Arrow of Light Rank
Fifth grade and the bridge to a troop: six required Adventures and any two of thirteen electives, the den working as a patrol, a troop visit and a campout with the patrol or a troop. The den leader signs for every requirement, and Personal Fitness needs fourteen days of tracking.
The plan behind this
Arrow of Light is the fifth-grade rank, and the last one
Arrow of Light is for youth who have finished fourth grade or are 10 (Guide to Advancement 4.1.1.0). It is Cub Scouting's final rank before Scouts BSA, and much of it is practice for life in a troop (4.1.1.2): the den works as a patrol with an elected patrol leader, Bobcat includes visiting a troop, and the Outdoor Adventurer campout is with the patrol or a troop.
What the badge takes
Six required Adventures and any two electives, in any order except that Bobcat is designed to come first (4.1.1.2). An Adventure pin is given as each is finished, and may be worn on a Scout hat of the Scout's choosing.
| Required Adventure | Area |
|---|---|
| Bobcat Arrow of Light | Character & Leadership |
| Personal Fitness | Personal Fitness |
| First Aid | Personal Safety |
| Duty to God | Family & Reverence |
| Citizenship | Citizenship |
| Outdoor Adventurer | Outdoors |
The den leader signs for everything
For Arrow of Light Adventures and the rank, the den leader approves every requirement unless they delegate it (4.1.0.3). The parent verification allowed for Lion through Webelos does not apply here.
Start Personal Fitness early
Requirement 2 tracks how often the Scout is active for 30 minutes or more over 14 days. And if the camp meal in requirement 1 involves knife work, the Personal Fitness page says Knife Safety must be completed first. That is an elective, so it can count as one of the two.
Thirteen electives: check what each one needs
| Needs | Electives |
|---|---|
| A pack event | Race Time AOL (a Pinewood Derby or Raingutter Regatta, mentoring a younger den) |
| Water | Paddle Craft (paddling, after passing the swimmer test), Swimming (a supervised swim) |
| An outing | Cycling (a 10-mile ride), Fishing (an hour of fishing), Into the Wild (a place with wild animals), Into the Woods (an area with trees) |
| A campout | Knife Safety (making something with a pocketknife on a campout) |
| Summer | Summertime Fun AOL: three Cub Scout activities between May and August |
| Nothing special | Champions for Nature AOL, Engineer, Estimations, High Tech Outdoors |
Answer the electives question and only your choices stay on the plan. More than two is fine.
The rank page also lists special electives, Archery Arrow of Light, Slingshot and BB Guns, which can only be done at approved events with qualified instructors. They have no Adventure page, so they are not drawn here.
Done at home, with a parent
- Bobcat requirement 8: the booklet *How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide*.
- Personal Fitness requirement 4: reviewing the Annual Health and Medical Record.
After the rank
The Guide asks for Arrow of Light to be presented in an impressive ceremony involving Scouts from a local troop (4.1.1.2). A Cub Scout who is at least 10 and has earned Arrow of Light may join Scouts BSA.
What this page is
The Arrow of Light rank drawn from Scouting America's Arrow of Light Adventures page and the nineteen Adventure pages it links to. Each step is a short label; every Adventure links to its official page, which holds the wording that governs and suggested activities for each requirement.
Sources for this page
- Arrow of Light Adventures (Cub Scout rank page), Page last modified 2026-10-08 · Which Adventures the Arrow of Light badge of rank takes, and how many.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 4.1.1.0 · The six grade-based ranks, who is eligible for each, and that Cub Scouts neither go back to an earlier rank nor move ahead early.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 4.1.1.2 · Required and elective Adventures in any order, Bobcat designed to come first, and the badge presented at the next pack meeting.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 4.1.0.3 · Who approves Cub Scout advancement.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 4.0.0.1 · When a change to an Adventure takes effect.
Last checked against its sources on .