Beavers
Try new things, make friends
Who are Beavers?
Beavers are our youngest members, aged 6-8 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 doorsteps and beyond
Make friends and try fun new activities...
Make friends and try fun new activities...
What do Beavers get up to?
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 Tuesday 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 adults are on hand to supervise activities, share their skills and keep everyone safe. Other young people aged 14 to 18 might help out too. These are Explorer Scouts taking part in the Explorer Scout Young Leader's Scheme . In some groups, Beaver leaders are nicknamed after characters from nature, books or films. In others, Beavers call their leader by their real first name.
Within their Colony, some Beavers are also part of a Lodge. A Lodge is a smaller group of Beavers, usually headed up by one of the older members of the Colony who takes on a peer leadership role (sometimes known as a Lodge Leader or Junior Leader).
Being a peer 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
All Beavers are members of the global Scout family. Closer to home, they're also part of a wider local Scout Group, alongside Cubs (aged 8-10½) and Scouts (aged 10½-14). When they're older, they can join Explorers (for 14-18 year olds) and, eventually, Scout Network (for our young adult members aged 18-25).
"It's not just factual; they learn social skills and about interacting."
"It's not just factual; they learn social skills and about interacting."
Promise, Law 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.
Beavers choose the promise that best suits them. Options can be found here .
There is no formal Beaver Scout Law. The concepts expressed in the Scout Law are presented to Beaver Scouts through games, storytelling and other informal activities.
So, how do I join?
The first step to becoming a Beaver is to find your nearest Beaver Colony in our groups section. To get started, reach out to a local leader to see if spaces are available and find out more about where and when the group meets.
Beavers is open to all, and we can usually tweak things to make sure everyone can join in the fun. If you have any questions about accessibility, chat with your local leader as soon as possible. By being upfront from the start, parents/carers can work in partnership with local leaders to make sure their young person has the best opportunities. More information on specific adjustments can be found here .
Our subscription fees (subs for short) vary group by group, they include the following:
- Membership of The Scout Association
- Insurance for all Scout related activities in the UK
- All badges (you may be charged a small fee for replacements)
- A necker (you may be charged a small fee for replacements)
- Section night activities. The only exception is if we do an outside activity but advance notice will be given if any extra is needed
- Most importantly, lots of opportunities and fun
Waiting Lists
Lots of young people are itching to join Scouts, so you might need to wait for a space to become available.
If your local group has a waiting list, parents and other adults might be able to solve the problem. We don’t just need swashbuckling adventurers to lead expeditions. We also need listeners, tidy-uppers and tea-makers, for as little or as much time as they can spare. If your parents or carers are curious about giving it a go but don’t want to overcommit, why not ask them to complete our four-week volunteering challenge? Every hour counts, and everyone is welcome.
You could always try the Four Week Challenge . This is a test drive of Scouting. It's a try-before-you-buy with no commitment to see if volunteering is right for you.
More volunteering informationUniform and Badge Placement
This diagram shows the correct placement for badges on the Beaver uniform. If you have any queries, please do get in touch with a leader who will be able to advise you.
Uniforms and other Scout merchandise can be purchased from the Wirral Scout Shop.
Please note that the shop can only sell badges to registered leaders. For replacement badges, you will
need to speak to a leader at your group.