Explorer Scout Badges

There are a large number of badges you can earn while you are a Explorer Scout. This page lists all of the badges and tells you how to earn them. If you want more detail on a badge, click on its' picture and you will be taken to the correct page on the Scout Association website with full details on the badge.

If you want to know where the badges go on your uniform, then see the Uniform and Badges page under 'Information'.

Membership Award

This is the badge you receive when you are invested into the Explorer Unit and make your promise. It shows everybody that you are a member of the Scout Association. If you received this badge when you were a Beaver, Cub or Scout, then you can continue to wear it on your Explorer uniform, even before you are invested.

Participation Awards

You will receive a Participation Award each year you are in the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts or Explorers so that everyone knows how long you have been a member of the Scouts. When you receive a Participation Award, don't forget to remove the previous one.

Moving On Awards

If you came up from the Scout Troop, then you will have received the Scouts to Explorers Moving On award. You can continue to wear this badge throughout your time at Explorers until you gain the next Moving On award.

The next award is presented to an Explorer just as they are moving on to the Scout Network to show they have learned what Network is all about. This will be the first badge you wear on your Network uniform.

Chief Scout's Platinum Award

The Chief Scout's Platinum Award is the first award available in the Explorer Section. It is gained by completing a number of activities and challenges. The Chief Scout's Platinum Award is closely related to the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Chief Scout's Diamond Award

The Chief Scout's Diamond Award is the second award available in the Exploreer Section. It is gained by completing a further number of activities and challenges. The Chief Scout's Diamond Award is closely related to the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Queen's Scout Award

The Queen's Scout Award is the highest award available to Section members in the Scout Association and is recognised by the world as a top acheivement. The Queen's Scout Award is gained by completing a further number of activities and challenges and is closely related to the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Activity Badges

But that's not all! There are 41 different Activity Badges that you can complete at any time while you are in the Explorer Unit. It is up to you to decide which Activity Badges you want to try so if you want to earn these badges, you should speak to your leader about what you have to do.

These cover a wide range of activities and hobbies, from Climbing to Street Sports. If you have a hobby, interest or favourite sport, there is an Activity Badge that you can work hard for, gain and wear on your uniform with pride. Many of the activity badges require competence at the level required by the National Governing Body for that activity.

Activity Badges can be worked on by any Explorer. They offer the opportunity for an individual or group to take a particular interest or skill to a higher level. The detailed requirements of all the badges are on the Scout Association website; just click on the badge’s picture to be taken there.

Many of the Activity Badges are individual badges just for the Explorer section.

And some are staged so that you can earn higher levels as you improve. These badges are the same within Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers.

In addition, if you develop your skills even further after you have gained an Activity Badge, or if you learn how to be an instructor in a specific skill area, then you can also gain additional awards for any Activity Badge as follows:

Explorer Belt

There is also the Explorer Belt for those Explorers who take part in expeditions abroad.