What Should I Consider When Signing my Child up for a Boy Scout Troop?

The Boy Scouts of America have carved out a well-noted place in American society, but strangely, most people do not have a good understanding of what exactly their children can gain from joining a scout troop. The Boy Scouts are more than just camping and parades, after all, and young boys aged 10-18 years old have much to gain from joining their local scout troop, from leadership skills to lasting friendships.

Most people know that scout troops go on camping trips and learn to build fires, pitch tents, and participate in other outdoor activities. While these are certainly worthwhile activities that encourage young boys to get outside and be active, the Boy Scouts do much more for young boys in everyday situations as well. A scout troop will teach a young boy responsibility, as all boys who join a scout troop will have an opportunity to lead a patrol, or unit of boys within the troop. Each boy will also participate in planning activities, meals, and sleeping arrangements for camping trips.

A scout troop and its leaders encourage boys to learn cleanliness and orderliness, and a scout can be elected to the position of Quartermaster, who is in charge of inventory and organization of all equipment belonging to the scout troop. Because being a Scout requires a boy to wear a uniform, a scout troop encourages boys to look presentable and clean at all functions, which translates into everyday life in the working world.

One of the main tenets of the Boy Scouts of America is service to the community. As a young boy moves through the ranks in the Boy Scouts, he is responsible for organizing his scout troop to participate in or even initiate community service projects. These projects allow the scouts to maintain a sense of civic duty and encourage them to interact not only with each other, but also with the community at large. Such interaction gives each boy the opportunity to develop their own personality and improve public speaking skills, manners, tenacity, and a sense of accomplishment.

By joining a scout troop, a young boy has the opportunity to develop into a strong and confident young man; this can be especially helpful for scouts with social anxieties, and even for outgoing young boys looking for an opportunity to test their mettle as a group leader. A scout troop is a safe atmosphere that encourages growth and physical activities such as camping, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, etc., but it also provides countless other opportunities for growth and advancement.