June 1’s launch of the new Cub Scout program is approaching fast.

Feeling less than prepared? The CubCast team hears you. That’s why in the March 2015 edition the hosts and their guest discuss how Cubmasters and den leaders can get ready for the new Cub Scout program.

Talk about perfect timing.

The guest: Ken King, a volunteer from the Three Fires Council in St. Charles, Ill. King was a member of the task force that conceived and designed the new Cub Scout program materials that will be released in May and become active on June 1, 2015. (Bryan on Scouting readers should remember King’s name.)

You really should take 14 minutes to listen to the March 2015 CubCast. These podcasts keep getting better and better and have become essential listening for Scout leaders.

Still need convincing? Check out seven things I learned about the new Cub Scout program by listening.

7. The program materials debut May 1.

That’ll give you plenty of time to check out the actual materials you’ll use with your Cub Scouts. (You can also see a ton of content now at the BSA’s Program Updates page.)

“Pick up a copy of the youth handbook that you’ll be working with and the den leader guide that you’ll need and spend some time reviewing,” King says, “because the den leader guide will map out how to deliver a den meeting in great detail.”

6. The new Cub Scout program will cost the same (or maybe less).

This should please a lot of you.

“The number of adventure loops required is approximately the same as the number of academic and sports loops that are earned by boys right now,” King says. “The new program won’t be appreciably different, and some calculations suggest it will be a little bit less than what it is right now.”

5. You won’t need a ton of extra materials.

You “don’t need to buy additional resources — things like the Group Meeting Sparklers, the Cub Scout Songbook, (and) the How-to Book of Cub Scouting,” King says. “They’re all still available as extra resource materials, but everything is contained in one single den leader guide.”

4. Overall pack meeting structure will look the same.

You’ll “be familiar with it,” King says. You’ve “had experience with pack meetings but, some things we’ve developed to help them be more successful is we have a team that’s putting together new pack meeting plans.”

So it’s the same, only a lot better.

3. There are more opportunities for immediate recognition.

Cub Scout-age boys love instant recognition. That’s been a standard at den meetings, and now it’s more true at pack meetings, too.

“There’s also more opportunities for recognition during pack meetings,” King says, “depending on how the pack wants to organize that, boys can be recognized consistently, which will encourage them to be involved in the pack meetings and bring their families in to celebrate their successes.”

2. The transition from old to new is actually really easy.

“Starting on June 1, if you’re a new Tiger, a Wolf, Bear, or starting the Webelos program, just use the new program materials that are in the handbooks and materials,” King says. “They’re designed to make it easy to use, and when they finish their current level of program, they can just step into the next step without any problem.”

Easy is good.

1. Boys working on Arrow of Light can use new or old.

Options are good.

“Boys that’ll be working on their Arrow of Light” later this year have two choices, King says. “They can keep using the current program, or they have the additional option that they can apply some of their previously earned Webelos-level recognitions and their activity badges; some of those can be used for advancement in the new system.”

Hear or read the March 2015 CubCast

This list is just the beginning. Hear the full CubCast here. Or read it here.