Baxter Cassells and Callan Clark are among Scotland’s first Squirrels – Scouts for the early years.
They are part of a handful of Squirrel ‘dreys’ established across the country, the first section to be added to Scouting since Beavers 35 years ago.
And the four-year-olds had their first ‘campfire’ experience earlier this week in Cowdenbeath, as several groups met for the first time across Fife and Tayside.
More dreys will be set up in the coming months and in this article we outline what the clubs will be like and how you can get involved.
Baxter, Callan and their fellow Squirrels in the 46th Fife Scout Group dressed up for their first sessions, and enjoyed a Halloween story, arts and crafts and games.
Baxter’s mum Karen Cassells said he was excited to join and she was keen to for him to play and learn with other children outside school, particularly after lockdown.
She said: “He enjoys the outdoors, so if there are opportunities to get outdoors, learn new skills and do different activities, it will be fantastic.
“It’s really good for them to start learning these things at a younger age.
“He was too young for Beavers, so when we heard about this we thought ‘great’.”
Callan’s dad Ronald Clark is a former Scout and was eager for his son to join the movement.
He said: “He was excited to get dressed up and I’ve told him I was in the Scouts and the Ventures.
“We never had anything as young as Squirrels then – it’s a good thing to get into. It gives them their independence, doing things away from their parents.”
Squirrel dreys for four and five-year-olds have also been launched in Kelty, Dunfermline and Dundee, with Scouts Scotland prioritising areas considered to have been most affected by the pandemic, to help children catch-up and gain life skills after lockdown.
Cowdenbeath leader David Kennedy said places were snapped up with 24 hours of applications opening.
He said: “There is huge demand. When you look at the timeline for kids around four years old, almost a third of their lives has been in lockdown so this is something super exciting for them.”
In Kelty, the 12 new Squirrels enjoyed a Halloween-themed introduction.
Leader Vanessa Anderson said: “There is a programme of badges they will work through, learning about nature, thinking about themselves, their emotions, about friendships.
“Sessions will start with a welcome ceremony, then we’ll have our storytime and activities linked to that.
“There will be lots of craft, music, singing and there’s a real push to have community involvement, getting them involved in projects helping others.”
Scouting began in 1907, with Cubs introduced shortly after. Beavers came in 1986 and girls were allowed to join in the early 1990s. Introduction of the Squirrels is the biggest change since.
What do Squirrels do?
Sessions are early in the evening and limited to 45 minutes to an hour, with activities preparing youngsters to move onto Beavers, when they are six years old, then Cubs, Scouts and Explorers.
Squirrels will take part in games and indoor and outdoor activities, including exploring nature, while earning badges like Beavers, Cubs and Scouts do.
Badges include Feel Good, Brilliant Builder and Exciting Experiments and can be earned through age-appropriate tasks.
The programme is designed to support informal learning and promote key skills like team working, communication, creativity and community awareness.
What is the uniform like?
Red was chosen for the uniform after the red squirrel and because the primary colour is appealing to children and highly visible to keep them safe.
To keep costs low and promote inclusion, just a single jumper is needed and will be supplied at a discounted price in underprivileged areas.
When can my child join Squirrels Scouts?
More dreys will be added later this year and next, but the roll-out is likely to take some time.
It is hoped there will eventually be a drey in every Scout group.
How can I start a group in my area?
Scouts have launched a campaign entitled #GoodForYou to recruit over 5,000 new adult volunteers across the UK to support the roll out of Squirrels.
To volunteer or find out more visit the Squirrel Scouts website or email hello@scouts.scot.
Scouts Scotland chief executive Graeme Luke appealed adults to help the growth of the section.
Squirrels is part of our commitment to help young people, families and communities come back stronger from the pandemic.”
Scouts Scotland chief executive Graeme Luke
He said: “It’s been amazing to see how popular Squirrels is already.
“We’ve had lots of requests from parents and groups to start up new groups in their areas.
“Squirrels is part of our commitment to help young people, families and communities come back stronger from the pandemic.
“If you’re four, you’ve spent a third of your life in lockdowns.
“Our mission at Scouts is to equip young people with skills for life, and we know how important early years is in terms of developing these skills.
“We know this has especially impacted children in communities hardest hit by the pandemic.
“In order for us to open us new groups then we need new volunteers to get involved and be a part of Squirrels.”
