Squirrels Progression: A Guide to Skills, Badges and Moving On to Beavers

What Is Squirrels Progression?

Squirrels is the youngest section of the Scouts, designed for children aged 4 to 6.

It’s a time when children are beginning to discover new activities, make friends, become more independent and develop confidence.

Progression in Squirrels isn’t simply about moving from one badge to the next.

It’s about gradually developing:

The Scouts programme is deliberately designed to encourage children to play, explore and participate, rather than simply focus on achievement. (Scouts)

THE BIG IDEA

A Squirrel who becomes more confident trying something new has progressed — even if they didn’t earn a badge that day.

How Does Squirrels Progression Work?

There are several parts to the Squirrels programme.

These include:

1. Membership Award
2. Activity Badges
3. Challenge Awards
4. Staged Activity Badges
5. Joining In Awards
6. Moving On Award
7. Chief Scout’ Acorn Award

The programme also includes opportunities for Squirrels to take part in activities at home and in their local community.

The Scouts badge finder currently lists 33 badges available to Squirrels. These include the 12 dedicated Squirrels Activity Badges, Staged Activity Badges that Squirrels can work towards, and occasional/fun badges. (Scouts)

Starting the Squirrels Journey

When a child first joins Squirrels, the priority isn’t badges.

It’s settling in.

A new Squirrel may need time to:

• Get comfortable with the Drey
• Meet the leaders
• Make friends
• Understand the routine
• Join in with games
• Learn what happens at meetings
• Become familiar with Scouts

The Membership Award helps introduce children to Squirrels, the Promise, their Drey and the wider Scout family. (Scouts)

This is an important first step because children develop at different rates.

Some will immediately throw themselves into activities.

Others may watch for several weeks before feeling ready to join in.

Both are perfectly normal.

What Does Progression Look Like?

Progression for a Squirrel might look something like this:

At First

“I don’t want to do that.”

Then:

“I’ll watch.”

Then:

“I’ll have a go.”

Then:

“Can I do it myself?”

Eventually:

“Can I show someone else?”

That’s progression.

The activity itself is only part of the journey.

Activity Badges

Activity Badges allow Squirrels to explore different interests.

The current programme includes badges covering areas such as:

• Being active
• Building
• Experiments
• Wellbeing
• Creativity
• Nature
• Growing
• Celebrations
• Community
• Stories
• Cooking

These badges are designed to encourage children to try things, discover interests and develop skills.

LEADER TIP

Don’t think of an Activity Badge as a checklist that has to be completed as quickly as possible.

Think about what the Squirrels will experience and learn while working towards it.

Challenge Awards

Challenge Awards provide another important part of Squirrels progression.

The current programme has four Challenge Awards:

• All About Me
• All Together
• All Around Us
• All About Adventure

These are designed around themes including personal development, teamwork, community and adventure. (Scouts)

Unlike some individual activities, Challenge Awards can naturally become part of the Drey’s normal programme.

That means children can work towards them while:

• Playing games
• Exploring outdoors
• Completing activities
• Working as a team
• Learning new skills
• Helping others

The Chief Scout’s Acorn Award

The Chief Scout’s Acorn Award is the top award for Squirrels.

It’s a significant milestone in their Squirrels journey.

The current programme is designed so that Squirrels can work towards the Acorn Award by completing the required Challenge Awards and appropriate Activity Badge requirements. (Scouts)

But reaching the top award shouldn’t be treated as a race.

Every Squirrel should have the opportunity to participate at their own level.

🌰 ACORN TO OAK

The Acorn Award isn’t the end of learning.

It’s a stepping stone towards the next stage of the Scout journey.

Staged Activity Badges

Squirrels can also begin working towards Staged Activity Badges.

These are particularly interesting because they continue through the wider Scouts programme.

The stages become progressively more challenging, allowing young people to continue developing a skill as they move from section to section.

Current staged opportunities available to Squirrels include areas such as:

• Emergency Aid
• Navigator
• Swimmer
• Hikes Away
• Musician
• Digital Citizen
• Digital Maker
• Community Impact
• Nautical Skills
• Air Activities

The exact available badges and stages should always be checked against the current Scouts programme.

Scouts – Activity Badges

Progression Through Outdoor Skills

Outdoor skills can be introduced to Squirrels in a very simple, age-appropriate way.

For example:

Nature

Learn to recognise trees, leaves and wildlife.

Navigation

Follow a simple trail or find markers.

Shelter

Build a small den using safe materials.

Water

Learn basic water safety.

Weather

Understand simple signs of changing weather.

Camping

Learn what to pack and how to stay comfortable outdoors.

Fire Safety

Understand that fire is useful but dangerous and should only be handled under appropriate supervision.

First Aid

Learn simple safety awareness and how to get help.

These don’t have to be complicated.

At this age, play is often the best way to teach a skill.

Progression Doesn’t Mean Making Everything Harder

It’s tempting to think progression means:

“Last year we did this, so this year we need to make it harder.”

That’s not always appropriate with young children.

Progression can instead mean:

More confidence.

More independence.

Better teamwork.

Trying something new.

Helping someone else.

Explaining what they’ve learned.

For example, a child might initially need an adult to help them put on waterproof clothing.

Later, they may be able to do it themselves.

That’s genuine progression.

A Simple Squirrels Progression Model

You can think about progression in four stages:

🌱 Discover

“What’s this?”

The Squirrel is introduced to something new.

🌿 Explore

“I want to try it.”

They experiment and play.

🌳 Develop

“I can do it.”

They gain confidence and competence.

🍂 Share

“I can help you.”

They demonstrate or share what they’ve learned.

This model works particularly well for outdoor skills.

Example: Progression Through Navigation

Imagine teaching navigation to Squirrels.

Stage 1 — Discover

Introduce a map.

Let them look at symbols and colours.

Stage 2 — Explore

Play a simple treasure hunt.

Stage 3 — Develop

Let small groups follow a short marked route.

Stage 4 — Share

Ask them to explain where they found the next marker.

The skill hasn’t suddenly become dramatically harder.

Instead, the child’s confidence and independence have grown.

Example: Progression Through Shelter Building

Start simple.

Beginner

Build a den using blankets indoors.

Next Step

Build a small outdoor den with adult support.

Developing

Work as a team to decide where materials should go.

Confident

Help explain the construction to another Squirrel.

The goal isn’t to build the biggest shelter.

It’s to develop:

Example: Progression Through First Aid

For young children, first aid should focus on simple concepts rather than advanced treatment.

A Squirrel might learn:

“Is it safe?”

“What’s happened?”

“Tell an adult.”

“Call for help.”

“Stay with someone who is hurt.”

Later, they can begin to understand more about:

• Basic first-aid kits
• Plasters
• Emergency services
• Calling 999
• Staying calm
• Personal safety

This creates a foundation that can be built upon in Beavers, Cubs and Scouts.

Squirrels and Skills for Life

One of the strengths of the Scouts programme is that activities aren’t simply about earning badges.

They’re intended to help young people develop skills for life.

For Squirrels, these skills might include:

Teamwork

Working together to complete an activity.

Communication

Talking, listening and explaining ideas.

Problem-Solving

Working out what to do when something doesn’t go according to plan.

Resilience

Trying again after something doesn’t work.

Confidence

Being willing to have a go.

Independence

Doing more things without adult assistance.

These skills can be more valuable than the badge itself.

How Leaders Can Encourage Progression

A good Squirrels programme doesn’t need to make every activity competitive.

Instead, leaders can create opportunities for children to make choices.

For example:

“Would you like to build the shelter here or over there?”

Instead of:

“Build the shelter here.”

That small difference gives the child an opportunity to think, decide and take ownership.

Let Squirrels Take the Lead

Even very young children can take responsibility.

Simple opportunities might include:

• Choosing a game
• Helping prepare equipment
• Handing out materials
• Leading a simple activity
• Explaining something they’ve learned
• Helping another Squirrel
• Choosing between two activities
• Helping tidy up

This can be especially powerful for children who may not initially see themselves as confident leaders.

Progression at Home

Progression doesn’t stop when the Drey meeting ends.

Parents and carers can reinforce skills through everyday activities.

For example:

Cooking

Let the child help prepare simple food safely.

Nature

Go on a local nature walk.

Navigation

Let them help follow a simple route.

Camping

Let them help pack their own small bag.

Safety

Talk about what to do if they become separated from an adult.

Creativity

Build dens, models or simple projects together.

Moving On to Beavers

Eventually, every Squirrel reaches the next stage of their Scout journey.

They move on to Beavers.

The move isn’t simply about becoming older.

It’s an opportunity to take the skills and confidence they’ve developed in Squirrels and build upon them.

Before moving on, a Squirrel might already be able to:

• Work in a team
• Follow simple instructions
• Try unfamiliar activities
• Spend time outdoors
• Talk about safety
• Complete simple tasks independently
• Make friends
• Ask for help when needed

These foundations can make the transition much easier.

Preparing for the Move to Beavers

A good transition can begin well before the final Squirrels meeting.

Where possible, Squirrels could:

• Visit a Beaver Colony
• Meet Beaver leaders
• Take part in a joint activity
• Hear about what Beavers do
• Learn what will be different
• Talk about what they’re looking forward to

The aim is to make moving on feel like the next adventure, rather than something to worry about.

A Squirrels Progression Checklist

Here’s a simple way for leaders and parents to think about progression.

Confidence

Independence

Teamwork

Outdoor Skills

Problem-Solving

Personal Development

Don’t Compare Squirrels

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that children develop at different rates.

One Squirrel might confidently climb, build and explore.

Another might be fantastic at stories and creativity.

Another might be brilliant at helping their friends.

Another might need considerably more time to feel comfortable joining in.

Progression shouldn’t mean comparing children against each other.

Instead, compare the child with where they were before.

A GREAT QUESTION FOR LEADERS

Don’t ask:

“Is this Squirrel ahead of the others?”

Ask:

“What can this Squirrel do now that they couldn’t do before?”

Squirrels Progression: The Bigger Picture

The Squirrels programme may only last a couple of years, but it can establish foundations that continue throughout a young person’s time in Scouts.

The journey can look something like:

Squirrels → Beavers → Cubs → Scouts → Explorers → Network

Each section offers new experiences and increasing opportunities for responsibility.

But the foundations begin very early.

Confidence.

Curiosity.

Teamwork.

Kindness.

Adventure.

And the willingness to give something new a go.

Final Thoughts

Squirrels progression isn’t about rushing children towards the next badge.

It’s about giving them opportunities to discover what they’re capable of.

A child who was nervous about joining in but eventually takes part has progressed.

A child who couldn’t tie something but keeps practising has progressed.

A child who helps another Squirrel has progressed.

A child who asks a question, tries something new or takes responsibility for a small task has progressed.

The badges and awards provide structure and recognition, but the real achievement is the child developing confidence and skills for life.

🌰 THE SQUIRREL PROGRESSION MOTTO

Try it. Explore it. Learn it. Share it.

Every small step is progress.

Useful official resources

Scouts – Squirrels

Scouts – Squirrels Programme

Scouts – Squirrels Activity Badges

Scouts – Badges for Squirrels