Fulfills Step 3 of GSUSA Bugs badge requirements.
Info Needed for Badge Requirements: They observe and talk about what the bugs are doing without touching or disturbing them. This activity builds observation skills and curiosity about nature.
Items Needed:
- Small food crumbs (cracker, bread, etc.)
- Water (in a small cup or dropper)
- Natural outdoor materials (leaves, sticks, pebbles)
- Outdoor space with ant activity
Instructions (Total Time: 30–35 Minutes):
- Find an Ant Trail (10–12 minutes)
- Scouts explore an outdoor space safely with an adult
- They look closely to find ants following a visible trail
- Test Trail Distractions (12–15 minutes)
- Scouts gently place items near the trail to see how ants react
- Try using food crumbs, water drops, or natural objects
- Observe without touching or harming the ants
- Discuss What Happened (5–8 minutes)
- Scouts share which items made ants change direction or stop
- Talk about how ants follow trails, work together, and solve problems
- Reflect on what was surprising or interesting about their reactions
The Badge Archive 