Who are Beavers?
Beavers are young people, aged 6 to 8, who:
- Master new skills and try new things
- Have fun and go on adventures
- Make friends
- Are curious about the world around them
- Help others and make a difference, on their own doorsteps and beyond
Every week, they gather in groups called Beaver Colonies 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 Beavers get up to?
Being a Beaver is all about growing and learning in small but mighty ways. 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 Colony. Together, you might build a den, or go on a trip to the seaside, or host a Beaver sleepover beneath the stars. And even though you might not be ready to climb Mount Everest just yet, you’re guaranteed to have plenty of adventures on your own doorstop, because being a Beaver is all about making the most of what you have, wherever and whoever you are.
Trying new activities and learning new things
Going to Beavers is very different from going to 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 Beavers 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 integrity – which means being honest and doing what you think is right – and initiative – which means knowing how to take the lead on something without being asked. It’s all about having the courage to try new things and learn from them.
Helping others
Beavers 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 Tuesday night, they always lend a hand.
Action & Adventure
Adventure means different things to different people. But regardless of who you are, there’s an adventure out there waiting for you.
Gain skills for life
Scouts helps you gain skills for life and builds better futures for all. But don't just take our word for it.
Help others
We want to empower more young people to take a stand and gift them with the confidence and skills they need to recognise their abilities.
Who leads Beavers?
Each Colony is made up of young people aged 6 to 8, led by an adult Beaver leader. Other adult volunteers are on hand to supervise activities, share their skills and keep everyone safe. In some groups, Beaver leaders are nicknamed after characters from nature, books or films. In others, Beavers call their leader by their real first name.
Within their Colony, some Beavers are also part of a Lodge. A Lodge is a smaller group of Beavers, usually headed up by a young person who takes on a peer leadership role (sometimes known as a Lodge Leader or Junior Leader).
Being a peer leader is about being a superhero for a little while – doing things like welcoming new people to the Colony, being extra helpful during a camp, or taking charge of a game or activity. Everyone takes it in turns to take on the challenge.
Beavers usually stand together in their Lodges at the beginning and end of meetings. They tend to stick together on trips away, or during certain activities.
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, Beavers are a part of this worldwide Scout family. Closer to home, they’re also part of their wider local Scout Group, alongside Cubs (aged 8 to 10 1/2), and Scouts (aged 10 1/2 to 14). When they’re older, they can also join Explorers (for young people aged 14 to 18) and Scout Network (for young people aged 18-25). Although both of these are closely associated with the younger sections, they are not part of the local Scout Group.
How to join
The first step to becoming a Beaver is to find your nearest Colony using our finder tool. To get started, reach out to a local leader to see if spaces are available and find out more about where and when the group meets.
Beavers 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. Read our guidance on supporting those with additional needs.
Lots of young people want to join Beavers and you might have to wait for a space to become available before you can start your journey. If your local Colony 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.
On your first night at Beavers, you’ll be taking part in lots of activities, and should just wear something you feel comfortable in.
Eventually, you’ll get your own Beaver uniform to wear to meetings and on trips and nights away. 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 Colony. It also gives you a place to show off all the Beaver badges you earn.
For Beavers, the uniform consists of a blue sweatshirt with your badges sewn on 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 either be bought from our online shop – Scout Store – or from a local supplier. If you’re not sure where to start, adult volunteers can give you more information about what to buy and where to buy it.
The cost of going to Beavers will vary depending on how your local Colony does things. Usually, a basic fee covering the cost of the hire and upkeep of the Beaver meeting place will be collected weekly, monthly, termly or annually – depending on local arrangements. Trips, camps and activities that take place away from the usual meeting place are usually charged separately.
Beavers 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 Beaver 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 is available to make sure nobody misses out. You can find out more about our grants here.
