Arrow of Light Rank Advancement

Here’s How to Help Your Scout Advance!


The Arrow of Light, the highest rank in Cub Scouting, prepares fifth grade Cub Scouts to join a Scouts BSA troop.

Arrow of Light Scouts must complete six required adventures, plus two elective adventures from among the 16 electives in the Arrow of Light handbook.

  • The National Resource page for Arrow of Light Adventures is here.  Each Adventure page there lists the Requirements and shares a selection of “Activity Cards” that could be used to complete each Requirement. 
  • For more resources, see this AAC District Page for Arrow of Light.  Each Adventure page there has videos and links to help learn the Adventure topic plus “Assembled” Den Meeting Plans that take the Requirements and/or National activity ideas that are fun, simple and easy and put them into Den Meeting Plans you can use.  Word versions of those plans are attached below if you would like to edit to fit your Den.

The required adventures are:

  • Bobcat Arrow of Light is a “Character and Leadership” adventure, including some of the pre-2024 Bobcat "rank" but with new content about how Scouts BSA Troops operate.
  • Outdoor Adventurer is an “Outdoors” adventure focusing on campout safety, campout cooking, and doing a campout.
  • Personal Fitness is a “Personal Fitness” adventure focusing on exercise, activity and nutrition.
  • Citizenship is a “Citizenship” adventure all about planning and conducting one or more service projects.
  • First Aid is a “Personal Safety” adventure about basic first aid skills - includes the Protect Yourself video.
  • Duty to God is a “Family & Reverence” adventure about family beliefs and different beliefs.

 

The 16 elective adventures are Knife Safety (Knife Safety), Race Time Arrow of Light (Pinewood Derby or Raingutter Regatta), Fishing (Fishing), Cycling (Cycling), Swimming (Swimming), Paddle Craft (Boating), Champions For Nature Arrow of Light (Conservation), Into the Woods (Science), High Tech Outdoors (Technology), Engineer (Engineering), Estimations (Math), Into The Wild (animals, ecosystems, etc., or Science), and Summertime Fun (May through August participate in three Cub Scout activities). (Also Archery, BB guns, and Slingshot, but only at District or Council events with qualified instructors – see Cub Scout Rangemaster training to join the ranks of trained “Rangemasters”). 

After finishing the requirements for an adventure, the den leader, rather than a parent, approves most of the adventures, unless the den leader delegates that role (den leaders are encouraged to recruit parents and other adults in the Cub Scout’s family to help with all den adventures, including supervision sign off on Arrow of Light requirements).  For each adventure completed, Scouts can receive a pin to wear on the “Cub Scout Adventure colors” or on their hat. Click here for information on Cub Scout Uniform options – but check with your Cub Scout Pack to find out what the expectations are (because “A Scout is Thrifty”).

By earning the Arrow of Light badge, your Scout is well prepared to join a Scouts BSA Troop! The Arrow of Light is the only Cub Scout rank badge that can be worn on the Scouts BSA uniform.

File Name Description
Arrow of Light “Assembled” Den Meeting Plans in Word – Elective Adventures Download
Arrow of Light “Assembled” Den Meeting Plans in Word – Required Adventures Download