Tracking Requirements Over Time

Many requirements are completed over weeks or months. It can be difficult for Scouts to sustain the organizational skills and energy to do these requirements.

 

A great way to keep up momentum is to post the tracking sheet in a visible place such as the fridge or a family bulletin board. Most merit badge workbooks include a tracking chart to post. The Scout can also incorporate tracking into the evening homework routine.

 

To keep up motivation, the Scout can come up with ways to incentivize themselves along the way. If something must be tracked for three months, perhaps the parent and Scout agree to do something celebratory after each successful month.

 

The days are long but the years are short, and soon it gets difficult to remember what Scout events you attended. At the back of your Scouting book, there are logs where you can track hikes, campouts and service hours. This is handy so you can show your Scoutmaster at your Scoutmaster conference. If you want to keep everything on one list, you can make a single tracking sheet to record your Scout events (see example below).

 

Tracking campouts is a big help for the Camping badge which requires 20 nights of camping in a tent or under the stars. Also, for Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class, there are requirements about service hours and number of Scout events attended.