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| AMERICAN BUSINESS | 6 | Hard | 3 Months | 1st Class | Would go great with school economics course. What makes this "hard" is running a business for 3 months, otherwise it is easy to medium. |
| AMERICAN CULTURES | 5 | Medium | 1-3 Months | none | Duration is mostly logistics - this one takes some planning. |
| AMERICAN HERITAGE | 6+ | Medium | 2-3 Months | none | Would go great with an American History class. A fair bit of planning and reporting required. |
| AMERICAN LABOR | 9 | Medium | 1 Month | none | Good companion to American Business MB, requires a bit of writing and research, but nothing too difficult. |
| ANIMAL SCIENCE | 6 | Easy | 1 Month | none | Some planning and visits, but most information is in an encyclopedia or library book. |
| ARCHAEOLOGY | 11 | Hard | 2-5 Months | 1st Class+ | Very involved. Need to do research, reports, presentations and visits. Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones movies won't count as requirements, but they will help make it more interesting. |
| ARCHERY | 5 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Skill required! But fun to learn and do. Good summer camp badge. |
| ARCHITECTURE | 5 | Medium | 1 Month | none | Lots of cool PC tools to help, involves interviews. Be sure to ask the architects why they almost always under estimate the cost! |
| ART | 5 | Easy | 1 Week | none | Good first merit badge - they don't get any easier than this ... fun too. |
| ASTRONOMY | 10+ | Medium | 1-2 Months | 1st Class | Fairly involved and requires planning. Good camp or troop badge. |
| ATHLETICS | 6 | Medium | 1-3 Months | Tenderfoot | A scout is physically fit ... and this newly updated badge will prove it. Takes some planning and scheduled events. |
| AUTO MECHANICS | 11+ | Hard | 2-5 Months | 15-16ish | This will be invaluable later (when you need to get that thingy to stop making that noise, etc.), but not of much interest until around driving age. |
| AVIATION | 5 | Medium | 1-3 Months | none | Some of this is in you Webelos book! Revisions make this a solid "medium" and does require some planning and project work. |
| BACKPACKING | 11+ | Medium | 3 Months | Some First Aid | Not difficult, but time consuming. Good start possible at summer camp. |
| BASKETRY | 3 | Easy | 1-3 Days | none | As easy as they get! |
| BIRD STUDY | 8 | Medium | 1-12 Weeks | none | Lots to study, but not too involved. |
| BUGLING | 6 | Medium | 3 Months | none | Good one for brass players in band, but most can learn a bugle. 3 months of bugling required. |
| CAMPING (E) | 10+ | Medium | 1-2 Years | 1st Class | Most requirements are simple, but to get in all the campouts takes time. Keep track of all campouts and around 1st Class or Star should have most done. Rewritten in 2006, although not much changed. |
| CANOEING | 10+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | First Aid, 1st Class | First Aid will cover CPR and other first aid issues and 1st Class requires basic swimming skills. Otherwise, enjoy the ride! |
| CHEMISTRY | 7+ | Medium | 2-8 Weeks | Science in School | A good one to do with High School Chemistry or Science class. |
| CINEMATOGRAPHY | 4 | Easy | 1-4 Weeks | none | The hard part might be finding the merit badge counselor, but otherwise this is a fairly easy one. |
| CITIZENSHIP - Community (E) | 8+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | A good one to do with Jr. High or High School government class. Eagle Required. |
| CITIZENSHIP - Nation (E) | 8+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | A good one to do with Jr. High or High School government class. Eagle Required. |
| CITIZENSHIP - World (E) | 7+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Rewritten in 2006 and seems easier, but overall is still a "medium" rating. Again a good one to do with Jr. High or High School government class. Eagle Required. |
| CLIMBING | 12+ | Medium | 1-12 Weeks | 1st Class or 14 | Some knots and climbing required. Good one for summer camp or high adventure campout. |
| COIN COLLECTING | 10+ | Medium | 1-12 Weeks | none | Apparently the zealots were not content with 4 requirements, now there are 10. Helps to already have a collection started. |
| COLLECTIONS | 9+ | Medium | 1-12 Weeks | none | Could do in conjunction with coin collecting ... or drier lent ... or even something useful! Fun for us packrats! |
| COMMUNICATIONS (E) | 9 | Easy | 1-4 Weeks | none | Good summer camp or merit badge trail activity ... I'd tell you more, but that's your job! |
| COMPOSITES (New in 2006) |
6+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | A new merit badge. Seems like a good introduction to the topic without going nuts! A good current materials technology to learn about. |
| COMPUTERS | 9 | Medium | 1-12 Weeks | none | Good one for school keyboarding or if you already use the computer for papers, internet and other things. If it's all new to you, this will take some time! |
| COOKING | 8+ | Medium | 1-8 Weeks | none | Need to do some planning and cooking, but fairly easy. This bumped up to medium because it doubled in reqs in '02. |
| CRIME PREVENTION | 9+ | Medium | 4-12 Weeks | none | Lot of trips/visits to plan, so this one will take some time. |
| CYCLING (E Opt) | 9+ | Medium | 3-6 Months | none | Lots of bike rides required for this one. Plan to do it over a year or so. |
| DENTISTRY | 7+ | Medium | 2-6 Weeks | teeth | Easy-to-medium. My dentist would love this one, yours might too! Do your brush your tounge? Floss? |
| DISABILITIES AWARENESS | 7 | Medium | 3 Months | none | While the political correctness runnth over, this is a merit badge to be proud of. Possibly a life/perspective-changing effort. Recently rewritten. |
| DOG CARE | 9+ | Medium | 2 Months | Helps to have a dog | A good one to do if you have a dog or like animals. If you don't have a dog, you might be able to take care of someone else's for the badge. |
| DRAFTING | 6 | Medium | 1-8 Weeks | none | Shades of my old mechanical drawing class from high school! Helps to access to a CAD system and drawing tools. Might as well do the architecture badge while you're at it. |
| ELECTRICITY | 11+ | Medium | 1-2 Weeks | none | Can get most of the information from books at the library. Rated medium because it requires two small projects and has over 10 requirements. |
| ELECTRONICS | 6 | Medium | 1-2 Weeks | none | Goes well with electricity, project intensive and requires some math. Perfect if you are taking it in school anyway! |
| EMERGENCY PREP. (E Opt) |
9+ | Medium | 1-6 Weeks | First Aid | This or Lifesaving are Eagle Required. This badge is a goes well right after First Aid and Pioneering. 2004 revisions reduced some redundancy with some other badges. |
| ENERGY | 8 | Medium | 3-6 Weeks | Jr/Sr High Science | This is best done in conjunction with a school science class and requires oral and written reports. |
| ENGINEERING | 9+ | Medium | 1-2 Months | 1st Class | Another badge prepared by zealots! You'll know a lot about engineering and get to do some visits and hands-on projects. Learn why most engineers should be required to take the communications merit badge! |
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP | 6+ | Hard | 3 Months | 1st Class | This badge was probably prepared by consultants (like a zealot only with no stake in the outcome)! Does require you to start a business, good joint badge with American Business. |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (E) | 6+ | Medium | 1-8 Weeks | 2nd Class | Eagle Required. Rewritten to be a bit less zealous, which is good. An important badge, of course! A good one to do at Summer Camp. |
| FAMILY LIFE (E) | 7 | Easy | 3 Months | none | Earn brownie points at home! A simple enough merit badge, but it does require some discipline. 90 days is a must for requirement 3. |
| FARM MECHANICS | 9+ | Medium | 1-6 Weeks | none | If you live on a farm this is a breeze! If not, your camp ranger or a local farmer would appreciate your projects on this one. |
| FINGERPRINTING | 5 | Easy | 1 Week | none | You can probably pick up a finger printing kit from your local police department ... and convince network TV to do a CSI spin-off for your home town. |
| FIRE SAFETY | 12+ | Medium | 3 Weeks | 1st Class | Pyros ... this is the one for you - please! Not hard, but lots of stuff to do, explain, and demonstrate and includes a visit to the fire department. |
| FIRST AID (E) | 7+ | Hard | 1 - 4 Weeks | none | You must know Tenderfoot, 2nd and 1st Class first aid for this, but it's a good way to kill 4 birds with one stone (okay, wound 4 birds and then fix them up). Requires learning and demonstrating CPR. Good one to do before many other badges! |
| FISH AND WILDLIFE MGMT | 8 | Medium | 1 - 4 Weeks | none | Good Summer Camp badge. |
| FISHING | 9 | Medium | 1 - ? Weeks | none | Time to complete this is mostly dependent on how quickly you can catch two fish. Scout fishermen are exempt from "trustworthy" only in reporting the size of the fish that got away (simply because it's tradition)! |
| FLY FISHING {New in 2002} | 10 | Medium | 1 - ? Weeks | none | Why are there 10 requirements here and only 9 for Fishing you ask? Good question. If you do both together that would make sense, but this does have some special skills needed! |
| FORESTRY | 7+ | Hard | 1 - 8 Weeks | 1st Class | This is a good Summer Camp badge. It requires several "collections"/identifications of plants, trees and shrubs. |
| GARDENING | 6 | Easy | 2 Months | none | Just need to watch your garden grow ... and a few other things! |
| GENEALOGY | 9 | Medium | 2-4 Weeks | none | The revision brings this badge down a notch from the over-zealous category. It is now more in-line with an introduction to the topic, albeit involved. It should be an interesting badge to do. |
| GEOLOGY | 5+ | Medium | 1-16 Weeks | none | If you are a rock hound ... this is for you. Totally rewritten in 2006, it is now a more reasonable introduction. Still involved, but one you are more likely to tackle, rock-hound or not. |
| GOLF | 8 | Easy | 1-4 Weeks | none | This is definitely a fun one, play golf and earn a badge! |
| GRAPHIC ARTS | 7+ | Medium | 2-4 Weeks | none | Good intro to graphic arts and includes a field trip. |
| HIKING (E Opt) | 7 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | 1st Class First Aid | Eagle alternate badge (swimming or cycling). This is a good one to do over a longer period of time based on troop hikes/events. |
| HOME REPAIRS | 6+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Make the folks happy by becoming Mr. Fix-it. I'm for this one!!! Thrift vs. the money pit (a house)! |
| HORSEMANSHIP | 11 | Medium | 2 Months | Helps to have a horse | A good one to do if you have a horse or like animals. You even get to be "in harmony" with your horse. You could be the next horse whisperer! |
| INDIAN LORE | 4 | Easy | 1 Week | none | Could go well with history. This is a nice introductory level approach to the topic. Kudos to the authors. |
| INSECT STUDY | 11 | Hard | 1-3 Months | none | If your school biology class still requires an insect collection, this will be a natural, otherwise the bug collection could be a show stopper. Has definite summer camp possibilities! |
| JOURNALISM | 5 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | This is a nice introductory level approach and very useful for understanding what you read and hear in the news. |
| LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE | 6 | Easy | 1 Week | none | This is fairly straightforward and a good intro to landscaping. |
| LAW | 11 | Medium | 2 Weeks | none | I expected a high-falutin' set of requirements, but found these quite reasonable. A good intro. |
| LEATHERWORK | 5 | Easy | 1 Week | none | Good camp badge in terms of having the materials you need, but can be done at home too. |
| LIFESAVING (E Opt) | 15+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | Swimming MB, CPR | Good camp badge for pool, etc. This is Eagle required, but optional if Emergency Preparedness has been earned. A good one to do regardless. |
| MAMMAL STUDY | 5 | Medium | 1 Week | none | Has many options, some more time-consuming than others. |
| MEDICINE | 10+ | Hard | 1 Month | none | Good introduction, but prepared by zealots. Lots of details in this one. Might be able to get into med school after this! |
| METALWORK | 5+ | Medium | 1 Week | none | A good one to do in conjunction with metal shop. Access to proper tools is helpful. Should be able to forge the tetsighga with these skills. |
| MODEL DESIGN AND BUILDING | 6 | Medium | 2 Weeks | none | Project planning and model creation required, but a fun one. |
| MOTORBOATING | 6+ | Medium | 1-6 Weeks | 1st Class, CPR | This is a good one to be an older scout, having 1st Class swimming requirements and CPR (via First Aid or other merit badges) - access to a motorboat is required. |
| MUSIC | 4 | Easy | 1-6 Months | none | Don't let 6 months scare you off -- one option is being in a band or choir for that long. Good introduction to music. |
| NATURE | 4+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Good summer camp or merit badge trail activity. |
| NUCLEAR SCIENCE | 7+ | Medium | 1-3 Months | 1st Class | Would go well with high school science. Not hard, but involves research and projects. (formerly atomic energy) |
| OCEANOGRAPHY | 9 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Good in conjunction with high school biology, good selection of options to choose from. |
| ORIENTEERING | 10+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Might be better to be 2nd Class or above, but not essential. You'll know map reading and compass use well after earning this one! Still as a male you may only ask for directions as a last resort! |
| PAINTING | 8 | Easy | 1-2 Weeks | none | An easy one, but useful none-the-less. You do not have to paint the counselor's house! |
| PERSONAL FITNESS (E) | 9+ | Medium | 3 Months | none | Eagle required. This'll get you in shape! |
| PERSONAL MANAGEMENT (E) | 10+ | Medium | 3 Months | none | Eagle required. This is medium because it requires planning and discipline, but provides good life skills! |
| PETS | 4+ | Easy | 4 Months | none | Easier that Dog and Horse MBs, but you need 4 months of pet care to earn it. |
| PHOTOGRAPHY | 5 | Easy | 2-4 Weeks | none | Rewritten in 2006, this badge is now more of a general introduction to the subject. Should be an easy one to complete. |
| PIONEERING | 10 | Medium | 1 Week | none | Good scout weekend or summer camp badge. Helps to earn this one on your way to Emergency Preparedness and after First Aid (or rank-level First Aid). If you like camp gadgets, you like this! |
| PLANT SCIENCE | 7+ | Hard | 1-3 Months | none | Good companion to gardening MB. Does require growing some plants, hence 1-3 Months. The 2006 rewrite move this into the difficult and "created by zealots" category. It's more like 15 requirements than 7. |
| PLUMBING | 7 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Does require using a torch and solder, and some plumbing materials and equipment. |
| POTTERY | 6+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | You might find a ceramic/pottery shop offering a course or your counselor providing resources to assist you in doing the projects. |
| PUBLIC HEALTH | 8 | Medium | 1-2 Months | none | Requires a few visits, so you'll need some extra time for logistics. And remember to wash your hands! |
| PUBLIC SPEAKING | 5 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Good to do in conjunction with a high school speech class, or possibly find a Toastmaster's Club! A good skill to acquire. A close companion of the Communications MB. |
| PULP AND PAPER | 8 | Medium | 2-6 Weeks | none | Requires some time to arrange a visit and carry-out your projects. |
| RADIO | 8+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Almost zealot status, but fairly straight forward. Find a local ham (radio operator) if your counselor isn't one! |
| RAILROADING | 8+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Good Merit Badge trail or local model RR club activity. Now has a spiffy new patch. |
| READING | 4+ | Easy | 1-4 Weeks | none | Includes a good service project. The reading can likely be done in conjunction with school or sr. citizens home. |
| REPTILE AND AMPHIBIAN | 10+ | Medium | 1 Month | none | Requires keep a reptile or amphibian for a month ... tell mom you have to for your badge. This does get a zealot award. |
| RIFLE SHOOTING | 2+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Good Summer Camp badge. Options include rifle shooting, air rifle or black-powder rifle shooting. |
| ROWING | 11+ | Medium | 1 Week | CPR, Swim Test | Do this one after First Aid and 1st Class or swimming MB. |
| SAFETY | 7 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Fairly easy with one project involved. |
| SALESMANSHIP | 7 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | You are likely already a pro based on school and scout sales alone ... might as well earn the badge! |
| SCHOLARSHIP | 5 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Good student or improving those grades, get credit with a MB. Does have some writing, interviewing and visits. |
| SCULPTURE | 3 | Easy | 1 Week | none | Play with clay, earn a badge! Probably have done this in art class at some time or another. |
| SHOTGUN SHOOTING | 12+ | Hard | 1-8 Weeks | none | Might be good to do in conjunction with rifle shooting. |
| SKATING | 6+ | Medium | 1 Week | 1st Class First Aid | Good basic intro on your choice of three types of skating, does require a demonstration of skill. |
| SMALL-BOAT SAILING | 9+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | 1st Class and CPR | Good summer camp or park district badge. Take after canoeing and/or rowing badges. |
| SNOW SPORTS | 15 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | 1st Class First Aid | A fun badge, but requires study and skill, so this may take awhile to complete. Was called Skiing MB which better describes it. |
| SOIL AND WATER CONS. | 7+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Good Summer Camp or merit badge trail project, but can do any time. |
| SPACE EXPLORATION | 8 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | You get to shoot a model rocket - gotta like that! |
| SPORTS (E) | 5 | Medium | 1 Month | 1st Class First Aid | Eagle Required. Requires participation in 2 sports. Should be a simple one for boys already doing recreational or school sports. |
| STAMP COLLECTING | 8+ | Medium | 1 Month | none | If you like stamps and/or collecting, this is a good one. Think of stamps as trading or gaming cards! |
| SURVEYING | 8 | Medium | 1 Week | none | Good basic intro to surveying. Your counselor, city manager/engineering dept., local college, etc. are all likely to have equipment and time to help you with this one. |
| SWIMMING (E Opt) | 10+ | Medium | 1 Week | CPR, 1st Class Swim Test | An eagle required badge (in option with cycling and hiking). I recommend this one, if physically able, even if you don't like to swim. It's an important life skill, even if just for safety. |
| TEXTILE | 6 | Easy | 1 Week | none | Good introduction to textiles and the industry. |
| THEATER | 6+ | Medium | 1 Week | none | Good one if you are involved in school Muse or Theater productions. This can be fun for campfires as well! |
| TRAFFIC SAFETY | 5 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Requires a project related to traffic safety, but a good one to do before or during driver's training! |
| TRUCK TRANSPORTATION | 10 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | The 2006 rewrite brings this down to level of a good introduction to the industry. |
| VETERINARY MEDICINE | 6+ | Medium | 1 Month | none | Rewritten in 2006 and is a bit less intense now. A good badge for animal lovers. |
| WATERSPORTS (waterskiing) | 7 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | 1st Class, CPR | A fun badge, just made easier. Does require some demonstration of basic skills. Access to equipment is important - which your counselor usually has access to. Sometimes local park districts have programs that might assist with many or all requirements. |
| WEATHER | 10 | Medium | 1 Week | none | While there are several requirements, the fall in the easy category. Does require a 5 minute talk. |
| WHITEWATER | 14 | Hard | 1-4 Weeks | 1st Class, CPR, Canoeing | This one is hard by virtue of the number of requirements and pre-requisites. Designed by zealots, but at least it was mostly for safety reasons. |
| WILDERNESS SURVIVAL | 12 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | 1st Class First Aid | Fun, useful, but fairly involved. A good summer camp badge, but can be done in conjunction with campouts. |
| WOOD CARVING | 7 | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Fun and only rated "medium" because two carvings are required ... watch your fingers! |
| WOODWORK | 7+ | Medium | 1-4 Weeks | none | Requires a visit and a project or two, but if you like to make things out of wood ... this is for you. |
| E = 12 Eagle Required Merit Badges | |||||
| E Opt. = Eagle Required Merit Badge with an option (Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving; Swimming, Hiking or Biking) | |||||
| Tips: you might be able to do some interviews over the internet via e-mail, instant messages, or newsgroups. | |||||
| notes: 10 or more requirements generally means a badge is a more recent badge and/or the authors were, shall we say, a tad bit over-zealous. + means that there are multi-part requirements, sometimes so many you wonder why they just didn't number them. | |||||
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