Activities for cubs work best when they feel challenging enough for children aged 8–10½ without becoming over-complicated. This guide is for Cub leaders and assistant leaders planning pack meetings, rewards, team building activities for cubs and end-of-term celebrations across Newcastle and the wider North East. It brings together hosted options from NE Children’s Parties, including Nerf, Dodgeball, Glow Nerf, Glow Sports, Football, Bubble Football, Combat Archery, Roller Disco and Fortnite-inspired Nerf, alongside practical cubs activity ideas leaders can run themselves. At this age, cub team games can introduce more tactics, competition and teamwork than Beaver activities while still using clear rules and structured rounds. Whether you need fresh cub pack games, a special outing or Cubs Christmas activities, the ideas below give you a mix of high-energy, tactical, social and skills-based options.
Keep reading for practical details on each option, including venue considerations and which ideas are professionally hosted by NE Children's Parties.
Hosted team battles, inflatable barricades and changing game formats make Nerf a natural fit for Cub packs.
Indoor sports halls and suitable meeting venues
Cubs can handle simple team tactics while still enjoying fast, easy-to-follow missions.
Fast rounds and team formats work well for larger packs and can be rotated to keep the session moving.
Indoor sports halls and suitable halls
The rules are easy to grasp but the games still feel competitive enough for 8–10½ year olds.
UV lighting, disco lighting, music and Nerf battles make an evening pack meeting feel like a special event.
Darkened indoor sports halls and suitable venues
The glow setting adds atmosphere without changing the core team-game structure Cubs already understand.
Glow Football, Glow Dodgeball and other team games can be mixed into one music-led UV session.
Darkened indoor sports halls
Multiple formats give a full pack variety and reduce the chance of one game becoming repetitive.
A hosted football session can use challenges, matches and tournament-style games rather than one long match.
Sports halls, 3G pitches and suitable football spaces
Familiar rules make it easy to organise mixed-confidence groups around short team challenges.
Bubble Football is now suitable from age 6 and costs £25 per person, with venue hire additional. Players use inflatable zorbs for matches and mini-games.
Suitable sports pitches and confirmed activity spaces
The zorbs make normal football unpredictable and funny, which helps reduce the advantage of experienced footballers.
For Cubs aged 10+, Combat Archery uses foam-tipped arrows, masks, inflatable cover and tactical team games.
Suitable outdoor spaces and confirmed activity venues
Older Cubs can practise communication and team decisions while working towards a clear game objective.
Skating, music and hosted games make Roller Disco an active social option for a pack celebration.
Selected suitable roller venues
It gives Cubs a movement-based activity that is less tactical and more social than the battle formats.
Fortnite-inspired team games use Nerf equipment and familiar battle formats without requiring screens or consoles.
Indoor sports halls and suitable venues
The gaming crossover gives children a familiar theme while keeping the whole pack physically involved.
Use clear boundaries, visible bases and simple team objectives. Adult leaders can supervise key points while Cubs plan how to attack and defend.
Safe fields, campsites or large outdoor spaces
It introduces tactics and communication using almost no specialist equipment.
Set short navigation legs or checkpoints that use basic map symbols, directions and team decisions.
Parks, campsites and safe outdoor areas
Cubs can practise practical navigation while working in small teams.
Choose simple supervised recipes and give each small group a clear preparation or cooking task.
Approved campsites or outdoor spaces where fires are permitted
The activity combines practical skills, patience and teamwork with a memorable end result.
Turn age-appropriate first aid learning into short scenarios where teams decide what to do next.
Scout huts, community rooms or training spaces
Scenario cards make skills practice more active than a long talk.
Choose safe experiments with a visible result and prepare materials in advance so each team can complete the task.
Scout huts and rooms with washable tables
Hands-on experiments reward curiosity and give quieter Cubs another way to contribute.
Tell us the age, group size, date and area and we can help you choose a suitable hosted option and venue type.
Make an EnquiryA Cubs Christmas party can combine the excitement of a normal pack night with something that feels like a reward. Glow Nerf works particularly well for darker winter evenings and can use Christmas music. Dodgeball or Nerf tournaments can be split into short festive rounds, while a multi-activity format can combine two or three games in one evening. Leaders running their own programme can add Christmas wide games, team quizzes or simple festive cooking alongside the active session.
Keep the format clear and easy to follow for the group.
Match the timing to the age, energy level and event timetable.
Give parents the practical information they need before the event.
Check the venue against the activity requirements before paying hire.
Plan how teams or rotations will work before the session starts.
Choose the option that best fits the group rather than adding unnecessary complexity.
Good activities for cubs include Nerf, Dodgeball, Glow Nerf, Glow Sports, Football, Bubble Football, Combat Archery for ages 10+, Roller Disco, Fortnite-inspired Nerf, wide games, orienteering, cooking and practical challenges.
Cubs are typically aged 8–10½, so the activities on this page are aimed at that age group.
Full packs can be organised using teams, rotations and activity formats suited to the venue. Tell us the pack size when enquiring.
NE Children’s Parties is mobile and can use suitable halls or nearby venues across the North East, depending on the activity and space available.
Glow Nerf, Glow Sports, Dodgeball, Nerf tournaments and multi-activity formats all work well as Cubs Christmas activities.
Yes, suitable formats can be structured around a full pack using teams and rotations where required.
The best length depends on the chosen format and pack timetable. A focused one-hour session is often easy to fit into an evening meeting.
Badge requirements can change and depend on how the activity is delivered. Leaders should check the current Scouts badge requirements before treating any session as qualifying evidence.
When choosing activities for cubs, look for the right balance of teamwork, challenge and straightforward rules for children aged 8–10½. The best option is one that suits your pack size, venue and the type of session you want to run.
NE Children's Parties can bring hosted activities and equipment to suitable venues across Newcastle and the wider North East.
Tell us the date • age • group size • area
