What?? You've Got to Be Kidding Me with These Membership Numbers!

[Eagle1993]

On 6/7/2026 at 3:58 PM, IanR said:

We are constantly told that kids have to see people like themselves (color, sexual predilections) to feel included and to be interested in (insert your activity here).

If that really is true, what does that say about Scouting's interest in reaching their largest potential demographic?

 

 

I don't disagree but kids and parents are not staying away because of a flyer.  They are also not joining because of a flyer like this.  

Upper middle class suburban...

The largest classes of Cub Scouts typically occurred when the popular mom(s) signed their kids up.  It was based on parents connections.  We would see anywhere from 35 Lions to 10 depending on what moms sign up.

Unfortunately, regardless of who signs up, we continue to see decreases at the Troop level. Since the addition of Lions, retention of AOL cross overs has plummeted.  Parents tell us they are looking to focus their kids in middle school and most are choosing sports.  Our community is heavily focused on sports, parents make friends over the travel teams their kids join and it's tough to compete with that. 

I'm sure experience varies over the country, but unless there is some sort of change of the view of scouts, I think it will continue to decline in terms of enrollment.