Skating is a fun way to stay active and build balance. You will learn how to skate safely and pick the style you enjoy most to work on. With steady practice, you'll be surprised how quickly your skills improve.
Why it's worth it
Skating is balance, speed, and a little bit of fearlessness, and it's something you can do with friends for years. Whether you pick ice, roller, in-line, or a skateboard, you'll learn to fall safely, stop with control, and keep improving one small skill at a time. That steady practice builds confidence that carries over to other sports, and it opens doors to hockey, figure skating, roller derby, speed skating, or just a fun weekend at the rink or skatepark.
Start this week
- Decide which kind of skating you want to work on: ice, roller, in-line, or skateboarding. Pick the one you can get to most easily.
- Ask your Scoutmaster for the name of a Skating counselor, and send them a short message with a parent copied to set up a first meeting.
- Check your helmet and pads at home, or ask a parent about borrowing or renting them, and make sure they fit snugly.
- With a parent, look up public skate times at a nearby rink or a safe paved area, and plan your first practice session.
Stay safe
- Wear a helmet and the pads your skating style calls for every time, even for a short session.
- Skate on outdoor ice only when local officials say it is safe, and never skate alone on ponds or lakes.
Requirements · 2
Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab) (updated 2025).
Note: Do your skating option under the supervision of an experienced adult
- Requirement 1
Skating safety and first aid
Tips for this section: Talk about common falls and injuries, how protective gear helps, and the first aid you'd give for scrapes or sprains.
Example for this section: Make a quick chart of what could go wrong and what helps: falling backward (wear a helmet and learn to fall to the side), wrist injuries (wear wrist guards), cold on outdoor ice (dress in layers), and scrapes or sprains (clean the wound, rest, ice, and tell an adult).
- Requirement 1a
Explain to your counselor the hazards you're most likely to face while skating and how to anticipate, help prevent, reduce, and respond to them
- Requirement 1b
Show you know first aid for skating injuries and illnesses, including hypothermia, frostbite, cuts, scrapes, broken bones, sprains, strains, concussions, blisters, heat reactions, and shock
- Requirement 2
Skate with an experienced adult supervising. Choose 1 of 4
Tips for this section: Pick the skating style you enjoy most and practice with an adult nearby at a rink, skatepark, or safe paved area.
Example for this section: Keep a practice log for your skating option. Each session, write which skill you worked on, like stopping, skating backward, or crossovers, and one thing that improved. Bring the log when you show your counselor your skills.
- Requirement 2a
Option A: ice skating
- Requirement 2a1
Explain the basic safety and courtesy rules for ice skating
- Requirement 2a2
Discuss how to prepare before skating outdoors on natural ice, and explain how to rescue someone who has fallen through ice
- Requirement 2a3
Discuss the parts of the different kinds of ice skates and what each part does
- Requirement 2a4
Describe how to carry ice skates properly, both at the rink and when you travel
- Requirement 2a5
Describe how to store ice skates for a long time, such as between seasons
- Requirement 2a6
Skate forward 40 feet or more and come to a full stop using a two-foot or one-foot snowplow stop
- Requirement 2a7
After skating forward, glide forward on both feet, then on just the right foot, then on just the left
- Requirement 2a8
Starting in a T position, stroke forward all the way around the test area, without using toe picks if you're on figure skates
- Requirement 2a9
Glide backward on both feet for a distance of at least twice your height
- Requirement 2a10
Skate backward on both skates for 20 feet or more
- Requirement 2a11
After building forward speed, glide on both feet through a 180-degree turn around a cone, once turning right and once turning left
- Requirement 2a12
Skate forward crossovers while tracing a figure eight
- Requirement 2a13
Explain to your counselor the safety issues to consider before entering an ice-skating race
- Requirement 2a14
Do a hockey stop
- Requirement 2b
Option B: roller skating
- Requirement 2b1
Explain the basic safety rules and etiquette for roller skating
- Requirement 2b2
Discuss what each part of a roller skate does
- Requirement 2b3
Describe five key steps in taking good care of roller skates
- Requirement 2b4
Skate forward on both feet with smooth, connected strokes for 100 feet or more in each direction around the rink, and show correct ways to stop
- Requirement 2b5
Skate forward and glide 15 feet or more on each skate in turn
- Requirement 2b6
Do a forward crossover
- Requirement 2b7
Skate backward on both skates for 40 feet or more, then on one skate for 15 feet or more
- Requirement 2b8
Skate forward through a slalom course on both skates for 40 feet or more, then on one skate for 20 feet or more
- Requirement 2b9
Skate backward through a slalom course on both skates for 15 feet or more
- Requirement 2b10
Shuttle skate one lap around the rink without stopping, bending down twice along the way
- Requirement 2b11
On skates, do two spins back to back, or hop, skip, and jump for 10 feet or more
- Requirement 2b12
Do a stepover
- Requirement 2b13
While skating, dribble a basketball out 40 feet or more and back to your start, or use a stick to move a hockey ball out 40 feet or more and back
- Requirement 2c
Option C: in-line skating
- Requirement 2c1
Explain the basic safety and courtesy rules for in-line skating
- Requirement 2c2
Describe what each part of an in-line skate does
- Requirement 2c3
Describe the safety gear that is required and the gear that is recommended for in-line skating
- Requirement 2c4
Explain four key steps in taking good care of in-line skates
- Requirement 2c5
Skate forward on both feet with smooth, connected strokes for 100 feet or more
- Requirement 2c6
Skate forward and glide 15 feet or more on each skate in turn
- Requirement 2c7
Stop on command using the heel brake on level pavement
- Requirement 2c8
Do a forward crossover
- Requirement 2c9
Skate a series of connected forward swizzles for 40 feet or more
- Requirement 2c10
Skate backward 40 feet or more using a series of connected backward swizzles
- Requirement 2c11
Skating at a strong pace, do a lunge turn around an object your counselor picks ahead of time
- Requirement 2c12
Do a mohawk
- Requirement 2c13
On pavement with a gentle downhill slope, do at least four one-footed slaloms in a row
- Requirement 2c14
Describe how to pass a walker or another skater from behind
- Requirement 2c15
Describe three or more ways to avoid an obstacle that appears suddenly while skating
- Requirement 2c16
Describe two ways to get up onto and down off a curb, and show at least one of them
- Requirement 2d
Option D: skateboarding
- Requirement 2d1
Explain how skateboarding began and how it has changed over time
- Requirement 2d2
Describe how skateboarding benefits you: fitness, balance, coordination, perseverance, and creativity
- Requirement 2d3
Explain skateboarding safety and courtesy rules, including right-of-way and the signals and warnings skaters use
- Requirement 2d4
Explain the protective gear needed for safe skating (helmet, wrist guards, knee pads, and elbow pads) and show the right way to wear each
- Requirement 2d5
Describe street and vert, the two main skateboarding styles, and common skatepark features such as ramps, manual pads, rails, and spines
- Requirement 2d6
Explain the parts of a skateboard, such as the deck, trucks, wheels, and hardware
- Requirement 2d7
Build a skateboard by putting its parts together in the right order: deck, trucks, wheels, hardware, and grip tape
- Requirement 2d8
Explain how to maintain a skateboard, including cleaning it, adjusting bolts, and replacing parts
- Requirement 2d9
Explain regular versus goofy stance and show the stance you prefer
- Requirement 2d10
On flat ground, show how to push, cruise, and carve
- Requirement 2d11
Show two or more ways to brake and stop
- Requirement 2d12
Do a basic ollie plus at least one variation of it
- Requirement 2d13
Show how to drop in from the coping
- Requirement 2d14
Show three skateboarding tricks taken from the trick types below
- Requirement 2d14a
Flat ground tricks
- Requirement 2d14b
Flip and shove-it tricks
- Requirement 2d14c
Grind and slide tricks
- Requirement 2d14d
Air and grab tricks
- Requirement 2d14e
Footplant tricks
Places to visit
Ask an adult to set it up, and go with your family, den, patrol, or crew.
An ice or roller rink during public skate or a learn-to-skate session
Rinks have rental skates, smooth surfaces, and staff who teach beginners.
How: Have a parent or leader call the rink about group rates or a lesson for your patrol, and ask whether helmets are available to borrow.
A skate park or paved trail run by your parks department
It's a free place to practice inline or roller skills outside.
How: Have a parent check the park's rules and busy times, and go with a parent or buddy during daylight.
Where it can lead
- Skating coach or instructorTeaches lessons at rinks; many coaches start as teen assistants.
- Rink manager or ice technicianRuns rink operations and keeps the ice or floor in top shape.
- Physical therapistHelps athletes recover from injuries and build strength and balance.
- Athletic trainerWorks with teams to prevent and care for sports injuries.
Ask yourself
- What skating skill looks easy when others do it but felt hard when you tried?
- How did learning to fall safely change how brave you felt on skates?
- What helped you keep going on a day when practice felt frustrating?
- Who skated with you, and how did you help each other improve?
- What would you like to try next, like hockey, figure skating, or a longer skate trail?
Good questions to ask your counselor or a skating coach
- What should I practice first so I can stop safely every time?
- How do I know my skates fit right and are sharp or tight enough?
- What drill helped you improve the fastest when you were learning?
- How do you get back up after a fall without getting hurt?
Helpful reads
- Earning a merit badge, step by step, From picking a badge to getting the final signature: how to find a counselor, set up meetings safely, work the requirements, and keep your progress., Youth · Families · 6 min read
- Contacting counselors, experts, and organizations, Email and phone scripts, who to ask for, how to follow up, and how to say thanks, with a parent copied every time., Youth · Families · 7 min read
- Choosing your next merit badge, How to pick a badge you'll actually finish: start with what you care about, balance Eagle-required and just-for-fun badges, and make the most of camp., Youth · Families · 6 min read
For leaders & parents
- Plan a troop outing to a local rink so scouts can practice together.
- Remind scouts to wear the right protective gear every time they skate.
People & places that can help
- Merit badge counselor — Talk with them early; they can explain what's expected.
- Local skating rink — Many offer lessons and practice sessions.
- Parks and recreation department — May run skating programs or manage local skateparks.
- Learn to Skate USA (opens in a new tab) — Find beginner ice skating classes and see the skill levels.
- USA Roller Sports (opens in a new tab) — The national group for roller and inline skating, with ways to get involved.
- U.S. Figure Skating (opens in a new tab) — Figure skating skills, events, and clubs near you.
Pairs well with
Helps you earn
Into this? Explore more
Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.