Badges. Every adventure, every challenge, every “I did it!” All on their arm.
Learn skills, earn badges, sew them on, show them off!
Badges are a big part of your Scouting journey. They show the skills you've learned, the challenges you've taken on and the adventures you've had along the way. But with so many different badges to earn, it can be tricky to know where they all go.
Whether you're a Squirrel, Beaver, Cub, Scout or Explorer, your uniform has specific places for different badges. From Joining In Awards and Challenge Awards to Activity Badges and other achievements, each badge has its own place.
As you move through the sections, your uniform changes too. Some badges stay with you, while others are replaced as you take on new challenges and continue your journey through Scouting.
Not sure where a badge goes? We've put together a simple guide for each section to help you find the right place and keep your uniform looking its best.
Uniform Badge Placement Diagrams
Moving On to a New Section
Moving up to a new section is an exciting part of your Scouting journey. It’s a chance to meet new people, try new things and take on bigger challenges as you continue developing your Skills for Life.
When you move from Squirrels to Beavers, Beavers to Cubs, Cubs to Scouts or Scouts to Explorers, your uniform changes with you. Some badges will move across to your new uniform, while others will stay with your old section. Don’t worry if you’re not sure what goes where - your leaders will help make sure you’re ready for the move.
Your Challenge Awards and other achievements are an important record of the things you’ve accomplished, so make sure you look after your badges when changing uniform. Your new section is the next step in your adventure, with new experiences, new challenges and plenty more to discover.
Ready for your next adventure? Your leaders will help you make the move into your new section and settle in, so you can get stuck into everything your new section has to offer.
World Membership Badge
Worn in all SectionsYour World Membership Badge follows you in every section, from Beavers all the way through to Network and even being an Adult Volunteer. You can either unstitch it from your current uniform and re-sew it, or buy a new one to sew onto your new uniform.
Joining in Awards
Wear your highest four awardsYou can wear up to four Joining In Awards, which should be the four latest ones you’ve earned. So, if you’ve been in Scouts for 5 years, you’d wear your Level 2, Level 3, Level 4 and Level 5 awards.
Moving on Awards
Wear the award from you last sectionThe Moving On award is given to you as you prepare to move from one section to another, to show that you have moved on, so you would only wear the last badge you achieved in the previous section.
Duke of Edinburgh's Awards
Always wear your highest awardWhen you complete your Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, you can wear the highest award you’ve achieved on the uniform you’re currently wearing. When you achieve a higher award, unstitch the old one and sew on your new one.
Chief Scout's Awards
Always wear your highest awardThe Chief Scout’s Award is the highest award for every section you’ll be part of, so you always wear the highest award you've achieved. Unstitch the old award, and sew on your new award and wear it with pride!
Section Challenge Awards
Only wear awards from your sectionYou should only wear Challenge Awards from your current section on your uniform. For example, you wouldn’t wear your Beaver Awards on your Cubs sweater, or your Cubs Awards on your Scouts uniform.
Staged Activity Badges
Wear your highest level in all sectionsYou’ll start to earn Staged Activity Badges in Beavers and keep earning them all the way through to your time in Explorers, so you can carry these over onto your new uniforms whenever you move on. You should only wear the highest level you’ve earned.
Section Activity Badges
Only wear awards for your sectionYou should only wear Activity Badges from your current section on your uniform. As with Challenge Awards, you don’t wear your Beaver badges on your Cubs sweater, or your Cubs badges on your Scouts uniform.
Challenge Awards
How to sew your challenge awards onto your uniformSquirrels
Five Challenge Awards
Beavers
Seven Challenge Awards
Cubs
Eight Challenge Awards
Scouts
Ten Challenge Awards
Explorers
Six Challenge Awards