Swimming is a skill for life and a great way to stay fit. You will practice several strokes, learn how to help someone in trouble, and build confidence in the water. Always swim where a trained lifeguard is on duty.
Why it's worth it
Swimming might save your life, or someone else's. It's also your ticket to almost every water adventure Scouting offers: canoeing, kayaking, sailing, snorkeling, lifeguarding, and high-adventure trips. As your strokes get smoother, you'll feel calmer in deep water, stronger in your whole body, and ready to help a friend in trouble. It's one of the few sports you can keep doing your entire life.
Start this week
- Ask a parent where and when you can swim this week with a lifeguard on duty, like a public pool, YMCA, or school pool.
- Ask your Scoutmaster for the name of a Swimming counselor, and send them a short message with a parent copied to set up a first meeting.
- Find out whether you've already passed the Scouting America swimmer test, and if not, when the next chance is.
- On your next swim, try each of the five strokes for one length and notice which one feels weakest.
Plan ahead: The 150-yard continuous swim in requirement 4 takes stamina. Swim laps regularly from the start, adding distance each time, while you work on your strokes.
Stay safe
- Swim only where a qualified lifeguard or aquatics instructor is watching, and always with a buddy.
- Practice dives only in water an instructor has checked as deep enough, and never dive into water of unknown depth.
Requirements · 9
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).
- Requirement 1
Water safety and health
Tips for this section: Go over the safety rules for group swims and talk about staying healthy in and around the water.
Example for this section: Walk through the points of Safe Swim Defense using your troop's last swim as the example: who supervised, how the buddy system worked, and how the swim area was checked. Then talk about health concerns like sunburn, dehydration, and ear infections.
- Requirement 1a
Review with your counselor how Safe Swim Defense prevents and handles common drowning risks, such as unfenced home pools, nonswimmers in deep water, risky behavior, medical problems in the water, drop-offs, cold or murky water, river and rip currents, and surf
- Requirement 1b
Discuss preventing and treating swimming health problems: sunburn, dehydration, hypothermia, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, cramps, hyperventilation, spinal injury, cuts and scrapes, and stings and bites
- Requirement 2
Pass the Scouting America swimmer test (described in the Swimming merit badge pamphlet) before starting the remaining requirements
Tip: Practice at a pool with a lifeguard, then ask your camp's aquatics staff when you can take the test.
- Requirement 3
Swimming strokes
Tips for this section: Work on one stroke at a time with a coach or instructor until each feels smooth.
Example for this section: Work on one stroke per session. For the front crawl, focus on rotating to breathe instead of lifting your head. For breaststroke, practice the kick holding a kickboard, then add the arms.
- Requirement 3a
Show the front crawl or trudgen with good form
- Requirement 3b
Show the back crawl with good form
- Requirement 3c
Show the sidestroke with good form
- Requirement 3d
Show the breaststroke with good form
- Requirement 3e
Show the elementary backstroke with good form
- Requirement 4
Swim 150 yards strongly without stopping, in any order: 25 yards each of front crawl or trudgen, back crawl, sidestroke, and breaststroke, plus 50 yards of elementary backstroke
Tip: Build up slowly, adding a few more laps each practice, switching strokes as you go.
- Requirement 5
Water rescue
Tips for this section: Practice reaching rescues with a pole or towel and line rescues with a throw rope, with a lifeguard watching.
Example for this section: Practice a reaching rescue with a pole or towel, staying low and leaning back so you can't be pulled in. Then throw a line to a buddy acting as a swimmer in trouble, aiming past them so the line falls within reach.
- Requirement 5a
Show reaching rescues with an arm or leg and with a suitable object, and throwing rescues with lines and objects. Explain why not to swim out when you can reach or throw, and why and how a rescue swimmer avoids contact with the victim
- Requirement 5b
With a helper and a practice victim about 30 feet out in deep water, show a line rescue as both tender and rescuer
- Requirement 6
Floating and survival
Tips for this section: Practice floating calmly, and practice the HELP and huddle positions in a life jacket, with an instructor nearby.
Example for this section: Show how you float face-up while staying relaxed, then demonstrate survival floating with slow, steady breathing. In a life jacket, show the HELP position on your own and the huddle position with buddies, and explain how each keeps you warmer in cold water.
- Requirement 6a
Float faceup and resting for at least three minutes, moving as little as possible
- Requirement 6b
Show survival floating for at least five minutes
- Requirement 6c
Wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket that fits properly, show the HELP and huddle positions and explain what each is for
- Requirement 6d
Explain why swimming or survival floating speeds up hypothermia in cold water
- Requirement 7
Surface dives in water over your head, max 10 feet deep
Tips for this section: Learn surface dives in water deep enough and with an instructor's guidance.
- Requirement 7a
Do a feetfirst surface dive and bring up an object from the bottom
- Requirement 7b
Do a headfirst surface dive (pike or tuck style) and retrieve the object again
- Requirement 7c
Do a headfirst surface dive to at least 5 feet and swim three strokes underwater, then surface, breathe, and repeat the sequence twice more
- Requirement 8
Following Safe Swim Defense, in water at least 7 feet deep (or deeper if local rules require), show a standing headfirst dive and a long shallow dive from a dock or pool deck
Tip: Only dive in water an instructor has checked for safe depth.
- Requirement 9
Explain how regular aerobic exercise benefits health, and discuss why swimming is valued for both fitness and therapy
Tip: Talk about how swimming helps your heart, lungs, and muscles.
For example: Explain how swimming works your heart and lungs, builds muscle without pounding your joints, and is something people of any age can do. Share how you felt after a few weeks of regular laps.
Places to visit
Ask an adult to set it up, and go with your family, den, patrol, or crew.
A public pool or aquatic center
Lifeguards and swim instructors can coach your strokes and let you practice rescues safely.
How: Have a parent ask about lap swim times, stroke clinics, or whether a lifeguard could watch your patrol practice reaching rescues.
A high school or club swim practice
Seeing how swimmers warm up and drill each stroke gives you ideas for your own practice.
How: Have a parent or leader contact the coach and ask if your patrol can watch a practice.
Where it can lead
- LifeguardA common first job for teens that teaches rescue, first aid, and responsibility.
- Swim instructor or coachTeaches people of all ages to swim, from toddlers to competitive teams.
- Aquatics directorRuns pools and waterfronts, including staff, safety, and programs.
- Coast Guard rescue swimmerTrains to rescue people from the water, often from a helicopter.
Ask yourself
- How did you feel the first time you swam in deep water, and how has that changed?
- Which stroke was hardest to learn, and what finally helped?
- What did you do when you got tired during a long swim?
- How would you react if you saw someone struggling in the water?
- What water adventure are you excited to try now that you're a stronger swimmer?
Good questions to ask your counselor or a lifeguard
- What do swimmers in trouble really look like, and how is it different from the movies?
- What's one thing I could change to make my strokes more efficient?
- How do you build endurance for long swims?
- Why is reaching or throwing safer than swimming out to help someone?
- How old do you have to be to train as a lifeguard, and what does it take?
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
- Schedule regular pool nights so scouts can build strength and practice strokes.
- Ensure a qualified lifeguard or aquatics instructor supervises all swimming.
People & places that can help
- Merit badge counselor — Talk with them early; they can explain what's expected.
- American Red Cross (opens in a new tab) — Swimming lessons and water safety courses.
- YMCA (opens in a new tab) — Many offer swim lessons and pool time.
- Council camp waterfront staff — Trained staff can teach and test swimming skills.
- USA Swimming (opens in a new tab) — Stroke tips, water safety, and how to find a local swim club.
- American Red Cross Swimming (opens in a new tab) — Learn-to-swim levels and water safety classes.
Pairs well with
Any one of these counts for Eagle
Helps you earn
- First Class, Rank · 13 requirements
- Eagle Scout, Rank · 7 requirements
- Kayaking, Merit Badge · Aquatics · 8 requirements
- Multisport, Merit Badge · Sports · 8 requirements
- Scuba Diving, Merit Badge · Aquatics · 6 requirements
- Water Sports, Merit Badge · Aquatics · 6 requirements
- National Outdoor Badge: Aquatics, Venturing · Award · 5 requirements
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.