Informational: Merit badges for social distancing: 58 badges Scouts can complete at home

Post date: Apr 28, 2020 1:31:20 AM

Below are 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.

That eliminates merit badges like Citizenship in the Nation, which includes a visit to a state or federal facility, or Backpacking, which requires three treks of at least 15 miles each.

You will find merit badges that require special materials, like Basketry and Pottery. If you don’t have the necessary supplies at home, move on to the next suggested merit badge.

The BSA’s Youth Protection guidelines, including a rule against one-on-one contact, apply to digital communication.

While the Camp Pouch Scout Shop location has been temporarily closed during the COVID-19 outbreak, ScoutShop.org remains open for business and is shipping right to your door. Head there to order merit badge pamphlets and other essential Scouting supplies.

A few things to keep in mind when using this list:

• • Discuss with the Scoutmaster the Merit Badge you would like to take: This should be done in the weekly Video Patrol Meetings

  • Find a registered merit badge counselor: Scouts should email the troop address to request the identity of a merit badge counselor for the badge or badges they want to earn.

  • Use the official requirements: You’ll find a lot of outdated merit badge requirements online. For the most current and up-to-date requirements, go to the BSA’s official merit badges page.

  • 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.

  • Have fun: Other than the merit badges required for Eagle, Scouts get to pick any merit badge that interests them. That decision should be 100% yours. If earning a merit badge ever feels like schoolwork … well, you’re doing it wrong.

Merit badges for social distancing: the list

• • American Business

  • American Heritage

  • Animation

  • Art

  • Basketry

  • Bird Study

  • Chemistry

  • Chess

  • Citizenship in the World

  • Collections

  • Composite Materials

  • Cooking

  • Digital Technology

  • Drafting

  • Electricity

  • Electronics

  • Energy

  • Engineering

  • Environmental Science

  • Family Life

  • Fingerprinting

  • First Aid

  • Game Design

  • Genealogy

  • Graphic Arts

  • Home Repairs

  • Leatherworking

  • Mammal Study

  • Metalwork

  • Mining in Society

  • Model Design & Building

  • Moviemaking

  • Music

  • Nuclear Science

  • Oceanography

  • Painting

  • Photography

  • Plant Science

  • Plumbing

  • Pottery

  • Programming

  • Pulp & Paper

  • Railroading

  • Robotics

  • Salesmanship

  • Scholarship

  • Sculpture

  • Search & Rescue

  • Soil & Water Conservation

  • Space Exploration

  • Stamp Collecting

  • Sustainability

  • Textile

  • Theater

  • Weather

  • Wilderness Survival

  • Woodcarving

  • Woodwork