Here is a really simple camp gadget I saw at a camporee a few years back. It was a simple boot scraper camp gadget for scraping the mud off of the bottom of the boots.
Pioneering Merit Badge
Pioneering - the knowledge of ropes, knots, and splices along with the ability to build rustic structures by lashing together poles and spars - is among the oldest of Scouting's skills. Practicing rope use and completing projects with lashings also allow Scouts to connect with past generations, ancestors who used many of these skills as they sailed the open seas and lived in America's forests and prairies..
Printable helps for requirements:
Printable requirements for Pioneering Merit Badge
Pot and Towel Rack Camp Gadget
These instructions are for a pot and towel drying rack. There is a small picture of a similar gadget in the Scouts BSA handbook.
Crossing the Alligator Pit Game
This is a very challenging game which combines lashing skills and teamwork. It would work well for an interpatrol activity at a meeting focused on pioneering skills.
Hand Washing Station Gadget
This is a gadget which was shown to us at a recent Roundtable. It uses lashings to make a handwashing station from straight sticks and an empty gallon milk jug.
Scout Pioneering Website
Larry sent in this helpful suggestion for those looking for pioneering projects.
Pioneering Merit Badge Helps and Documents
While working on the Pioneering merit badge, Scouts learn how to build structures with ropes and spars. They explore the uses of various knots and splices. They learn how to care for ropes. Finally they build a structure such as a bridge, tower, chair, or table.
