Arrow of Light Trail
The Arrow of Light Trail
To earn the Arrow of Light rank a Cub Scout must complete the following requirements.
Complete each of the following Arrow of Light required adventures with your den or family:
Complete at least 2 Elective Adventures.
Once an adventure is completed and reported to your Den Leader, the Cub Scout is awarded the adventure's belt loop at the next Pack meeting.
Required Arrow of Light Adventures
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Bobcat Arrow of Light.
Demonstrate the patrol method by choosing a patrol name and electing a patrol leader. Discuss the benefits of using the patrol method.
Get to know members of your patrol.
Recite the Scout Oath and Scout Law with your patrol.
With your patrol create a Code of Conduct.
Demonstrate the Scout sign, Scout salute and Scout handshake used by Scouts BSA. Show how each are used.
Learn the Scouts BSA slogan and motto.
With your patrol, or with your parent/legal guardian, visit a Scouts BSA troop.
At home, with your parent or legal guardian do the activities in the booklet “How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide.”
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Citizenship .
Identify a community service project that your patrol or pack could accomplish. Use the BSA SAFE Checklist and develop a plan to conduct the service project safely.
Participate in a service project for a minimum of two hours or multiple service projects for a total of two hours.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Duty to God.
Discuss with your parent or legal guardian your family’s faith traditions or one of your choosing. Choose a view or value of that faith tradition that is related to the Scout Law. Discuss with your family how each family member demonstrates this value.
Meet with a representative of a faith-based organization in your local community who provides a service that assists people in crisis regardless of their faith. Identify who they help and how.
Discuss with your parent, legal guardian, or an adult leader what “Duty to God” means to you. Tell how you practice your Duty to God in your daily life.
This Adventure may be earned by completing the requirements above OR by completing a Religious Emblem of the Cub Scouts family’s choosing.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete First Aid.
With permission from your parent or legal guardian, watch the Protect Yourself Rules video for the Arrow of Light rank.
Explain what you should do if you encounter someone in need of first aid.
Demonstrate what to do for hurry cases of first aid: serious bleeding, heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest, stopped breathing, stroke, poisoning.
Demonstrate how to help a choking victim.
Demonstrate how to treat shock.
Demonstrate how to treat the following: cuts and scratches, burns and scalds, bites and stings of insects and animals, and nosebleed.
Make a personal first-aid kit. Demonstrate the proper use of each item in your first-aid kit.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Outdoor Adventurer.
Learn about the Scout Basic Essentials.
Determine what you will bring on an overnight campout — including a tent and sleeping bag/gear — and how you will carry your gear.
Review the four points of the BSA SAFE Checklist and how you will apply them. on the campout.
Locate the campsite where you will be camping on a map.
With your patrol or a Scouts BSA troop, participate in a campout.
Upon arrival at the campout determine where to set up your campsite: kitchen, eating area, tents, and firepit. Help the patrol set up the patrol gear before setting up your own tent.
Explain how to keep food safe and the kitchen area sanitary at the campsite. Demonstrate your knowledge during the campout.
After your campout, discuss with your patrol what went well and what you would do differently next time. Include how you followed the Outdoor Code and Leave Not Trace Principles for Kids.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Personal Fitness.
Plan a balanced meal that you would eat when camping. Prepare that meal using the gear you would use on a campout.
Examine what it is to be physically fit and how you incorporate this in your life. Track the number of times you are active for 30 minutes or longer over a 14-day period. Share with your patrol or family what you enjoyed and if you feel you are living up to the Scout Oath of being physically strong.
Be active for 30 minutes with your patrol, a younger den, or at least one other person in a way that includes both stretching and moving.
Review your BSA Annual Health and Medical Record with your parent or legal guardian. Discuss your ability to participate in Arrow of Light patrol and pack activities.
Elective Arrow of Light Adventures
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Champions for Nature Arrow of Light.
Identify foods grown or processed in your state.
Determine the benefits of purchasing food that is locally grown or processed.
Explore the concept of a food desert.
Explore the concept of a food oasis.
Learn how individuals can reduce food waste.
Participate in a conservation service project.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Cycling.
Decide on gear and supplies you should bring might bring for a long bike ride. Determine how to safely carry the gear.
Discover how multi-gear bicycles work and their benefit.
Show how to lubricate a chain.
Review different bicycle locks. Demonstrate the operation of locks and, how to secure your bicycle with a lock.
Repair a flat tire.
With your patrol, pack, or family, use a map and plan a bicycle ride that is at least 10 miles.
With your patrol, pack, or family and using the buddy system, go on a bicycle ride that is a minimum of 10 miles.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Engineer.
Learn the focus, related sciences, and products of civil, electrical, and mechanical engineers.
Pick one of the engineering fields from requirement 1 to complete the following requirements.
Examine a set of blueprints or specifications used by your choice of engineer.
Identify a project that you would like to build.
Using the engineering process, build your project.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Estimations.
Estimate food measurements.
Estimate the time of day.
Estimate the height of a distant object.
Estimate the distance between two points.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Fishing.
Make a plan to go fishing. Determine where you will go and what type of fish you plan to catch. All of the following requirements are to be completed based on your choice.
Use the BSA SAFE Checklist to plan what you need for your fishing experience.
Describe the environment where the fish might be found.
Make a list of the equipment and materials you will need to fish.
Determine the best type of knot to tie your hook to your line and tie it.
On your own, choose the appropriate type of fishing rod and tackle you will be using. Have an adult review your gear.
Using what you have learned about fish and fishing equipment, spend at least one hour fishing following local guidelines and regulations.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete High Tech Outdoors.
With an adult, use a weather app or website to see the forecast for an outdoor activity and discuss any preparation needed to accommodate the weather.
With an adult, find a knot-tying app. Select one knot to learn, and tie it using the app.
Discuss how technology has improved camping gear.
Think of a way technology can improve camping gear used on one of your outdoor activities.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Into the Wild.
Visit a place with a variety of wild animals. Select one of the animals and observe its behavior. Use your selected animal to complete the remaining requirements.
Create a model of your animal’s ecosystem.
Investigate how your animal coexists with other animals in the wild.
Describe how humans interact with your chosen animal’s ecosystem.
Discover how wildlife management benefits your animal.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Into the Woods.
Visit an area with trees and plants and conduct a tree inventory. Select one tree and complete the remaining requirements based on that tree.
Determine if your tree is deciduous or evergreen.
Determine if your tree is native or was introduced to your area.
Find out how your tree deals with wildfire.
Learn how wildlife uses your tree.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Knife Safety.
Know the safety rules for handling and using a knife.
Demonstrate the knife safety circle.
Demonstrate that you know how to care for and use a knife safely.
Demonstrate the proper use of a pocketknife to make a useful object on a campout.
Choose the correct cooking knife and demonstrate how to properly slice, chop, and mince.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Paddle Craft.
Before attempting requirements 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 for this Adventure, you must pass the BSA swimmer test.
Pick a paddle craft for which to complete all requirements: canoe, kayak, or stand-up paddleboard.
Review Safety Afloat.
Demonstrate how to choose and properly wear a life jacket that is the correct size.
Jump feet first into water over your head while wearing a life jacket then swim 25 feet wearing the life jacket.
Demonstrate how to enter and exit a canoe, kayak, or stand-up paddleboard safely.
Discuss what to do if your canoe or kayak tips over or you fall off your stand-up paddleboard.
Learn how to pick a paddle that is the right size for you. Explore how the paddle craft responds to moving the paddle.
Have 30 minutes, or more, of canoe, kayak, or stand-up paddleboard paddle time.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Race Time Arrow of Light.
With adult supervision, build either a Pinewood Derby® car or a Raingutter Regatta™ boat.
Learn the rules of the race for the vehicle chosen in requirement 1.
Mentor a younger den to prepare for the race.
Before the race, discuss with your patrol den how you will demonstrate good sportsmanship during the race.
Participate in a Pinewood Derby or a Raingutter Regatta.
Summertime Fun Arrow of Light
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Summertime Fun Arrow of Light.
Anytime during May through August participate in a total of three Cub Scout activities.
Activities to fulfill these requirements are listed below. Choose one activity for each requirement to complete Swimming.
Review Safe Swim Defense.
Explain the meaning of “order of rescue” and demonstrate the reach and throw rescue techniques from land.
Attempt the BSA swimmer test.
Have 30 minutes or more of free swim time during which you practice the buddy system and stay within your ability group. The qualified adult supervision should conduct at least three buddy checks per half hour of swimming.