Bear Fellowship Adventure

Adventure Type: Required
Number of Requirements: 4, or complete a religious emblem
Typical Time to Complete: 1–2 meetings, plus family activities and a gathering
Parent Involvement: Needed for faith discussions and family activities
Preparation Needed: Coordinate with families, choose a project, find information about another faith
Activity Level: Low
Indoor or Outdoor: Mostly indoor, either for the kindness activity
Special Requirements: Family service or reverence gathering, parent-guided faith discussions
Supplies Snapshot: Craft or art supplies, or recipe ingredients, information about another faith

The Bear Fellowship Adventure helps Bear Cub Scouts explore their family’s faith traditions and learn what it means to be reverent. With a parent or guardian, Bears talk about special holidays and celebrations. They also make a craft, work of art, or food connected to a favorite tradition.

Families take part in a religious service or another gathering that expresses reverence. Bears also carry out an act of kindness. These activities give Scouts ways to connect their beliefs with how they treat others each day.

Bears learn about a faith different from their own and find two things it shares with their family’s beliefs. This encourages questions and respectful conversations. Through the Bear Fellowship Adventure, Scouts learn more about their own traditions while showing respect for others.

Printable requirements for the Bear Fellowship Adventure

Checkoff sheet to keep track of your den's progress on the Bear Fellowship Adventure

Printable checkoff sheet for the Bear Badge (for den or individual use)

Bear Fellowship Den Meeting Plan

This den meeting helps Bear Cub Scouts explore faith, respect, and kindness. They will learn about their own family traditions and hear about others. Through hands-on activities, they will see that different religions share common values, like kindness and the Golden Rule. The meeting includes a fun craft, a snack connected to a faith tradition, and a kindness jar activity. Scouts will also have a guided discussion about different beliefs.

By the end of the meeting, Scouts will understand that respect for others is important. They will see that kindness connects all people, no matter their beliefs. This adventure helps them grow into more thoughtful and caring individuals.

Get the free Bear Fellowship den meeting plan here.

Requirement 2: Sharing Reverence With Family

With your family, attend a religious service OR other gathering that shows how your family expresses reverence .

Encourage families to choose a service or gathering that fits their beliefs and schedule. A gathering they already attend can keep this simple, and parents can help their Bear notice how people show reverence there.

Easy Option: Have each Bear attend their family’s usual religious service or another family gathering that expresses reverence.

More resources:

• Attend a Religious Service: Attend a religious service based on your family’s choosing. 
• Chartered Partner Celebration: Attend a celebration at your chartered partner based on a faith tradition. 
• Veterans Day Celebration: Participate in a Veterans Day celebration

Requirement 3: Carrying Out an Act of Kindness

Carry out an act of kindness.

Help Bears notice small ways they can make someone’s day easier. Let each Scout choose and carry out a helpful action, then briefly discuss how it helped the other person.

Easy Option: Have each Bear help clean up after a den activity without being asked.

More ideas:

• Kindness Jar: Write nice words about your parent or legal guardian and put them in a jar. 
• Make a Friend: Talk to someone new at school. 
• Thank a Teacher: Write a thank you card for a teacher. 

Requirement 4: Finding Shared Beliefs

With your parent or legal guardian identify a religion or faith that is different from your own.  Determine two things that it has in common with your family’s beliefs. 

Have parents or guardians guide this conversation using a children’s book or a reliable resource about another faith. Encourage Bears to ask respectful questions and look for shared beliefs, such as caring for others or the importance of prayer.

Easy Option: Have each Bear read a short introduction to another faith with a parent or guardian and name two beliefs it shares with their family’s faith.

More resources:

• Common Faith Elements: Learn about a religion different from your own and name two things that it has in common with your family’s beliefs.

Faith Requirements for Cub Scouts Who Are Agnostic or Atheist: See some ways families and Scouters help Scouts in these situations complete Duty to God requirements.

Should Duty To God Requirements Be Completed at Home or at a Meeting? See insights on how to balance these requirements, which could help leaders and parents guide Bear Scouts effectively. It’s essential that Bear Scouts can complete the Fellowship adventure in a way that aligns with their values and beliefs.

The Bear Fellowship Adventure is an important part of the Cub Scout experience for Bear Cub Scouts. It focuses on learning about and showing respect for different faiths and traditions. This adventure includes four main requirements that help Scouts explore their own beliefs and understand others’ beliefs too.

First, Scouts talk with their families about their own faith traditions. They identify special holidays and make a related craft or food. Next, they attend a religious service or gathering. This shows Scouts how their families show reverence.

Scouts also perform an act of kindness. This teaches them to care for others and helps build a stronger community. Lastly, they explore a faith that is different from their own. This helps them see what different faiths have in common with their beliefs.

This adventure teaches Scouts about respect, kindness, and understanding. It shows them how these values are important in their own lives and in the lives of others around the world.