Beavers (Scouting)

Beavers is a programme associated with a few Scout organisations in a few countries, generally for children aged 5/6 to 7/8, who are far too young to be Scouts and make the Scout Promise.

Beavers programmes had their origins 1963. Since then, other scout organisations in some countries have developed Beavers or similar programmes by other names, often using an animal local to their region instead. Many share common ideas between them, such as:

  • A pledge and/or motto,
  • Earning merit badges
  • A uniform, distinct from that of programmes for older children and youths
  • Organised in groups, e.g. a Beaver "Colony", with optional sub-groups e.g. "Lodges"
  • Special ceremonies to commemorate new members and the graduation of members into programmes for older children
  • Symbols unique to the programme, such as sitting and standing formations, salutes, and handshakes
  • Use of lore and nicknames e.g. in Beavers, that sourced from Harry McCartney's 1971 short story Friends of the Forest

Others, such as some Traditional Scouting organisations, have never adopted programmes for younger children at all, typically on the grounds that this was not one of Robert Baden-Powell's original programmes.

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