A Note from the Founder – The Power of Just Showing Up
Founder – Kerry Cordy
Some days, things don’t go as planned. The activity flops. The badge feels harder than expected. The kids are tired, distracted, or just not in the mood. When that happens, it’s easy to feel like the day didn’t count.
But here’s something I’ve learned over the years: showing up matters.
Learning doesn’t have to look perfect to be meaningful. Leadership doesn’t have to be loud to be real. Growth often happens quietly, in small moments that don’t feel impressive at the time—when a child tries again after getting frustrated, when a group sticks with a project instead of giving up, or when a leader keeps going even on a low‑energy day.
Those moments add up.
Curiosity Untamed was never meant to be about rushing through badges or checking off boxes. It’s about consistency. About being willing to try, to adjust, and to keep moving forward—even when things feel messy. When you show up regularly, you’re teaching perseverance, responsibility, and commitment without ever saying a word.
So if this week felt rough, give yourself some grace. If your meeting wasn’t perfect, that’s okay. If all you managed was one small step forward, that still counts.
Keep showing up. The learning is happening, even when you can’t see it yet.
Award Cards Are Discontinued
For those ordering higher awards, I have discontinued putting the pins on individual award cards. It is simply too much hassle to try to keep an inventory of cards for three different brands. There is no way when ordering through the store to tell me which program the award is being ordered for either so I am sending cards to a lot of people who just throw them away. As my inventory of cards was low, I decided to just discontinue them and send only the awards in the boxes. If you would like to print your own cards, please email me and I will send you the files. Animal level pins and membership pins will still be on pin cards as will servant’s hearts, only the higher awards cards are discontinued
New Badges Added
Tide Pools Badge – Explore the unique ecosystems found where land and sea meet. Learn about the plants and animals that thrive in tidal zones, how they adapt to changing water levels, and why protecting these fragile habitats matters.
Charcuterie Badge – Discover the art and history of arranging meats, cheeses, fruits, and spreads into beautiful and balanced boards. Learn about food presentation, flavor pairing, and safe food handling while creating your own charcuterie display.
Fences Badge – Examine the purpose and design of fences throughout history and around the world. Learn about different materials, construction methods, and the role fences play in agriculture, property boundaries, and community planning.
Hands-On Activity: Nature Rubbings & Leaf Identification
This simple activity pairs well with badges like Trees, Botany, Nature’s Camouflage, or Art in Nature. It’s an ideal project for younger members but engaging enough for all ages.
Supplies:
- White paper
- Crayons (paper peeled off) or colored pencils
- Optional: Field guide or leaf ID chart
Instructions:
- Go on a nature walk and collect leaves of different shapes and sizes.
- Place a leaf under a piece of paper.
- Rub the side of a crayon over the paper to reveal the texture and shape.
- Label each rubbing with the name of the tree or plant (or use a guide to try and identify it).
Seasonal Activities
- Spring Garden Kickoff – Start seeds indoors or outside and track growth. Great for badges like Gardening, Seeds, or Pollinators.
- Rainy Day Science – Experiment with evaporation, condensation, and erosion for badges like Weather, Water, or Geology.
- Outdoor Games Day – Organize classic team games like sack races or capture the flag. Use for Fitness Games, Sportsmanship, or Teamwork.
- Recycling Challenge – Celebrate Earth Day (April 22) by organizing a recycling drive or repurposing household items for crafts. Tie in with Recycling, Upcycle, Zero Waste, or Conservation badges.
Leadership Position Spotlight
Photographer
The troop or club photographer is responsible for documenting the year’s journey. They take photos at meetings, events, and service projects (with adult permission), and help create memory books or slideshows for end-of-year ceremonies.
This is a fantastic position for kids who can’t sit still as it gives them an excuse to be up and moving around. This position teaches awareness, storytelling, and basic photography skills. Encourage your photographer to capture not just posed shots, but the little moments of teamwork and discovery that happen in between.
Higher Award Highlight
Discovery Award
The Discovery Award encourages members to explore all nine Areas of Discovery by earning at least one badge in each category. It’s a great way to broaden interests, try new topics, and build a well-rounded skill set.
April is a great time to review each member’s progress and identify which areas still need attention. Use this opportunity to plan badge pairings that align with your spring goals and group interests.
Community Service Idea: May Day Baskets for Neighbors
Start a tradition of kindness by creating and delivering simple May Day baskets on May 1.
To make a simple May Day basket:
- Roll a piece of colored paper into a cone and tape it closed.
- Punch a hole on either side at the wide open end.
- Run a ribbon through the holes to create a handle.
- Fill them with fresh, silk or paper flowers or seed packets
Hang them on neighbors’ door handles with a kind note.
This activity pairs perfectly with the Kindness, Flower Arranging, or Flower Gardening badges and offers a gentle way for even the youngest members to serve.
Path to Discovery Ceremony
For end of school year award ceremonies, try a “Path to Discovery” theme. Create a symbolic path of paper stepping stones that each child walks across to be recognized for the milestones they reached this year. For an even more memorable ceremony, hold it on real footbridge or cross actual stepping stones in a small creek.
You can use the following script to introduce the ceremony:
“Learning isn’t a straight line, and growth doesn’t happen all at once.
The milestones we recognize today represent skills learned, challenges faced, and service given. These achievements reflect more than completed work; they reflect responsibility, perseverance, and service.
Tonight, we honor those steps forward and the values behind them. Each milestone is a reminder that growth happens one choice at a time.”
As each member steps along the path, share one or two milestone’s they’ve accomplished this year. Once they reach the end of the path you can present them with all their badges and awards. Ideas might include:
- First Badge Earned – Recognition for completing their first badge and learning how to set goals and follow through.
- Five Badges Completed – Marks consistency and growing confidence in learning independently.
- Ten Badges Completed – Shows commitment, curiosity, and the ability to manage longer-term projects.
- First Community Service Project Participation – Recognition for applying learning to serve others, not just earning awards.
- Leadership in Action – Recognized for stepping into a leadership role—teaching, organizing, mentoring, or leading a group effort.
- Skill Mastery Milestone – Recognized for completing a badge that required sustained practice or technical skill.
- Cross-Discipline Discovery – Recognition for earning badges across multiple Areas of Discovery, showing well-rounded growth.
- Perseverance Award – For finishing a challenging badge, returning after setbacks, or sticking with a long-term goal.
- Service Commitment Milestone – Recognition for completing multiple service projects or a significant number of service hours over time.
- Capstone / Higher Award Completion – Marks completion of a major award, extended project, or cumulative achievement that reflects character, leadership, and service.
Tips & Tricks for Troop and Club Leaders
Keep a “Backpocket Badge” Ready
Always have one low-prep badge on hand that you can run with minimal supplies—something you can pull out if a meeting runs short, a speaker cancels, or your original plan doesn’t go as expected. Great options include Origami, Singing, or Kindness. A flexible backup plan helps you stay calm under pressure and makes every meeting feel purposeful, no matter what happens.
Not a Member Yet?
Curiosity Untamed offers thousands of flexible, hands-on badge activities for families, clubs, and co-ops. Whether you’re learning at home or leading a group, our program helps kids explore the world, serve their communities, and build lifelong skills.
