Cub Scouts Sports Belt Loop - Kickball

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain the rules of kickball to your leader or adult partner.
2. Spend 30 minutes practicing the skills of kickball (pitching, kicking, base running, catching, throwing). This may be over two different  practice periods.
3. Play a game of kickball.

Cub Scout Sports Pin - Ice Skating

Earn the Ice Skating belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Participate in a pack or community ice skating event.
2. Demonstrate how to sharpen your skates correctly.
3. Demonstrate how to lace, assemble, and dissemble your skates correctly.
4. On two different occasions, spend at least 15 minutes practicing warm-up exercises before 30 minutes of skating.
5. Play a skating game on the ice.
6. Learn and demonstrate two new figure-skating skills: forward swizzles, glides, backward swizzles, and backward wiggle.
7. Demonstrate how to “start” in a speed skating race.
8. Explain the difference between long-track and short-track speed skating.
9. Participate in a skating skill development clinic.
10. Tell about an Olympian athlete in figure skating or speed skating. What were some of his or her best traits?
11. Play a game of ice hockey.
12. Participate in a hockey skill development clinic.

Cub Scout Sports Belt Loop - Ice Skating

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain ways to protect yourself while ice skating, and the need for proper safety equipment.
2. Spend at least 30 minutes practicing the skills of skating.
3. Go ice skating with a family member or den for at least three hours, in up to three one-hour outings. Chart your time.

Cub Scout Sports Pin - Horseback Riding

Earn the Horseback Riding belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Learn about three famous horses. Explain why these horses were well-known.
2. Using pictures of these different animals, explain to your den or family the difference between a horse, pony, mule, and donkey.
3. Explain how a horse is measured and what a “hand” equals when measuring a horse.
4. Using a picture, point out these main parts of a horse: forehead, muzzle, mane, withers, point of hip, knee, hoof, and root of tail.
5. Describe three different breeds of horses and explain what feature makes each breed special.
6. Using photos or pictures you have drawn,explain to your den or family at least three different ways that horses can help us.
7. Name five things healthy for a horse’s diet.
8. Tell why it is important to wear an approved riding helmet when you go horseback riding.
9. Photograph or draw a picture of the saddle you used for the ride you took to earn the belt loop.
10. With your parent or adult partner, visit a veterinarian who cares for horses. Write the answers to three questions you ask him or her.
11. Spend at least 15 minutes before and after your ride getting to know your horse by talking calmly to it and stroking it slowly.
12. Go on a supervised horseback ride for at least 30 minutes. Dress appropriately and show that you can safely mount and dismount the horse.

Cub Scouts Sports Belt Loop - Horseback Riding

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain five safety precautions for when you are near a horse.
2. With help from an experienced horse handler, demonstrate how to safely mount and ride a horse and then how to safely dismount the horse.
3. Go on a supervised horseback ride for at least 20 minutes. Wear an approved helmet (such as one approved for horseback riding by the ASTM, or American Society for Testing and Materials).

Cub Scout Sports Pin - Hockey

Earn the Hockey belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Participate in a pack, school, or community hockey tournament or in a supervised hockey league.
2. Participate in a hockey skills development clinic.
3. Spend at least 30 minutes practicing the skills of hockey: skating, stick handling, passing, shooting, and checking. This may be over two different practice periods
4. Draw the layout of the playing surface for a hockey game including the starting positions of the goalie, three forwards (two wings and a center), and two defenders.
5. Demonstrate foul signals. Explain to your den or team why players should avoid fouls.
6. Attend a high school, college, or professional hockey game.
7. Demonstrate hockey terms (for example, assist, breakaway, deke, draw, pulling the goalie, and so on.) to another team member or adult.
8. Learn about a U.S. Olympic hockey team and report what you learn to your den or family.
9. Watch an ice resurfacing machine at an ice rink. Report to your den or family about the history of the machine commonly known as the Zamboni and how it is used.

Cub Scout Sports Belt Loop - Hockey

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain ways to protect yourself while skating. Demonstrate how to put on all necessary safety equipment. Explain why proper safety equipment is important.
2. Spend 30 minutes practicing the skills of hockey: skating, stick handling, passing, shooting, and checking. This may be over two different practice periods.
3. Play a game of hockey while on roller skates or hockey skates.

Cub Scout Sports Pin - Hiking

Earn the Hiking belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Make a chart and record at least five hours of hiking.
2. Help plan a den, pack, or family hike.
3. Earn Cub Scouting’s Leave No Trace Awareness Award.
4. Earn the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award.
5. Learn seven trail signs and tell your den leader or adult partner what they are.
6. Be able to identify five different trees and five different birds on your hike. (These can be of the same species if multiple species are hard to find.)
7. Using pictures or photographs, identify three poisonous plants. (Examples are poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak; oleander, etc.). Watch for these plants while on a hike.
8. Take two different hikes for different purposes, for example, a nature hike, neighborhood hike, historical hike, city hike, stop-look-and-listen hike, and so on.
9. Explain to your den leader or adult partner what a compass is and show how to use one on a hike.
10. Explain to your den leader or adult partner what a global positioning system is and demonstrate how to use one on a hike.
11. With visuals such as pictures or maps, report about one of your hikes to your den. Tell about how you prepared for your hike, who went with you, and what you saw.

Cub Scouts Sports Belt Loop - Hiking

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain the hiking safety rules to your den leader or adult partner. Practice these rules while on a hike.
• Hiking Safety
• Always tell someone where you are going and when you will return.
• Never hike alone or at night; use the buddy system.
• Dress properly for the weather and environment.
• Wear sun and insect protection
• Take an extra pair of socks in case you need to change.
• Obey traffic signs and signals.
• Avoid hiking along roadways.
• Stay on the trail.
• Be alert to your surroundings.
• Don't litter as you hike.
• Be alert to dangerous animals, insects, and plants. Never touch a wild animal.
• Take 1 pint of water for each hour you will be hiking. Never drink untreated water.
• Understand how "The Sweet Sixteen of BSA Safety" would apply to the hiking situation.
2. Demonstrate proper hiking attire and equipment.
3. Hike at least 30 minutes with your adult partner, family, or den.

Cub Scouts Sports Pin: Gymnastics

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain the six events of men’s gymnastics: floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vaulting/ side horse, parallel bars, and horizontal bar.
2. Explain the safety rules you should follow to learn gymnastics.
3. Participate in an exercise from three of the six events using the proper equipment and techniques.

Valentines Day

How did this holiday start?...

There were a few different early Christian saints that had the name Valentinus.  The most popular story takes place around 269AD. St Valentine was put into prison for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and also for ministering to Christians.  While he was in prison it is said that he healed the daughter of his jailer Asterius.  Legend has it that before St Valentine was executed he wrote "from your Valentine" as a farewell to her.

Today the holiday is observed by sending flowers, candies, and Valentines day cards to those we love.  There is an estimated 200 million Valentines sent on this day within the U.S.!

Personal Fitness Merit Badge Worksheet

We have created a printable worksheet for the Personal Fitness Merit Badge.  The format follows close to what you will see with your blue card.  In no way is this intended to replace your merit badge book or blue card that you need to have your counselor sign.  This is intended as a worksheet for you and your parent/guardian to track your progress with this merit badge.

Cub Scouts Sports Pin: Golf

Earn the Golf belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Explain the use of woods and irons. Explain their differences.
2. Explain how par is determined for a hole.
3. Demonstrate the proper grip of the club to your leader, adult partner, or instructor.
4. Spend 30 minutes, over one or two practice periods, practicing the swing styles: full swing, approach swing, and putting swing.
5. Spend 30 minutes, over one or two practice periods, practicing aim, stance, and the address position.
6. Draw a diagram of a typical golf hole, from tee to green.
7. Demonstrate your knowledge of the use and care of golf equipment: clubs, ball, tee, bag, shoes, and gloves.
8. Describe the composition of a regulation golf ball.
9. Take golf lessons.
10. Spend 30 minutes, over one or two practice periods, hitting balls on a driving range.
11. Play miniature golf.

Cub Scout Sports Belt Loop: Golf

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain the rules of golf to your leader or adult partner. Explain the need for caution concerning golf clubs and golf balls.
2. Spend at least 30 minutes practicing golfing skills at a driving range.
3. Spend at least 30 minutes practicing golfing skills at a chipping/putting range.

Pets Merit Badge

There are many different animals out there that you could have as a pet.  The most common are dogs, cats, hamsters,  fish, and birds.  Which ever one you pick or currently have requires a great deal of responsibility.  Our family has a black long haired cat. Some of the responsibilities that we have with her is feeding, cleaning litter, grooming (claws), playing with her (some exercise), and even giving her baths.

For the Pets Merit Badge you need to complete the following requirement:

Write in 200 words or more about the care, feeding, and housing of your pet. Tell some interesting facts about it. Tell why you have this kind of pet. Give local laws, if any, relating to the pet you keep.

The Scout Law

Diamond Fork Campground

This is a great campsite for winter camping with younger scouts.  Located just five miles off of highway 6, Diamond Fork offers year round camping with the North loop being open during the off season winter months.  This campsite includes bathroom facilities, picnic tables, fire pits, a creek that runs along the perimeter, and nature trail loop.  During the winter months snow caves are able to be made along the bottom of the hillsides to the east of the campsites.

View Diamond Campground in a larger map

Why do we have fingerprints?

Many experts think it's to improve grip, but a British study from a few years back suggests otherwise. Researchers found that a fingerprint's ridges actually made it harder to hold flat, smooth surfaces, like Plexiglas, becasuse they reduced the skin's contact area.  Instead, they think our prints might help wick water off our fingertips or allow our skin to stretch ore easily, which can protect it from damage and help prevent blisters. Other scientits have suggested fingerprints could improve our sense of touch, What we do know for sure is that no two people's fingerprints are the same, even among identical twins. - V. Patteson Lombardi, PhD, research assistant professor of biology at the University of Oregon

Why do you think we have fingerprints?...

Fingerprinting Merit Badge Requirements

Cub Scouts Sports Pin: Flag Football

Earn the Flag Football belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Layout and properly mark a flag football field at a park or playground.
2. Explain the difference between defense and offense in a flag football game.
3. Describe five different positions a player may play in flag football. Name the position that you prefer to play.
4. During three half-hour sessions, practice the skills of passing, hand-offs, rushing, and running.
5. Participate in a flag-football clinic.
6. Consider all the people who make it possible to play a game of flag football. List parents, coaches, team members, scorekeepers, referees, groundskeepers, etc.
7. Play in five flag football games without incurring a penalty.
8. Explain and demonstrate at least six football officiating signals.
9. Attend a high school, college, or community league football game.
10. Read a book about a football player and tell your den or family about the player’s training and work ethics.
11. Talk with a referee or official of a high school, college, or community football league and learn about his or her responsibilities at a football game.

Cub Scouts Sports Belt Loop: Flag Football

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain or discuss the simple rules of flag football with your den.
2. Practice running, passing, and catching skills for at least 30 minutes.
3. Play a game of flag football.

Using Morse Code

While hiking, how would you communicate with someone on the other side of the valley?... You could use your cell phone... but what if you had no signal or you battery was dead? True, you could use radios... but your batteries are dead in those also... you could use Morse Code!

Cub Scouts Sports Pin: Fishing

Earn the Fishing belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Compete in a pack or community fishing tournament.
2. Demonstrate how to clean a fish in preparation for cooking and eating it. Properly dispose of any waste.
3. Prepare a report on three different kinds of fish. Include information on preferred habitats, feeding habits, and recommended fishing techniques, baits, and equipment needed to catch it. Tell your den or an adult family member what you learned.
4. Draw a picture of three different types of fishing reels. Explain how each works.
5. Identify three different fishing flies that are used in places you like to fish. Use at least one to fish.
6. Practice casting for 30 minutes at a target 30 feet away.
7. Select a species of fish and draw a picture of it, correctly labeling each part and its function.
8. Replace the line in a fishing reel.
9. Make a simple pole and line fishing rig. Use it to catch a fish.
10.  Catch a fish using artificial bait or lures.
11. Practice fishing on five occasions, complying with local fishing regulations and the Outdoor Code.

Cub Scout Sports Belt Loop: Fishing

Complete these three requirements:

1. Review your local fishing regulations with your leader or adult partner. Explain why they are important, and commit to following them.
2. Demonstrate how to bait a hook properly.
3. Spend at least 30 minutes trying to catch fish.