A Geocaching Merit Badge

[+A Team Vallejo 4]

Well said annisrich, Maybe like scouting geocaching isn't for everyone? Besides can there be to many merit badges? Basket weaving? there are a bunch of them. You do know there are some company's that use geocaching to build teams for big business and it is really intense and cost's a lot of money. Geocaching can be a great tool to build patrol spirit do you need more ideas. A fad I really don't think it's a fad as much as it is a continuing game that doesn't end not many fads last 10yrs do they?

[+ohmerfam 0]

Eagle Scout here.

 

A Geocaching Merit Badge would be too easy. Maybe it could be incorporated into part of Orienteering Merit Badge or something similar?

 

I've seen kids pick up on using a GPSr and geocaching in 5 minutes--hardly worth a merit badge.

 

And is playing a game worth a merit badge? How would you feel about Sony Playstation Merit Badge?

 

Speaking as a father and scout leader who had Dyscalculia (basically numerical Dyslexia), symptoms of which are poor direction and (obviously) problems with numbers. Geocaching and all the numbers and directions, at least for me, is not "too easy."

 

My second son is hardly an artist, but excels at the basics (numbers, directions, etc.) that geocaching demands.

 

My daughter is a BORN artist, but has trouble with directions and numbers.

 

My daughter would find the art badge "Too Easy", and my Son would struggle with it. My son, however, would excel at the Geocaching badge, but my daughter would obviously have trouble with it.

 

My point ... "Too Easy" isn't "TOO EASY" for everyone.

[yaccm 0]

Well, I'm a merit badge counselor at a BSA summer camp, and I'm supposed to deal with the Geocaching merit badge. Looking at the requirements, I'm of the opinion that it's a horrible badge. It doesn't teach anything about navigation and is linked only to geocaching.com. I'm also having a lot of trouble making it work at camp because internet use is required. Logging and tracking caches are emphasized too much over the actual skills of the sport. overall, the requirements are bad. http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Geocaching

[+Bacon_God 0]

Scoutcraft director here, I look at the Geocaching MB as a good way to get kids familiar with GPS units and how to use them. This is a fun merit badge and the kids will have a good time. Plus the counselors get to set up a course for the campers, resulting in some hilarious hides.

 

There are far easier merit badges out there. *cough* Finger Printing and Tracking *cough* That none of the kids will earn anything rewarding other than a badge.

[+Schudiske 0]

See the video about the Lost & Found video about Geocaching Merit Badge on the official Geocaching.com blog, Latitude 47.

http://blog.geocaching.com/2010/07/boy-sco...st-found-video/

[+A Team Vallejo 4]

I am not sure what the problem is with adding another merit badge. When I was a scout I didn't see merit badges as learning about them so I could get a job or even to learn something new it was more so I could advance my rank. I am sure that we look at things different as adults now.maybe we should look at it from the standpoint of what can they learn from it? Maybe it will spark some imagination. I am amazed at some adults and there negitave veiws on things. GeoCaching can be a lot of things to a lot of different people everyones into it for differnt reasons. Some like to find things some like to hide things some like to do it to meet people some do it for exercise some do it because there geeks and I am sure there are another 100 reasons and I am sure all of you negative types out there can come up with 100 other reasons why it shouldn't be done like let's sit and watch TV instead of geocaching you can learn more that way...LOL

[+edscott 14]

Well, I'm a merit badge counselor at a BSA summer camp, and I'm supposed to deal with the Geocaching merit badge. Looking at the requirements, I'm of the opinion that it's a horrible badge. It doesn't teach anything about navigation and is linked only to geocaching.com. I'm also having a lot of trouble making it work at camp because internet use is required. Logging and tracking caches are emphasized too much over the actual skills of the sport. overall, the requirements are bad. http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Geocaching

 

Yes it looks more like a Webelo level activity. Geocaching should have been one piece of an electronic navigation badge. NCLB has become NSLB.

[+iceleftd 0]

As an ASM, I find it a little odd that some scouters are making a big deal about the geocaching MB being too easy. Hellloooo! Can we say "Reading"? "Pets"?

 

Some merit badges are harder than others and everyone knows it. It's good to have MBs that teach skills (any skill) that gets the kids outdoors. Instead of griping, if you can think of improvements to the requirements then suggest them to BSA - then everyone wins.

 

Personally, I think it's a good thing that there are some "easy" MBs. First-year scouts can get a couple ones fairly quickly and get the hang of the whole process without getting scared off.

 

Hey, we already have "Bugling", "Coin Collecting" and "Pottery"... I think "Geocaching" fits in just fine.

[+A Team Vallejo 4]

Pet's haaaaaaaa I remember that one. It's over anyway they already have the Merit badge out. So yeah GeoCaching Merit badge. Now Go GeoCaching!

[+captnkirk17 0]

I teach geocaching merit badge, if anyone out there would like a copy of the slides I use.

 

Just reply to me and ask for the link so you can download a copy of them. It is a huge powerpoint presentation, but feel free to use just the content from it that fits with your program.

[+thecatsdogs 0]

While I can't speak to the requirements of this particular merit badge, I have to agree with A Team Vallejo. As the mother of two Eagle Scouts, there comes a time when you just need to get a few badges that are not required to advance your rank. Also if a scout gets more than the minimum number of elective badges, once they become an Eagle they can earn Palms. In our opinion, any badge is worth doing if the scout has an interest in it.

[chickendude 0]

My son is 2nd class scout, an avid geocacher (with over 1000 finds) and he sees no point in a geocaching merit badge. To him merit badges are about learning life long skills and discovering possible future career opportunties. Geocaching (and video game belt loops) do not fit into that.

 

I have to agree with him. While geocaching may be good to pass the time, get to know others, and perhaps teach a little about caring for the environment, I really find no true unique qualities for a geocaching merit badge that are not already covered extensively by other merit badges.

 

Seems to me, more of creating a badge based on fad, rather than on practical life skills or profession. It will be interesting to see what the criteria are for this one......

 

I speak as a family of avid Geocachers (1000+ and almost 90 hides) and active scouts (1st class and Eagle Scout, Cubmaster, Den Leader, Committe member, Summer camp chair, District and Council trainer, Commissioner etc ). Having been involved with training adult leaders I am pretty solid in what I think the BSA Program is about. I think there are so many ways to learn while having fun. There are so many untapped ways to have young men and boys develop leadership. Merit badges are a tool to motivate the scout. Having something fun after doing (most scouts favorite,) Personal Management :-) is fine. Why not make a day of caching along a 10 mile route. Stop once in a while work on a cache find. Hit some of the topics and requirements (before and during) and earn the Geocaching Badge while also knocking off a 10 mile requirement for the Hiking Badge. The older scouts could be helping the newer scouts along the way and I am sure it would be great to do something diferent.

 

Yes, the geocaching merit badge is out and quite easy, as I have already earned it. It is also a good introduction to geocaching for young people who have no idea what it is.

[carball 0]

I think it would really take away from some of the great skills learned from the orienteering merit badge.

[chickendude 0]

I think it would really take away from some of the great skills learned from the orienteering merit badge.

 

Not really, as they are two separate merit badges. Those who own both of them will know two different ways to navigate or find their way, with electronics or without. I think it is good that they kept them separate though, as it WOULD be taking away from orienteering if they were combined with a geocaching option.

[+A Team Vallejo 4]

So we are still debating this even after they made the Merit badge? Cool No one has yet to convince me why there shouldn't be a Geocaching Merit Badge. Learning how to use a gps is not a good idea? How about using it to teach that is not a good idea? How about using the gps so you don't get lost? The GPSr is a tool.

[chickendude 0]

So we are still debating this even after they made the Merit badge? Cool No one has yet to convince me why there shouldn't be a Geocaching Merit Badge. Learning how to use a gps is not a good idea? How about using it to teach that is not a good idea? How about using the gps so you don't get lost? The GPSr is a tool.

 

I agree, and I think that the geocaching merit badge was an excellent idea.

[Bunny Boi 0]

I completely agree! I am a Boy Scout who has earned the geocaching merit badge, and it was great fun! It also teaches kids who have never even heard of geocaching an awful lot about it! This merit badge was a great idea!

Edited August 2, 2011 by Bunny Boi

[perdidochas 0]

I think it would really take away from some of the great skills learned from the orienteering merit badge.

 

How can it take away from skills? It's a different merit badge. It's one of the easy ones, like Fingerprinting or Indian Lore.

[Tassie_Boy 4]

I am not sure what the problem is with adding another merit badge. When I was a scout I didn't see merit badges as learning about them so I could get a job or even to learn something new it was more so I could advance my rank.

 

I think this highlights the question that is being asked here, should the award scheme be reduced to a box ticking activity simply so you can "move up a rank" as you say. Or get the next cord or however the award scheme works in any other country.

 

Shouldn't the point of the award scheme be four the scout to not only learn a skill but to understand it properly. I don't know what the requirements of this badge are but does it get stripped from the scout if their cache is abandoned after 6 months? Given the scout law and that a badge requirement would probably be following the rules of the game then abandonment of a cache is a failure of the badge.

[courteneycox4 0]

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good luck

Edited April 7, 2014 by markcase

[mac266 4]

Whelp...I see this thread is quite old, but you'll be happy to know there *IS* a geocaching merit badge for BSA.