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Explorers Life Skills Activity Badge

Explorers Life Skills Activity Badge

Life Skills badge

Developing life skills helps you become more independent and prepared for the future. Whether you’re learning practical DIY, navigating public transport, or understanding different personalities, these challenges will give you valuable real-world experience.

Complete three activities. You could:

  1. Discover – Find out how to properly wash, dry, and care for different types of clothing, including reading care labels and choosing the right settings.

    Compare different detergents, learn how to treat common stains, and explore how good laundry habits can save money and extend the life of your clothes.

  2. Experience – Carry out simple home maintenance by assembling flat‑pack furniture or equipment, following written or visual instructions.

    Use a checklist or reflection to record how you followed instructions and how this skill supports problem‑solving and independence.

  3. Mobilise - Take part in a group discussion or debate and practise active listening and clear speaking.

        Reflect on how tone, body language, and empathy affect how your message is received.

  4. Solve - Plan how to get somewhere using only public transport.

    What are your different options, how much will it cost and how long will the journey take? Why not challenge each other to see who can get the furthest in a certain amount of time and budget.

  5. Create – Design a personal budget for a month, including income, savings, and essential expenses.

        Use a spreadsheet or budgeting app and include tips for staying on track and avoiding debt.

Tips

    • We use lots of different skills day to day. Some key skills are:
      •    Resilience
      •    Critical thinking
      •    Researching information
      •    Online safety
      •    Cooking
      •    Looking after your home
    • Thinking about the above themes, what activities could you do for this badge?
    • To get the badge, you can either try some of our example activities, or come up with your own with support from a Scouts volunteer or trusted adult. The activities should be challenging for you and take a reasonable amount of time.

  • Offer flexibility and encourage Explorers to tailor their badge to their interests and skill set.


    Everyone has different skills and experiences, so try to consider their starting point when choosing what they will achieve.


    As a rough guide, an Activity Badge should be achievable within 3 weeks of activities.

    • When taking part in any activity, remember to let someone know -
      • Where you’re going.
      • Who you’re with.
      • What time you plan to start and finished.
      • A plan for communicating your progress.
      • Ask for help if you're visiting new places or trying new activities.
    • Having a go at DIY is great! Get a responsible adult to have a quick look at your finished project before you use it, to make sure it is safe and ready to go.
    • Take note of and apply the top safety tips from the Guidance for Food Safety webpage to keep yourself and others safe in various kitchen settings, including when using different stoves or cooking at campsites.
    • Be mindful of food allergies and intolerances by always checking ingredient labels and avoiding cross-contamination. Use separate utensils and preparation areas for allergen-free meals to keep everyone safe.
    • Buddy up – take part in activities with another Explorer or friend, so you can experience and try new things together.
    • Complete you own risk assessment based on your plans and ask an adult volunteer to check it for you.
    • All activities for this badge must be safely managed and locally approved.
    • When assisting Explorers with DIY projects, ensure they have the appropriate tools, clear instructions, and a safe workspace. Once the project is completed, thoroughly check it before use, to make sure it is safety and functions as intended.
    • Support Explorers in following and applying the top tips and information from Guidance for food safety webpage.
    • Volunteers must make sure they have completed a thorough risk assessment, and taken appropriate steps to reduce risk
    • Use the safety checklist to help plan and risk assess the activity. 

  • Badges will be available to purchase from Scout Store later in September, please check back for updates.

June 2026.

Requirements can be adapted to suit each young persons abilities. See our guidance on flexibility.

Looking for activities for this badge