Why We Love Cub Scouts & Our Plan for Scouting the World

Scouting has shaped our family in ways we never expected. When we first signed Eva and Jordan up for Cub Scouts in Dubai four years ago, we thought it would be a fun Friday afternoon activity. What we got instead was a community, a values framework, and some of the best family memories we've ever made. Now, as we prepare to leave Dubai for a year of worldschooling across four continents, we're not leaving Scouting behind. We're taking it with us.

Here's why Cub Scouts matters so much to the Nobles family, what our journey with Pack 813 has looked like, and how Eva and Jordan will continue as Lone Scouts while we travel the world.

Why Scouting Matters to Our Family

If you've never been involved in Scouting, it's easy to underestimate what it actually is. It's not just camping and badges, though there's plenty of both. At its core, Scouting is a character development program wrapped in adventure. And for a family that's about to pull their kids out of traditional school to travel the world, that character foundation is everything.

Here's what we see in it:

Values You Can't Teach from a Textbook

The Scout Oath and Scout Law aren't just words the kids recite at the start of a meeting. They're principles that show up in real life, trustworthiness when no one's watching, kindness toward people who are different from you, courage to try something new. Over the years, Eva and Jordan have internalized these values in a way that no classroom lesson could replicate. When Eva helped a new Scout in her Den set up a tent for the first time at our Ras al Khaimah campout, nobody told her to. She just did it. That's Scouting.

Outdoor Skills and Confidence

We've camped in the desert wadis of Sharjah, hiked mountain trails in Ras al Khaimah, and pitched tents in Fujairah. Through Scouting, our kids have learned to read a compass and map, tie knots, build campfires safely, identify wildlife, go fishing, paddle a kayak, and perhaps most importantly, be comfortable being uncomfortable outdoors. That's not a small thing when you're about to spend a year living out of suitcases.

Community and Belonging

Pack 813 has been our village. In a transient expat city like Dubai, where families come and go every year, Scouting gave us a stable, multigenerational community. Friday afternoon Pack meetings at the American School of Dubai became a family ritual. The parents became friends. The kids became a pack in every sense of the word.

Family Bonding

Cub Scouts is fundamentally a family program. Unlike sports leagues where you drop your kid off and come back in an hour, Scouting asks parents to be involved, as den leaders, committee members, campout chaperones, and Pinewood Derby pit crews. Matt has served as Lions Den Leader, Cub Master for two years, and now Pack Committee Chair. These aren't roles we took on out of obligation. We genuinely love being part of our kids' Scouting journey.

Our Pack 813 Journey: Four Years of Adventure in Dubai

Pack 813 is a Cub Scout Pack based at the American School of Dubai, part of the Horizon District within Scouting America's TransAtlantic Council and the World Scout Bureau. It was established in 1998, and as of the 2025–2026 year, has over 40 active Cub Scouts, boys and girls from kindergarten through 5th grade.

Our family joined in 2022, and we haven't looked back.

The Ranks

Eva started as a Wolf in 2022 and has progressed through Bear, Webelo, and is now completing her Arrow of Light, the bridge to a Scout Troop in Scouting America. Jordan joined as a Lion and has advanced through Tiger to his current rank of Bear. Watching them grow through the ranks has been one of the most rewarding parts of parenting in Dubai.

Camping Across the UAE

Pack 813 organizes two family campouts per year, and our family has attended every single one … eight campouts over four years across some of the UAE's most beautiful outdoor spaces:

• Mleiha, Sharjah (Fall 2022): our first desert camping experience as Scouts

• Wadi Shawka, Ras al Khaimah (Spring 2023 & Spring 2024): stunning wadi hikes and stargazing

• Fujairah Adventure Park (Spring 2024 & Fall 2025): rugged terrain and team challenges

• Aventura, Mushrif Park, Dubai (Fall 2024): a hometown favorite with rope courses and nature trails

• Challenging Adventure, Ras al Khaimah (Spring 2025): our most adventurous campout yet

• Inkampu, Sharjah (Spring 2026): a beautiful send-off campout before our travel year

Every campout included at least one family hike. That’s 10 hikes totaling over 30 miles over the wild and exciting desert mountain trails across the Emirates.

Community Service

One of the values we love most about Scouting is the emphasis on giving back. Through Pack 813, Eva and Jordan have participated in five service events totaling 15+ hours, including:

• Iftar meal food donation drives during Ramadan

• Mangrove planting at the Jebel Ali Marine Conservation Zone with EMEG

• Labour camp meal distribution in Al Qusais, one of the most eye-opening experiences for our kids, serving meals to migrant workers during Ramadan

• Farm cleanup at the Horizon District Camporee in Doha, Qatar

These weren't token gestures. They're formative experiences that taught our kids empathy, gratitude, and the habit of service.

The Signature Events

Beyond campouts, Pack 813's annual calendar is packed with events the kids look forward to all year:

• Pinewood Derby: the highlight of every Scout year. Designing, building, and racing wooden cars is a rite of passage. The workshop days, weigh-ins, and race day atmosphere are electric.

• Blue & Gold Ceremony: the annual celebration of Scouting's birthday, complete with awards, skits, and — in our Pack's tradition — a combined Iftar dinner during Ramadan years.

• Halloween BINGO Night: costumes, candy, and chaos. The kids' favorite social event.

• Bike Rodeo: safety skills meet outdoor fun at Mushrif Park or Dubai Hills.

• Raingutter Regatta: building and racing tiny sailboats with lung power alone.

• Advancement Ceremony: the emotional end-of-year event where Scouts are recognized for their hard work and families celebrate together.

Beyond Dubai: Camporee and Day Camp

Scouting has also taken us beyond the UAE. Eva attended the Horizon District Camporee 2026 in Doha, Qatar, which was a four-day, three-night camping experience with Scouts from across the region. Both kids attend Miakonda Day Camp in Toledo, Ohio each summer when we visit family, which is a reminder that the Scouting community is truly global.

Matt's Leadership Journey

Scouting isn't just for the kids. Matt started as Lions Den Leader in 2022, stepped up to Cub Master for the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 years, and currently serves as Pack Committee Chair. Leading a Pack of 40+ Scouts and their families in an international setting has been an incredibly rewarding volunteer experience, and a crash course in logistics, group dynamics, and keeping 9-year-olds focused during a meeting.

Scouting on the Road: Lone Scouts & NPS Ranger Badge

When we announced our worldschooling year to our local group of friends, one of the first questions from fellow Scout families was: "What happens to Eva and Jordan's Scouting?"

The answer: it comes with us.

Lone Scouting: How It Works

Scouting America offers a Lone Scout program for youth who can't participate in a traditional Pack or Troop, including families living abroad, traveling full-time, or in remote areas. As Lone Scouts, Eva and Jordan will:

• Continue working on rank advancement requirements independently

• Complete adventures and electives using the official Scouting handbooks

• Log their progress in Scoutbook, Scouting America's digital tracking platform

• Stay registered with the TransAtlantic Council, maintaining their connection to the global Scouting community

This isn't a lesser version of Scouting. If anything, worldschooling amplifies it, because nearly every adventure requirement maps naturally to what we'll be doing anyway: hiking, camping, community service, learning about different cultures, practicing outdoor skills, and building character through real-world challenges.

Still Plugged Into the Community

Being Lone Scouts doesn't mean being isolated. We plan to:

• Visit local Scout groups in countries we travel through, since Scouting exists in over 170 countries, and guest participation is often welcomed

• Participate in Miakonda Day Camp in Ohio during our summer U.S. stretch

• Share updates with their Pack through photos and stories from the road

The World Scout Bureau connects over 57 million Scouts worldwide. Wherever we go, there's a good chance there's a Scout community nearby.

The National Park Service Ranger Badge

One of the most exciting Scouting goals for our travel year is the NPS Ranger Badge. The National Park Service partners with Scouting to offer ranger-led programs and activities at National Parks across the United States. During our U.S. road trip segment, Eva and Jordan will work toward earning their NPS Ranger badge by:

• Participating in Junior Ranger programs at every National Park we visit

• Completing nature observation, conservation, and stewardship activities

• Learning about ecology, geology, history, and wildlife directly from park rangers

• Documenting their experiences in their Scout adventure journals

This is worldschooling and Scouting in perfect harmony, earning academic credit and Scout advancement while hiking through Yellowstone's geyser basins. It doesn't get more experiential than that.

Author bio: Matt Nobles is a dad, husband, and relentless learner. After nearly 20 years in corporate finance and sustainability, and after having already travelled to 77 countries over the years, he's now spending the 2026–2027 academic year worldschooling with his wife Kelly and their two kids, Eva (11) and Jordan (9). Follow the journey at theglobalnobles.com.