# How old does a kid have to be for Beavers in Canada? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 19, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008 "2012-08-19T23:28:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/1 "2012-08-19T23:28:28Z")
And get your minds out of the gutter - Beavers in Canada is the pre-Cub stage of Boy Scouts. Just curious when we should think about Beavers for the Piper Cub. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/2 "2012-08-20T00:00:46Z")
This says 5-7 years [http://www.scouts.ca/ca/programs](http://www.scouts.ca/ca/programs) ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/3 "2012-08-20T00:46:57Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > And get your minds out of the gutter I only came here to post a gutter-minded comment. Now what am I supposed to do? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/4 "2012-08-20T00:49:53Z")
**+1** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/5 "2012-08-20T00:54:24Z")
[We Are The Beaver~The Arrogant Worms](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWX8uWf2LhQ%5C) ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/6 "2012-08-20T01:44:33Z")
My thought was how old to hunt beavers. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/7 "2012-08-20T02:00:07Z")
I’m thinking puberty, at least. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/8 "2012-08-20T19:06:05Z")
Most likely kindergarden. I know Sparks (the equivalent in Girl Guides of Canada) the ages are listed as 5 and 6, but there is some wiggle room as long as you are in kindergarden your first year. ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/9 "2012-08-20T22:16:55Z")
Such a strange place to ask this question… ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/10 "2012-08-21T03:19:57Z")
All I know is I got kicked out of Cub Scouts for eating a Brownie. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/11 "2012-08-21T06:54:28Z")
:: Piper tries valiantly to drag thread out of the gutter :: Has anyone here had their kid in the Beavers? what sort of stuff do they do? did the kid like it? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/12 "2012-08-21T07:43:48Z")
wikipedia has some good information. > **[Beavers (Scouting)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beavers_%28Scouting%29)** > > Beavers is a programme associated with a few Scout organisations in a few countries, generally for children aged 5/6 to 7/8, who are far too young to be Scouts and make the Scout Promise. > Beavers programmes had their origins 1963. Since then, other scout organisations in some countries have developed Beavers or similar programmes by other names, often using an animal local to their region instead. Many share common ideas between them, such as: > Others, such as some Traditional Scouting organisa... > [@](#): > > A new Beaver is called a “Kit”; a Kit must learn the Beaver Promise, Law, and Motto and go through an investiture ceremony to become an “Eager Beaver”. The investiture ceremony officially welcomes the Beaver into the Scouting programme and during this ceremony the Beaver receives a tail, neckerchief, and badges for his uniform. > > A five-year-old Beaver is a brown tail, a six-year-old is a blue tail and a seven-year-old is a white tail. The tail is attached to the back brim of the Beaver Hat. > > The beavers ‘swim up’ to Cubs towards the end of the year that they are white tails. > > Beavers do not collect any individual badges. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/13 "2012-08-21T07:51:22Z")
wikipedia has some good information. I was a cub scout and boy scout. Scout troop activities vary a lot depending on the volunteer scout leader and how much free time he has. I recall that a lot of the cub scout troops had moms as pack leaders. I’d expect that the beavers would also be led by volunteer moms. Kids this young probably don’t get much further than the backyard. Typical games, songs, refreshments, that you’d expect at any gathering of six year olds. One of my boy scout community service requirements was assisting with a cub scout pack. I helped the pack leader with the games and serving refreshments. This was to earn my Life Scouting Badge. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/14 "2012-08-21T07:59:00Z")
correction: Den Leader, not pack leader for Cub Scouts ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/15 "2012-08-21T11:34:15Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Has anyone here had their kid in the Beavers? what sort of stuff do they do? did the kid like it? I wasn’t in Beavers, but in Cubs I was “Keeo” for a while – a Cub who volunteers to help out with a group of Beavers. As far as I remember, they do kindergarten-y stuff: make crafts, listen to stories, play games, go on little field trips, etc. One thing I remember is touring the Poultry Science building at the University of Saskatchewan. The kids seemed to like it well enough. EDIT: Here’s a decent explanation – [http://wiki.scouts.ca/en/Beaver\_Scouts](http://wiki.scouts.ca/en/Beaver_Scouts). It says “the program uses seven elements: Games, Crafts, Storytelling, Music, Play Acting, Outdoors and Spiritual Fellowship.” ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/16 "2012-08-21T15:01:27Z")
As some others have mentioned - a great deal will depend on the pack itself. (sorry if I’m getting the terms wrong - I’m a Guider) If the leaders are enthusiastic and plan stuff for the kids, they’ll have a great year. If they leaders aren’t as keen, and stick pretty close to the book…it won’t be quite so much fun. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/17 "2012-08-21T15:14:37Z")
> [@the\_Lady](#): > > As some others have mentioned - a great deal will depend on the pack itself. (sorry if I’m getting the terms wrong - I’m a Guider) Cubs have a pack. Beavers have a colony. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/18 "2012-08-21T17:19:22Z")
Cool - Girl Guides have units. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-does-a-kid-have-to-be-for-beavers-in-canada/632008/19 "2012-08-21T17:21:39Z")
I was a beaver for a year when I was six. I remember having those silly hats with the tail in the back. I wonder where it is now…