This Award is meant for Cub Scouts.
The BSA Family Award program offers activities to help strengthen all families - whether two-parent, single-parent, or nontraditional. This program helps families accomplish worthy goals while building and strengthening relationships among family members. All family members are encouraged to participate and may earn the award.
Some packs, through a volunteer family program chair, actively encourage and support families pursuing this award. If your pack does not promote and support the family program, your family may still participate on its own. The BSA Family Activity Book (available at your local council service center) gives all the requirements as well as step-by-step instructions for earning the BSA Family Award.
To earn the award, a family must complete 10 activities within a 12-month period. The family chooses one activity in two topics in each of the following categories:
- Learning Through Fun and Adventure
- Strengthening Family Relationships
- Developing Personal Strengths
- Teaching Responsibility
- Handling Difficult Situations
When a family has completed the requirements, all family members are eligible to receive an award certificate, patches for uniform wear, and/or pins for non-uniform wear.
The patch is a temporary emblem to be displayed centered on the right pocket or on a patch vest.
The BSA Family Activity Book is the primary resource for the BSA Family Award program. It is filled with suggested activities to enhance the children's personal development and enrich and strengthen the family.
The BSA Family Activity Book is divided into five categories that include several topics of interest to families. Each topic contains suggested activities for a family to do together. These activities could include going on field trips; telling stories; doing arts and crafts projects; playing games; participating in family discussions; or making lists, charts, and scrapbooks.
Most of the ideas in the BSA Family Activity Book will be useful during family meetings or gatherings. However, parents will also find ways to incorporate them into daily life. Many ideas may be adapted for use while riding in a car and during mealtimes, and may provide things to occupy children when they say there is "nothing to do." In short, parents may use the ideas and activities to meet their own family's needs and interests.
Included with most topics are recommended books for adults and children to read together. One can find these (or other books) at a local public library. Adults and children may take turns reading aloud. There are many wonderful books to help explain or illustrate any topic the family explores.
The BSA Family Activity Book is available at your local council service center or wherever Scouting merchandise is sold. Visit www.scoutstuff.org to find a list of Scouting retailers in your area.
Comments: Jan 04, 2013 - Scouter Paul
John - That is the way I interpret what I've read. And, for each additional two activities completed in a category, a pin for that category can be purchased and displayed.
Jan 10, 2013 - Faith
I came here to ask the roughly same question John did. Without being completely repetitious, to earn them all you would:
1. Complete 2 activities in each of the 5 areas, equaling 10 activities total. This will earn you the certificate and 5 patches.
2. Complete an additional 2 activities in each area to then get the corresponding pin for up to all 5 areas.
I have two copies of this book, one from 2004 and one from this year. They vary. The 2004 book features BSA� Family Emblem patch, which is none of the 5 'category' patches but a completely different one. I wasn't sure how that one was earned since you now have that plus the 5 category ones.
Thanks so much for all your info you've provided on here, it's been invaluable to us!
Apr 15, 2013 - Jess
Can this award be earned every year? Or just 1 time?
Thanks!
Apr 16, 2013 - Scouter Paul
Jess - Yes, your family can complete the requirements every year. Someone needs to purchase the recognition items - checking with your Pack to find out who pays for the materials, patches, and pins beforehand would be a good idea.
Apr 30, 2013 - Diane
hhmmm, I have the newest printing of the book and it seems to read as if you do 2 in each of the 5 areas to get the certificate (10 total)- THEN after you do 2 more activities in ONE area you earn the patch - after 2 more in the SAME area gets you the pin - seem right??
May 01, 2013 - Scouter Paul
Diane - I don't believe you've interpreted it correctly. I believe completion of the 10 activities makes participants eligible for the certificate and patches. Then, additional activities allows participants to collect pins to display on the patches.
But, if your family chooses to do it your way, I don't think anyone will object.
May 10, 2013 - Faith
Just wanted to come back and state how it went when two of our scouts earned it. After 10 activities, they got each of the patches & a certificate. After 10 more, they got each of the pins (that was 4 completions in each of the 5 areas.) The parents were required to purchase everything but the certificate (in our pack anyways.) The patch at the top right was no longer 'awarded' (although our scout shop still had it in stock.) I assume that when with the old printing.
May 25, 2015 - Kara
I'm confused, My son and I did 2 from each of the 5 areas and all we got was a black and
yellow patch. There were supposed to be more colors? There is more that we can do to
earn pins? We did this as a tiger, two years ago. I'd love to do it again and do other
activities and earn more patches/pins.
May 25, 2015 - Scouter Paul
@Kara - Yes, there are more colored patches and pins as discussed
on this page, and as you can find at ScoutStuff.org
You can
purchase the Activity Book at your local scout shop, or at
ScoutStuff.org and have all the details.
Jan 18, 2016 - Debb
When I did it with my boys, each level completed got them the
different color patch.
Feb 19, 2017 - Angele
Is this program still supported? I haven't been able to find any recent information on it. With
all the recent changes, I wanted to be sure before we started. Thanks!
Feb 21, 2017 - Scouter Paul
@Angele - You can still purchase the guidebook and emblems at
ScoutStuff.org
Mar 09, 2018 - Jennifer
I am so new to all of this but saw this and was thinking this would be a
great one for my Cub Scout and our family but I can not find the Book I
need to start it? Can someone please help. I have tried looking at the
Scout store place online and nothing comes up but the patch.
Thank you
Jenn
Mar 09, 2018 - David
@Jennifer, hope this helps
http://scoutstuff.org/cub-scout-family.html
Mar 09, 2018 - Jennifer
@David thank you so much...
Feb 12, 2020 - Cheryl Reitz
I am looking for a copy of this book.
Can anyone provide me a copy or send
me a link. My council nor does any I
have visited have one.
Mar 18, 2020 - Jason
Like wise. Is this still a currently recognized award? And where
do we get the details for it?
Jan 24, 2022 - Charlene
I'm currently looking for a copy of this book --- physical or PDF would
be acceptable. Does anyone have any info?
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