determine the adventures for Tigers. In our area, there is a wealth of things for Tigers to do. 

How often should Tigers meet? - Tigers often meet twice a month but they can meet more or less depending on the activities that are planned by the Tiger den. Over the summer they may meet more often because the youth are out of school and there are more fair weather opportunities afforded by the season. Normally, the Tiger den will come to the Pack meeting.

What do Tigers do at the Pack Meetings? - Hopefully, they will get an opportunity to partake in the Pack meeting because no one likes to come to a meeting and not be able to participate. For example, if you were running the Pinewood Derby, then it would be normal for the Tigers to participate with their own cars and in their own age division. At Blue and Gold banquets, they should have their own table(s) and participate in the normal activities of cake decorating and performing some part of the dinner's activities.

Can Tigers earn belt loops? - Yes, and this gives them something to coordinate with the activities of their Tiger Cub den such as marbles, bowling or any one of the academic and sports activities.

Do Tigers need to fill out a Tour Permit?  - Since the parents are always accompanying their own children, there appears to be little reason to complete a Tour Permit, but if the pack would feel more comfortable having one completed, that is not a problem.

Who wears a uniform in the Tiger Cub Program? - The Tiger Cub and the adult partner should both have the Tiger t-shirt.

What should Tigers do when they first start their program? - They should all have a copy of the Tiger Cub activity packet; the program should be explained to them; they should exchange each Tiger Cub/Adult partner contact information; and they should review the program together to discuss what activities each Tiger Cub and Adult partner want to consider for their leadership involvement in the overall Tiger program.

What is shared leadership? - Shared leadership is the concept used in the Tiger Cub program that allows each Tiger Cub and his Adult partner to take on the opportunity of hosting one or more activities for their Tiger Cub den.

How many Tigers should be in a Den? - Normally, a den should consist of no fewer than four and certainly no more than eight Tigers. If a pack signs up nine or more Tigers, they should split into dens of four and five. This allows for some growth as well. Because each Tiger really means two people and sometimes more because of both parents going on an adventure, it is important to keep the size of these dens down within the range mentioned.

Can a Tiger Den have one Den Leader? - Yes, and that person would serve as the yearlong coordinator for that den. Their job is to make sure that everyone is aware of each activity and to help keep people within the communication loop. They can fill in at times to make sure that activities are fulfilled but they should not replace the concept of shared leadership as this is one of the very basic concepts of the Tiger Cub program.

What should Tiger Cubs do as they reach the conclusion of their program year? - The Cubmaster or Den Leader Coach should arrange a meeting in order to explain the transition from Tiger Cubs to Wolves. Explain how the Wolf book works, talk to them about the Bobcat requirements, and help to secure a leader for the Wolf den which should be formed from the individual Tiger Cub dens. Normally, and as a matter of record, about 90% of the Tiger dens will have no problem providing leadership for their own den. This is because of the strong bond that is created in the Tiger den. The Cubmaster should arrange an appropriate ceremony for graduating the Tigers to Wolves.

Emergency Repair of the Tiger Den - In the beginning, it is important that every Tiger be treated like they are new because they are new. The concepts need to be explained thoroughly and then reinforced through action and suggestion. If the Tiger Cub den stops meeting, it is important to make sure that your pack's monitoring system is in place and that an immediate attempt is made to get the Tiger den back on track. It's important to start them off right. Several hours in the beginning should be all that it takes to get them going in the right direction. Positive reinforcement through phone calls, pack meetings, and special visits from the Cubmaster will go a long way to making it successful program.

Is the Tiger Cub Program Important? - You bet! It is a great program that requires both adults and boys get together for their program efforts. It reinforces the family concept of Cub Scouting. It introduces many concepts of the full Cub Scout program. It starts them off on their first Day Camp program. It provides a wonderful transition for new leaders for the pack. Done correctly, the Tiger Cubs provide the necessary building blocks for a strong Cub Scout pack as boys transition into the Wolf dens and beyond.

Tiger Games

Long Beach, Verdugo Hills & San Gabriel Valley Councils

Huff, Huff, Tiger  Have Tigers stand or kneel around a table so they are chin-level with the table top. Place a ping-pong ball in the center of the table. All Tigers try to keep the ball from rolling off the edge of the table by blowing hard to keep it on the table. The person closest to the spot where the ball rolls off the table is out. In the end there will be only two Tigers blowing the ball back and forth. One will eventually prove to be a bigger "blow hard."

Balloon Race  Divide the boys into even teams. Establish a goal and line the teams up opposite the goal. Each team member must take a filled balloon to the goal and back, keeping it in the air and NOT using their hands. Hands may be used to hand off the balloon to the next player in line.

Rolling On Home  Create a mode of transportation by using PVC pipes and a 2'x4' plywood. Lay 4 or 5 lengths of pipe on the floor and set the plywood on top. One Tiger sits on the plywood while the other Tigers "push" him by rolling the pipes. As the rider moves, the other Tigers must pick up the pipe and lay it ahead of the rolling Tiger. This becomes a team effort game.

Pass the Block  The Tiger Cubs and their adult partners sit in a circle. The host pair starts the music and the players pass a wooden block around the circle. When the host pair stops the music, the person holding the block is out of the game. This continues until there is just one remaining person who is the winner.

Bat the Balloon  Divide the Tiger Cubs into two teams. Have them sit in two rows facing each other with their legs stretched out in front, one hand held behind their back, and the bottoms of their feet touching the bottoms of the feet in front of them. The host partner tosses a balloon between the two rows of boys. A team scores 1 point when it hits the balloon over the heads of the other team (high enough that the other team cannot return it). The winning score is 5 points. (Variation: The host partner tosses in two balloons.)