A Note from the Founder: Let Kids Be Bad at Things
October is a good time to talk about something I see hold kids back more than almost anything else — the fear of being bad at something new.
We live in a world where kids are praised for results. Good grades, fast times, correct answers. Over time that trains them to avoid anything they might not be immediately good at. They stop raising their hand. They say “I don’t want to do that” when what they really mean is “I’m afraid I’ll look stupid.”
One of the things I love about the badge program is that it gives kids a structured reason to try things they have never done before. The bar is not perfection. It is effort and learning. A kid who tries a new skill, struggles with it, and keeps going anyway is doing exactly what the program is designed to encourage.
If you have a member who always gravitates toward the same types of badges, gently nudge them toward something outside their comfort zone this month. Let them be a beginner. Let them be awkward and slow and uncertain. That is where the real learning happens, and it is worth more in the long run than one more badge in a subject they already know well.
— Kerry Cordy
New Badges Added
Cemetery Badge – Discover the World – Explore the history and culture of cemeteries, learn how to read and interpret headstones, and discover what these spaces can teach us about local history, genealogy, and the people who came before us.
Fermentation Badge – Discover the Home – Learn the science behind fermentation, explore how cultures around the world have used it for centuries to preserve and transform food, and try making a simple fermented food at home.
Mountain Coaster Badge – Explore the thrills and engineering behind mountain coasters. Learn how they work, how riders control their speed, and what makes these gravity-powered rides different from traditional roller coasters.
Cemetery Unit Study and Meeting Plan
I have always found cemeteries fascinating. They are like outdoor history books, and if you know what to look for, even a small local cemetery can tell you quite a bit about the people who lived in your community and how life has changed over time. Our new Cemeteries Unit Study teaches participants how to look beyond the names and dates on the stones and start uncovering some of those stories for themselves. It includes activities for a wide range of ages and can easily lead into other badges if something you discover sparks a new interest.
Ceremony Spotlight: Growing Season
If you are planning an advancement ceremony this fall, I wanted to share a new ceremony I just finished writing called Growing Season.
The Growing Season ceremony uses the imagery of a tree — roots, trunk, and leaves — to mark the moment when members move from one level to the next. Each member has a leaf on a branch in their current level color. When they advance, they remove their leaf and replace it with a new one in their new level color. New members add their leaf to the branch for the first time. By the end of the ceremony, the branch is still full — just changed — which is exactly the point.
What I like about this one is that every member has a role, not just the ones advancing. Current members at each level stand and welcome those joining them. It makes the ceremony feel personal for the whole group, not just the kids moving up.
The ceremony can be used for advancement alone or combined with an investiture for new members and leaders. Full scripts, supply lists, and setup instructions are available in the ceremony guide.
Seasonal Activities for October
October is one of the richest months of the year for hands-on learning.
- Visit a local cemetery and work toward the new Cemetery Badge.
- Make a simple fermented food — sauerkraut, pickles, or yogurt — and work toward the new Fermentation Badge.
- Research a folk legend or ghost story from your region and connect it to the new Folklore Badge.
- Visit a pumpkin patch or corn maze and work toward the Pumpkin Patches Badge or Corn Mazes Badge.
- Collect and identify fallen leaves from different tree species and work toward the Trees Badge or Fall Badge.
- Host a harvest dinner or potluck and work toward the Meal Traditions Badge.
Leadership Position Spotlight: Reporter
The Reporter is responsible for writing up a summary of group meetings and events and submitting them for publication — whether that is a troop newsletter, a scrapbook, a post in a private online group, or a write-up shared with families. The role requires showing up to meetings with the intent to observe and document, not just participate.
This position builds real writing and communication skills. A member serving as Reporter learns to take notes, organize information, write clearly for an audience, and meet a deadline. These are skills that transfer directly into academic work and eventually into the workplace. It is also a natural connection to the Journalism Badge and the Writing Badge for members who want to go deeper.
Higher Award Spotlight: Leadership Award
The Leadership Award recognizes members who have taken on leadership positions within their group and developed the character traits that go along with genuine leadership. It is not earned simply by holding a position — it requires demonstrating the qualities the position is meant to build.
This award is a prerequisite for the Gem Award, so members with long-term goals in the program should plan for it early. The best approach is to take leadership positions seriously from the start — show up prepared, follow through on responsibilities, and treat the role as real work rather than a title. Members who do that consistently will find the Leadership Award well within reach.
Community Service: Halloween Candy Drive for Troops and Shelters
October is a natural month to organize a candy or care package drive for deployed troops or families staying in local shelters. Many shelters welcome donations of individually wrapped candy around Halloween, and organizations like Operation Gratitude frequently coordinate candy drives specifically for military members overseas.
Have members collect donations from neighbors, church groups, or community contacts. Older members can take responsibility for contacting the receiving organization, coordinating drop-off, and writing a letter to include with the donation.
This connects naturally to the Veterans Badge, the Military Family Badge, and the Charity Badge, and it counts toward Servant’s Heart hours. It is also a concrete way to help kids think about others during a holiday that is very focused on what they themselves are getting.
Resource Spotlight: Unit Studies
Unit studies take a single badge and walk you through how to earn it — step by step activities tied directly to the badge requirements, so the planning is already done for you. Instead of figuring out how to approach each requirement on your own, you open the unit study and follow the guide.
For homeschool families, that means less prep time and more doing. For troop and club leaders, a unit study essentially functions as a ready-made meeting plan. Pick a badge, pull up the unit study, and your meeting is planned. Not every badge has a unit study yet, but the ones that do are worth checking out before you spend time planning from scratch.
Tips and Tricks for Leaders
October is a good month to do a quick check-in on your leadership positions. Are your position holders actually doing their jobs, or have things quietly slipped? A five-minute review at the start of a meeting — Scribe, did you log last month’s badges? Treasurer, can you give us a balance update? — keeps everyone accountable and reminds members that these are real responsibilities, not just titles.
Not a Member Yet?
Curiosity Untamed provides thousands of hands-on badges across nine Areas of Discovery. Whether you’re homeschooling, leading a troop, or simply looking for meaningful activities, our program offers structure without limiting curiosity.
Join us and start building skills that last.
