About the Tenderfoot Rank for Scouts BSA
Tenderfoot is the rank a Scout can earn after Scout. The requirements for Tenderfoot introduce the youth to the skills he or she needs to get started in Scouts BSA.
The Tenderfoot requirements may be worked on simultaneously with the requirements for Second Class and First Class; these ranks must still be earned in sequence though.
See helps for the specific Tenderfoot requirements below.
Tenderfoot Rank
Answers and Helps
Requirement 1: Camping and Outdoor Ethics
Requirement 3: Knots and Tools
Requirement 4: First Aid and Nature
Help with Answers for Tenderfoot Rank Requirements
Find specific helps for some of the Tenderfoot rank requirements listed below. Some of these resources will just give the answers. Others will provide engaging ways for older Scouts to introduce these concepts to new Scouts.
Requirement 1: Camping and Outdoor Ethics
1a. Present yourself to your leader, prepared for an overnight camping trip. Show the personal and camping gear you will use. Show the right way to pack and carry it.
1b. Spend at least one night on a patrol or troop campout. Sleep in a tent you have helped pitch.
1c. Tell how you practiced the Outdoor Code on a campout or outing.
Camping Checklist
This checklist includes patrol gear in addition to personal gear.
Camping Log
Scouts will need to know how many nights they have camped for later merit badges and rank advancements, so they should start keeping track from the beginning.
The Outdoor Code
Every Scout who is spending time outdoors should be familiar with the Outdoor Code. It is especially important for Webelos, Scouts BSA, and Venturers who are out camping regularly.
Weekend Campout Planning Guide
A Campmaster can help a patrol prepare for those weekend campouts by utilizing this planning guide. Older Scouts may want to introduce this to younger Scouts as part of Tenderfoot requirement 1.
National Outdoor Badges – Camping
This award recognizes Scouts who do a lot of camping and who have the skills to be comfortable and safe at camp.
Video Resources
Prepare for camping
Choosing a Campsite
Outdoor Code
Requirement 2: Cooking
2a. On the campout, assist in preparing one of the meals. Tell why it is important for each patrol member to share in meal preparation and cleanup.
2b. While on a campout, demonstrate the appropriate method of safely cleaning items used to prepare, serve, and eat a meal.
2c. Explain the importance of eating together as a patrol.
Requirement 2 Helps and Answers
Why share in cooking and cleanup?
Your patrol is a Scout’s family at camp. It is important that everyone pitch in with the food preparation and cleanup. That way no one person is doing too much and everyone has a chance to enjoy other camp activities too.
Preparing a duty roster beforehand will ensure that everyone rotates through the various duties. This also teaches Scouts new skills they might otherwise be reluctant to try.
Help for Grubmasters
When first asked to be in charge of cooking, a common response is “But I don’t know what to do!”. Here are some basic instructions.
Why eat together as a patrol?
When a patrol eats together, they get to know each other better. They can talk about how they are feeling. They can tell funny stories. If one member of the patrol is worried about something, the others can reassure him or her. Eating together opens the lines of communication within the patrol.
Easy Recipes for Camp Cooking
Camp cooking can offer some challenges, but it can also be very rewarding. Go beyond hotdogs and hamburgers with these simple recipes.
Dutch Oven Cooking
Put the ingredients in, put some charcoal on the top and bottom, come back later, and voila! you have a delicious dish. See some recipes.
Foil Pack Dinners
The most typical foil pack ingredients are ground beef, potatoes, carrots, and onions. But don’t get stuck in a rut! Try some new combination
Video Resources
Meal Preparation
Cleaning
Eating together
Requirement 3: Knots and Tools
3a. Demonstrate a practical use of the square knot.
3b. Demonstrate a practical use of two half-hitches.
3c. Demonstrate a practical use of the taut-line hitch.
3d. Demonstrate proper care, sharpening, and use of the knife, saw, and ax. Describe when each should be used.
Requirement 3 Helps and Answers
Practical Uses of Square Knot
The square knot can be used to tie something to a backpack or secure a parcel. Don’t use it for anything heavy though as it fails under a large load.
Practical Uses of Two Half Hitches
Two half hitches are very useful at camp. Use them to attach a rope to a tree or post, such as for hanging a clothes line.
Practical Uses of Taut Line
The taut line slides easily making it a really good knot for securing tent lines to stakes.
Totin’ Chip Certification
A Scout who completes the requirement for the Totin’ Chip certification shows that he or she has the knowledge and skills to safely handle wood tools, such as an ax, hatchet, pocketknife, or hand saw.
Knot Terminology
It is helpful to go over the terminology with Scouts before learning the knots for Tenderfoot requirement 3. That way we have a common vocabulary to start with.
Video Resources
How to Tie the Knots
Tool care and use
Requirement 4: First Aid and Nature
4a. Show first aid for the following:
• Simple cuts and scrapes
• Blisters on the hand and foot
• Minor (thermal/heat) burns or scalds (superficial,or first-degree)
• Bites or stings of insects and ticks
• Venomous snakebite
• Nosebleed
• Frostbite and sunburn
• Choking
4b. Describe common poisonous or hazardous plants; identify any that grow in your local area or campsite location. Tell how to treat for exposure to them.
4c. Tell what you can do while on a campout or other outdoor activity to prevent or reduce the occurrence of injuries or exposure listed in Tenderfoot requirements 4a and 4b.
4d. Assemble a personal first-aid kit to carry with you on future campouts and hikes. Tell how each item in the kit would be used.
Requirement 4 Helps and Answers
First Aid Demonstration for Cuts
First Aid Baseball Game
First aid baseball is a fun way to review first aid skills with Scouts. There are instructions for the game and a set of question cards.
First Aid Demonstration for Cuts
When you are doing first aid instruction, it is best to demonstrate it as much as possible. Here is a simple method.
Fake Wounds for First Aid Demonstrations
For a more elaborate demonstration for Tenderfoot requirement 4, try this method of making a fake wound on a “victim” or two.
Blister Treatment
See how to treat those blisters.
Poison Ivy Fact and Fiction
Learn how to avoid and treat poison ivy.
Poisonous Plants Quiz
Take this online quiz to learn about seven different plants which might cause a reaction such as a rash or itchiness if you come in contact with them.
First Aid for Tick Bites
While most tick bites won’t cause more than minor irritation, if treated incorrectly complications may occur.
Video Resources
Basic First Aid
Hazardous Plants
Personal first aid kit
Requirement 5: Hiking
5a. Explain the importance of the buddy system as it relates to your personal safety on outings and in your neighborhood. Use the buddy system while on a troop or patrol outing.
5b. Describe what to do if you become lost on a hike or campout.
5c. Explain the rules of safe hiking, both on the highway and cross-country, during the day and at night.
Requirement 5 Helps and Answers
What to Do When Separated from Your Group
Scouts need to know what to do if they are accidentally separated from the larger group on a hiking adventure. The STOP acronym will help them remember.
- S: Stay Put
- T: Think
- O: Observe
- P: Plan
Buddy System
Two heads are better than one. Not only can a buddy help if there is a problem, but just having someone there can keep a Scout calm in an emergency situation. Scouts are less likely to make a bad decision if they are calm.
Hiking Safety (Front Country)
These guidelines are appropriate for a front country area. For backcountry hiking, where first aid is not readily available, you will need to take further precautions.
Video Resources
Buddy system
If you become lost
Requirement 6: Fitness
6a. Record your best in the following tests:
• Pushups (Record the number done correctly in 60 seconds.)
• Situps or curl-ups (Record the number done correctly in 60 seconds.)
• Back-saver sit-and-reach (Record the distance stretched.)
• 1-mile walk/run (Record the time.)
6b. Develop and describe a plan for improvement in each of the activities listed in Tenderfoot requirement 6a. Keep track of your activity for at least 30 days.
6c. Show improvement (of any degree) in each activity listed in Tenderfoot requirement 6a after practicing for 30 days.
• Pushups (Record the number done correctly in 60 seconds.)
• Situps or curl-ups (Record the number done correctly in 60 seconds.)
• Back-saver sit-and-reach (Record the distance stretched.)
• 1-mile walk/run (Record the time.)
Requirement 6 Helps and Answers
How to Do Pushups Correctly
See if your technique is correct before starting the fitness activities for Tenderfoot requirement 6.
Fitness and Nutrition Program Feature
Topics in this program feature include the Get FITT principle, the My Plate Way, Body Mass Index (BMI), and measuring flexibility with a sit and reach box.
Video Resources
Pushup Technique
Requirement 7: Citizenship
7a. Demonstrate how to display, raise, lower, and fold the U.S. flag.
7b. Participate in a total of one hour of service in one or more service projects approved by your Scoutmaster. Explain how your service to others relates to the Scout slogan and Scout motto.
Requirement 7 Helps and Answers
Raising and Lowering the US Flag
Service Project Ideas for Scouts BSA
Displaying the US Flag
The US Flag is the symbol of our country. Scouts should know how to fold it, fly it, and handle it.
How to Fold the US Flag
Folding a flag is not difficult if you follow these simple steps. Diagrams are included.
Flag Retirement Ceremony
When retiring a United Stated flag, some people will say that you must do it this way or that way, but according to the Flag Code, it just needs to be done with dignity.
Raising and Lowering the US Flag
These are some basic rules for raising and lowering the US flag. The most important rule to remember is to always treat the US flag with dignity and respect.
Opening Flag Ceremony
This is a very simple opening flag ceremony for Cub Scouts to use at meetings.
Closing Flag Ceremony
Basic instructions for a very simple closing flag ceremony. This simple closing flag ceremony is appropriate for a den, pack, or other meeting.
Service Project Ideas for Scouts BSA
See some service project suggestions for older Scouts. What have your Scouts done for service hours for Tenderfoot requirement 7?
What Can Scouts Use as Service Hours?
What “counts” when it comes to service. Read some thoughts and add your own.
Video Resources
Flag etiquette
Requirement 8: Leadership
8. Describe the steps in Scouting’s Teaching EDGE method. Use the Teaching EDGE method to teach another person how to tie the square knot.
Requirement 8 Helps and Answers
- Explain
- Demonstrate
- Guide
- Enable
Scouting’s Teaching EDGE (BSA Edge Method)
This is a four step method for teaching a skill. It is sometimes called Scouting’s Teaching EDGE. This is the method which must be used for Tenderfoot requirement 8. See the details of how to use the EDGE method to teach a skill.
Requirement 9: Scout Spirit
9. Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Tell how you have done your duty to God and how you have lived four different points of the Scout Law in your everyday life.
Scout Oath
The Scout Oath is based on the promise originally introduced by Baden-Powell in 1908. Read more.
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
Scout Law
A Scout is: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, Reverent.
Learn more about what the 12 points of the Scout Law mean.
What Is Scout Spirit?
Scout spirit is mentioned in several of the requirements for Scouts BSA ranks. But what is Scout spirit and how does a Scout go about demonstrating it?
Requirement 10: Scoutmaster Conference
10. While working toward the Tenderfoot rank, and after completing Scout rank requirement 7, participate in a Scoutmaster conference
Requirement 10 Helps and Answers
What Is a Scoutmaster Conference?
Scouts should not stress over the Scoutmaster conference. If they know a little bit about it beforehand it will not seem intimidating at all.
Scoutmaster Conference – Adding Requirements
A Scoutmaster may not add or take away requirements for advancement.
Requirement 11: Tenderfoot Board of Review
11. Successfully complete your board of review for the Tenderfoot rank.
What Is a Board of Review?
When a Scout has completed all of the requirements for a rank, he must appear before a board of review. A board of review is NOT the same as a Scoutmaster Conference but just with more people.
Board of Review Questions
Reader Shelley asked “I’m a new Troop Committee Chair and was wondering if anyone has some great questions that they ask their Scouts during their Board of Reviews?” Sometimes committee members struggle to come up with good Board of Review questions.
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