Elective Merit Badge List
Each merit badge is awarded for a completed task or test. The purpose of these badges is to motivate boy and girl scouts to learn useful skills that will help them in later life.
The merit badge program is a great opportunity for scouts to learn new skills or explore current interests. There are plenty of eager volunteers in the area who are excited to work with the scouts. Set up a merit badge workshop for your scouts and learn some new skills!
Click on the toggles below to see more information about each activity.
Adventure Scuba Company
Seven years of experience preparing Boy Scouts for Sea Base.
Boy Scout Elective Merit Badges
And effective with Eagle boards of review held on or after May 1, 2021, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion merit badge will be required to earn the rank. It’ll become the 14th Eagle-required merit badge, displacing one of the electives. Education in diversity and inclusion isn’t just for the Scouts. Boy Scout Merit Badge Books Time tested, these merit badge books are a curriculum all by themselves, with age appropriate projects and explorations, and a lot of learning packed into a particular subject area. Did you know there are 129 different merit badge books, each on a different subject?
Calleva Outdoor Center
Necessary Time: They have half day, whole day, and weekend programs.
Badge/Achievement Requirements: They have programs to earn Hiking, Canoeing, Cycling, Whitewater, Climbing, Swimming, Camping, Wilderness Survival, Nature, Orienteering, and Forestry merit badges. They also have programs for Cub Scout achievements.
Handicap Accessible: They are very accommodating of handicap needs. However, the woods are not very accessible.
Comments: This is an outstanding facility with a staff that goes the extra mile to help plan a program. Pack 52 had a weekend with the ropes course and white water rafting. Parents were thrilled with the attentive staff and the encouragement they gave a special needs child. This is a pricey program, but it’s worth every cent.
Discovery Creek
They have programs tailored to meet several merit badge requirements.
Earth Treks
Frying Pan Farm Park
Badge/Achievement Requirements: Bear Scout – Farm Animal Elective, Wolf Scout – Bird Arrow Point, Wolf Scout – Machine Power Elective, Webelos – Forester, Boy Scout – Animal Science, Boy Scout – Mammal Study.
Reptile Wonders – The Nature Center on the Go
Program Type: Program brings different exotic species of reptiles from turtles to pythons.
Merit Badges: Nature, Reptile Study, Bird Study, Environmental Science, Gardening, Forestry, First Aid, Weather, Mammal Study, Fish & Wildlife Management, Indian Lore, Plant Science, Soil & Water Conservation, Oceanography.
Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium
A treasure in our backyard. Wonderful programs, great staff and many reasons to come back to this underappreciated facility. Great for all ages. Tiger Cubs to senior Boy Scouts. They will also help create service projects for older Scouts.
Science Museum of Virginia
Badge workshops available.
Group discounts.
Overnight sleep-over programs.
Sportsrock
Wood End (Audobon Society)
Elective Merit Badges
Badge/Achievement requirements: Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelo badges. Six Boy Scout merit badge programs.
Families: Yes
Handicap Accessible: Not all outdoor programs
Comments: Wood End has great programs designed for all Scout levels. They also have an amphitheater in a wonderful setting used by Pack 52 and Troop 52 for advancement ceremonies. The have an excellent and very accommodating staff. They will help design service projects and Eagle Scout project