Immediate recognition kits

[pack330]

Can someone please explain what the purpose of the Cub Scout Immediate Recognition Kits are? What are the red and yellow beads for?

[CubsRgr8]

A bead (yellow for Wolf, red for Bear) is earned for each three requirements completed. When they've earned four beads, it's time to award them their rank badge.

 

The real purpose of these kits is to encourage your Wolf and Bear scouts to continue working on their requirements. It can take the entire year to earn their rank badge, and the kits allow the adult leaders to recognize each boy's effort along the way.

 

Last year, I decided to hand out the beads during the pack meetings, similar to handing out the activity badges (which are actually pins) to the Webelos. That meant that each Wolf and Bear was called up for group recognition at three or four different pack meetings. Positive reinforcement really works. All but two of my Wolves and Bears earned their ranks this year.

 

Having a pack of about 25 boys, this was a realistic approach. In a larger pack, the beads and badges are probably best handed out during den meetings, to avoid the pack meetings lasting too long or dropping the goofy skits, songs, and/audience participation stories.(This message has been edited by CubsRgr8)

[yaworski]

The immediate recognition kits are for the parents and kids who cannot understand that it takes time to earn a rank. Just like the karate schools that have belts, belts with stripes and stripes on the stripes.

 

We didn't use those silly plastic things for the past few years and all of our boys made rank.