how do you earn merit badges in boy scouts

What is a merit badge and how is it earned?

Merit badges are awards earned by members of the Boy Scouts of America, based on activities within the area of study by completing a list of periodically updated requirements.

When can a Boy Scout earn merit badges?

Do you need to be 15 years old with a First Class Scout rank to begin working on merit badges? A. No, you can be younger. Registered Scouts can work on merit badges whatever the rank.

What are the easiest merit badges to get?

The 3 simplest merit badges that any scout can earn are Art, Fingerprinting and Photography. These badges require few supplies and can be quickly completed in an afternoon.

What are prerequisites for merit badges?

What is a merit badge prerequisite? A merit badge having a 'prerequisite' basically means you'll need to complete other requirements before working on the actual merit badge. For example, a prerequisite to earning the Lifesaving merit badge will be to first complete the BSA Swimmer's test.

What is the hardest merit badge to earn?

Bonus Badge: Inventing — The Most Difficult Merit Badge of All Time. Overview: The modern-day inventing merit badge is tricky, but by no means is it the most difficult badge out there.

What is the rarest Boy Scout badge?

One look at the requirements, and you'll see why Invention was the least-earned merit badge in the history of the BSA. To earn it, Scouts had to “invent and patent some useful article” and “show a working drawing or model of the same.”

What is the most popular merit badge?

The actual top 10RankMerit Badge2020 earned1Family Life48,4082Citizenship in the Nation43,2473Citizenship in the World42,7384Citizenship in the Community41,9876 more rows•Feb 24, 2021

What is the most fun merit badge?

7 Fun and Interesting Merit Badges To Earn At Home Or By YourselfTraffic Safety.Coin Collecting.Digital Technology.Salesmanship.Entrepreneurship.Exploration.Geneology.

Can you do a merit badge by yourself?

Understand what made the cut: All 137 merit badges have certain requirements Scouts could complete at home. What makes the list below special is that all of the badge's requirements can be completed at home.

How many Scouts have earned all merit badges?

Boy Scouts who have earned all merit badges There have been 474 confirmed Boy Scouts who have earned all the merit badges.

How many BSA merit badges are there 2022?

You can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business, and future careers as you earn merit badges. There are more than 135 merit badges, and any Scout, or any qualified Venturer or Sea Scout may earn any of these at any time.

What is the newest merit badge?

Citizenship in Society merit badgeStarting July 1, 2022, Eagle Scout candidates will be required to complete all Eagle Scout requirements including the new Citizenship in Society merit badge.

Can you earn merit badges on your own?

Below, we have listed 58 merit badges that Scouts can complete from home. The merit badges on the list meet two main criteria: They don't involve visits to public places or companies. Their requirements can be completed indoors or in an average-size yard.

Has anyone earned all merit badges?

There have been 474 confirmed Boy Scouts who have earned all the merit badges.

How many BSA merit badges are there 2022?

Merit badges give scouts the opportunity to investigate around 130 different areas of knowledge and skills.

Can Scouts teach merit badges?

They can, but only if they're also merit badge counselors. Similarly, a council must have approved a counselor even if he or she only works with Scouts in a single troop. Are counselors limited to just six badges? No, a council may approve counselors for as many merit badges as they're qualified to teach.

How many merit badges can a boy scout earn?

As of this writing, there are 136 different merit badges a Boy Scout can earn. A young man who dreams of becoming an Eagle Scout, the highest honor in Boy Scouting, must earn at least 21 merit badges. But how?

What does a scout do in the merit badge?

The Scout develops an interest in a merit badge and may begin working on the requirements. The Scout discusses his interest in the merit badge with his unit leader. The unit leader signs a blue card and provides the Scout with at least one counselor contact. The Scout contacts the counselor.

What section of the Guide to Advancement is the 12 steps?

These 12 steps offer a great overview, but they don’t tell the whole story. For that you’ll want to review Section 7 of the Guide to Advancement.

Who approves completion of Scout requirements?

The Scout finishes the requirements. The counselor approves completion. The Scout returns the signed blue card to his unit leader, who signs the applicant record section of the blue card. The unit leader gives the Scout the applicant record. The unit reports the merit badge to the council. The Scout receives his merit badge.

Who discusses his interest in the merit badge with his unit leader?

The Scout discusses his interest in the merit badge with his unit leader.

Who does the Scout contact?

The Scout contacts the counselor . The counselor considers any work toward requirements completed prior to the initial discussion with the unit leader. The Scout, his buddy and the counselor meet (often several times). The Scout finishes the requirements. The counselor approves completion.

Can you wear multiple badges on a sash?

Short answer - You can not wear multiple sashes and you should sew the rest of your badges onto the back of your sash. Long answer - read this blog - http://blog.scoutingmagazin...

What are the best ways to earn merit badges in Scouting?

Attend camps and jamborees. A big part of Scouting events is the opportunity to earn several merit badges quickly. Camps and jamborees will provide a variety of classes for earning your badges during the week you are there .

How to earn merit badges?

Every merit badge has a pamphlet that includes the requirements and lists a number of resources you can consult to learn more. Make sure the badge is something you can, and want to, accomplish. Talk to your Scoutmaster, or check the BSA’s website, to get pamphlets for the bad ge you want to earn.

How long does it take to complete merit badges?

Every merit badge has different requirements, which includes the amount of time you’ll need to complete all of them. Some badges you can finish in an afternoon, while others take several months of tracking information before you have fulfilled the requirements.

What to do if your troop doesn't attend a summer camp?

Even if you and the other scouts don’t earn merit badges, summer camp is a great time for building troop spirit and doing other fun activities.

How many merit badges are there in the Boy Scouts?

As of the start of 2016, there are currently 136 merit badges offered through the Boy Scouts. If you work at a pace of 5 badges per month, you can complete all badges in a little more than three years.

Can you work on multiple merit badges at once?

You can work on multiple merit badges at once, so don’t feel like you need to completely finish all the requirements for one before starting on another.

Who is good for discussing merit badges?

Your parents or Scoutmaster are good resources for discussing a merit badge schedule. They will be able to help you figure out the best times to do certain badges, and help you stay on course for your Scouting goals.

How to get merit badges?

Ask him or her about how you can get ahold of the list of contacts at the Council office…or if you can’t get the list directly, make a list of the merit badges you want to pursue and ask for the contacts for those specific counselors. Then get ahold of them, start making appointments to work on the merit badges that interest you , and dive right in!

Why do you earn merit badges quickly?

As for earning Merit Badges quickly, I suggest you not treat earning them as a race, but as a journey. They are meant to expose you to a variety of skills, interests, hobbies, and careers. Like most learning, a quick skim through what is taught usually does not lead to retention of the material or lon

Where can I buy merit badges?

I suggest you try eBay. There are sellers who sell group lots of sometimes 100+ merit badges at relatively affordable prices. You can also find whole sashes for sale with 20–50 Merit Badges already sewn on, which saves a great deal of time.

Is scouting fun?

That said, if you are only doing it to crank out lots of badges, you’re possibly looking at it from a skewed point of view. There is alot more to scouting than just badges, and scouting is supposed to be fun. Enjoy the ride, earn ranks, go camping. Hangout with friends.

Do Scouts have to wait for merit badges?

A lot of Scouts don’t realize that you don’t have to wait for a merit badge university or summer camp…you can (and should) contact counselors and work independently towards your goal.

How many merit badges can a scout earn?

There are 120 Merit Badges Scouts can earn. The Cub Scout’s webpage has a great list of activities and projects . Not every Cub Scout meeting needs to be a field trip, but den-level outings and field trips are a fun way to keep your boys entertained and engaged. If you’re looking to check out some awesome activities and find ways to earn Cub Scout badges, keep reading!

What badge do Webelos II and I have?

Webelos I and Webelos II are able to visit a local quarry for Mining in Society badge.

Is Cub Scouting rewarding?

Cub Scouting has been an exciting and rewarding activity for my son to be involved in. My oldest son started in first grade as a Tiger Cub and is entering his last year as a Webelos II in fifth grade as his younger brother is starting his Tiger Cub year. I feel that Scouting has encouraged my son to understand the benefits of community service, values, and responsibility.

What is the Cub Scout badge?

Cub Scout activities are centered around earning badges that are specific to each school grade level. This badge represents a rank. Advancement refers to the progress a Cub Scout makes toward their badge of rank. All of the activities for each rank are in the Cub Scout handbooks.

What are the awards that Cub Scouts can earn?

In partnership with dozens of faith organizations representing different religions, youth may earn the Religious Emblem of their faith. The recruiter patch is awarded to Cub Scouts who bring other youth into Scouting.

What is a recruiter patch?

The recruiter patch is awarded to Cub Scouts who bring other youth into Scouting.

What grade do Webelos get their pins?

These are designed to slide onto a Cub Scout’s belt. Fourth and fifth grade, Webelos, earn metal adventure pins. These pins are placed on the Webelos Colors (shown at right) or on a Webelos hat.