Who are Squirrels?
Squirrels are young people aged 4 to 6 who:
- Play games and learn new skills
- Have fun and get outdoors
- Make new friends
Every week, they gather in groups to hop, skip and jump their way through lots of different games and activities – achieving anything they set their minds to, and having lots of fun along the way.
What do Squirrels get up to?
Being an Squirrel Scout is all about fun and friendship while growing and learning. 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 Squirrels Drey. Together, you might build a den, go on a treasurer hunt, or visit a museum. And even though you might not be ready to climb Mount Everest yet, you’re guaranteed to have plenty of adventures on your own doorstep. Because being a Squirrel Scout is all about making the most of what you have, wherever and whoever you are.
Trying new activities and learning new things
Going to Squirrel Scouts is very different from going to nursery or 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 Squirrel Scouts 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 resilience – which means getting back up and trying again – and teamwork, which means mucking in and playing your part. It’s all about having the courage to try new things and learn from them.
Helping others
Squirrel Scouts 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 Wednesday night, they always lend a hand.
Who leads Squirrel Scouts?
Each Squirrel Drey is made up of young people aged 4–6, led by an adult Squirrel leader. Other adult volunteers are on hand to supervise activities, share their skills and keep everyone safe. In some groups, Squirrel Scout leaders are nicknamed after characters from nature, books or films. In others, Squirrel Scouts call their leader by their real first name.
The bigger Scout family
There are Scouts all over the world. From the rainy rainforests of the Amazon to the smallest of the Scottish Isles, Squirrel Scouts are a part of this worldwide Scout family. Closer to home, they’re also part of their wider local Scout Group, alongside Beavers (aged 6–8), Cubs (aged 8–10 1/2), and Scouts (aged 10 1/2–14). When they’re older, they can also join Explorers (for young people aged 14–18) and Scout Network (for young people aged 18–25). Although both of these are closely associated with the younger sections, they’re not part of the local Scout Group.
Promises and ceremonies
As well as enjoying plenty of adventures, being a Squirrel Scout is about exploring who you are and what you stand for. These are big ideas, and when you join the section, 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 section. Every time a new Squirrel Scout decides to join, they chat through their promise with their leader before saying it out loud in front of their fellow Squirrel Scouts. Family and friends might come along to see this, too. Doing this is called being ‘invested’ into Squirrel Scouts, and it usually takes place once you’ve had a few weeks to settle in.
Everyone’s unique but there are some things all Squirrel Scouts 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.
How to join
To join Beavers, please fill in the Join Us form, linked to the left of this page.
Squirrel Scouts 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 everything they need to get involved.
Is there a waiting list?
Lots of young people want to join Squirrel Scouts and you might have to wait for a space to become available before you can start your journey. If your local section has a waiting list, parents and other adults might want to think about what they could do to help out. Regardless of skillset or availability, there’s an opportunity for everyone to contribute.
What should I wear?
On your first night at Squirrel Scouts, you’ll be taking part in lots of activities and should just wear something you feel comfortable in.
Eventually, you’ll get your own Squirrel uniform to wear to meetings and on trips. 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 section.
For Squirrels, the uniform consists of a purple t-shirt and a coloured scarf or ‘necker’ to represent your local group. There are lots of other optional accessories you can wear such as hats and hoodies. Uniform can be bought from our online shop, Scout Store. If you’re not sure where to start, adult volunteers can give you more information about what to buy and where to buy it.
How much does it cost?
There is a basic fee covering the cost of the hire and upkeep of the Beaver meeting place. Trips, camps and activities that take place away from the usual meeting place are usually charged separately.
Squirrel Scouts is designed to be an accessible and affordable way for young people to learn lots of new skills through a single membership. Nobody should feel excluded from Squirrel Scouts activities because of money worries. If they’re concerned about costs, adults should speak to their local leader in confidence to see what they can do to help. In most cases, support’s available to make sure nobody misses out.