Leadership, Creativity, & 7 Other Life Skills Scouting America Instills In Kids

When I think about the best parts of my childhood, a few things come to mind. First, I remember the friendships — the kids who really knew me, who I could be goofy and ridiculous around without worrying that I was doing something uncool. Then I get to the tactile parts: the way I was satisfied when my feet were calloused by the end of the summer, or how it felt to sit inside a snow fort I’d built myself, shivering but proud. Finally, I think of what I learned and how it stimulated me — finishing a book in one sitting for the first time, or mastering a challenging new skill.

As a parent, I want to give my kid opportunities to create memories like these. That’s where Scouting America comes in. Far from being just an excuse to take camping trips, Scouting America aims to prepare young people for lives of impact and purpose. They do it by teaching life skills — like social and emotional learning, self-confidence and strength, and curiosity about the world around them — that will help children become kind, knowledgeable, and community-oriented people as they grow.

Sounds pretty good, right? Here’s a bit more about the skills and values that Scouting America instills in its members, and here’s a link you can follow to get your kid started on a Scouting journey of their own.

Social & Emotional Skills

When kids start Scouting at young ages, they learn early how to make friends, develop empathy, and be helpful to others. Scouts are also taught to respect differences and resolve conflict, and they develop skills like honesty and responsibility that will serve them well in social relationships throughout their lives.

A Sense Of Community

From Cub Scouts, which is for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade, all the way up to Venturing, Sea Scouts, and Exploring (programs designed for pre-teens through age 20) Scouting has a huge community focus. The whole family is encouraged to get involved, and Scouts regularly volunteer locally. As an added benefit, this helps kids learn about their neighborhoods, community centers, and schools.

Creativity

Scouts do arts and crafts, perform skits, and sing. And rather than pushing perfection, Scouting shows kids that doing their best is rewarding and fun.

Resilience

Through everything from outdoor adventures like camping, fishing, and hiking to indoor learning projects, Scouting focuses on self-sufficiency. Kids who join Scouting learn early and often that they can do challenging things, and they grow as people when they learn to set goals and achieve them.

Integrity

At Scouting America, regular character development activities teach kids to act on their convictions with strong values and a sense of responsibility.

Future-Facing Skills

Today’s Scouts don’t just have fun in the outdoors — they also take on areas that will propel them forward as adults like rocketry, robotics, and coding. As they get older, they participate in programs like Exploring, which includes mentorship and helps Scouts discover and learn about possible career fields.

Leadership Skills

Through volunteering, outdoor adventures, and team building games, Scouts learn decision making, communication, and organization — all things that will help them grow into strong leaders.

Well-Roundedness

Being involved in Scouting is enriching and fun, but Scouting America knows that their members are always balancing a mix of school and other extracurriculars. For that reason, Scouting America works hard to ensure their programs fit seamlessly into your family’s schedule so your kid can shine on the field, in the classroom, or anywhere they love to spend their time.

A Positive Outlook

A childhood track record of setting and achieving goals — plus helping others do the same — gives kids an inherent sense that they’ll have a bright future. That’s not to say that Scouts are entitled; rather, they believe they’ll be successful because they’ve already seen themselves work hard and achieve positive outcomes.

As a parent, the thought of my kid imbued with that sense of possibility as he prepares to head out into the world is enough to make my eyes well up. If you feel the same, learn more about Scouting America. Here’s to the next generation.