Second Class builds on Tenderfoot with bigger outdoor skills: fire building, cooking, map and compass, swimming, and more first aid. You'll also start thinking about money, safety, and staying active. By the end you'll be a much more capable camper.
Why it's worth it
Second Class is where you start carrying your own weight outdoors. You'll pick a good campsite, build and put out a fire, cook a hot meal, and find your way 5 miles with a map and compass. You'll learn what to do in the first minutes of a real emergency, from a bad burn to someone who stops breathing, and how to help a struggling swimmer without going in after them. You'll also set a money goal and earn it, a skill that lasts long after Scouting.
Start this week
- Start requirement 7a today: mark each day you're active for at least 30 minutes on a calendar. You need 5 days a week for 4 weeks.
- Sit down with a parent and pick a savings goal for 8c, like hiking boots or a game, and write down how you'll earn the money.
- Circle the next two campouts and the next swim session on the troop calendar, and tell your patrol leader you're working on Second Class.
- Practice the sheet bend and bowline with two pieces of rope, one thick and one thin.
- Start a list of wild animals or animal signs you spot this week, even in your own neighborhood.
Plan ahead: Requirement 7a takes 4 weeks of tracked activity, and 1a needs five troop or patrol activities, including two overnight campouts. Start 7a right away and keep a log of every outing so the counts add up while you work on skills.
Stay safe
- Build, light, and put out fires only with adult supervision and only when campsite and fire-ban rules allow it.
- Swim only under Safe Swim Defense, with a buddy and qualified supervision. In a rescue, reach or throw from shore instead of swimming out to someone in trouble.
- Use a knife, saw, or ax only after you've learned the woods-tool safety rules, with a clear safety circle around you.
Requirements · 12
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
Camping and outdoor ethics
- Requirement 1a
Since joining Scouts BSA, take part in 5 separate troop or patrol activities (not meetings), at least 3 outdoors and at least 2 of those with overnight camping; on campouts, sleep in a tent you pitch or a shelter you help build, like a lean-to, snow cave, or tepee
Tip: Keep a simple log of each troop activity with the date and what you did. Pitch your own shelter each campout so it counts.
- Requirement 1b
From memory, recite the Leave No Trace principles and explain how you follow them on every outing
Tip: Learn the seven principles, then on your next outing name one way you followed each one.
- Requirement 1c
On one of these campouts, pick a patrol site and suggest it to the troop guide, patrol leader, or senior patrol leader; explain what to consider when choosing a patrol site and a tent spot
Tip: Look for flat, durable ground away from dead branches and low spots where water collects. Explain your choice to your patrol leader.
For example: Walk the site with your patrol leader and explain your pick: "This flat spot is above the low area where rain would pool, away from that dead branch overhead, and well back from the lake so we don't trample the shore."
- Requirement 2
Cooking and tools
- Requirement 2a
Explain when a fire is (and isn't) a good choice for cooking or other uses
Tip: Talk with your patrol about times a fire is a bad idea, like fire bans, dry weather, or when a stove would work better.
For example: Use real situations: a fire is fine in an existing fire ring with no burn ban and water nearby. It's not a good idea during a fire ban, on a dry and windy day, or when a stove would cook dinner faster with less impact.
- Requirement 2b
With a pocketknife (and a saw or ax if needed), get tinder, kindling, and fuel wood ready for a cooking fire
Tip: Gather tinder, kindling, and fuel in three neat piles, from thin to thick. Use your knife carefully, sitting down with a clear safety circle.
- Requirement 2c
At an approved place and time, use a minimum-impact method and your 2b materials to build a fire; light it unless fire rules forbid it, let it burn safely for at least 2 minutes, then put it out with little impact and properly dispose of ashes and charred remains
Tip: Use an existing fire ring when you can, keep the fire small, and have water ready. Practice the cold-out check before you leave.
- Requirement 2d
Explain when to use a lightweight stove versus a propane stove; set one up and light it (unless fire rules forbid it), and describe safety procedures for these stoves
Tip: Have an adult show you how each stove type works. Set it up on stable ground and follow the instructions on the label.
- Requirement 2e
On one campout, plan and cook a hot breakfast or lunch using foods from MyPlate or the current USDA model; explain why good nutrition matters and show how to transport, store, and prepare your foods
Tip: Plan a simple hot breakfast like eggs and pancakes. Think about keeping cold foods cold, washing hands, and avoiding cross-contamination.
For example: A simple hot breakfast: scrambled eggs, a warm tortilla, and an orange. Explain the nutrition (protein, energy, vitamins) and the food safety: eggs stay in the cooler until cooking, and everyone washes hands before touching food.
- Requirement 2f
Tie a sheet bend and describe when you would use it
Tip: The sheet bend joins two ropes, even of different sizes. Practice joining a thick and thin cord.
- Requirement 2g
Tie a bowline and describe when you would use it
Tip: The bowline makes a loop that won't slip. Practice tying it around your waist and around a post.
- Requirement 3
Navigation
- Requirement 3a
Explain and show how a compass works, orient a map, and use the map to point out five symbols and their meanings
Tip: Use a local trail map and practice orienting it with a compass in your backyard or a park. Learn five symbols you'll see on the hike.
For example: Five symbols you might explain from a topographic map: brown contour lines (elevation), a blue line (stream), a dashed black line (trail), a small black square (building), and green shading (forest).
- Requirement 3b
Use a map and compass together on a 5-mile hike (or 10-mile bike ride) approved by your adult leader and parent or guardian (a trip may replace the hike if getting around is hard for you)
Tip: Plan the route with your patrol and check your position often. Bring water, snacks, and a buddy, and let an adult know your route.
For example: Plan a 5-mile loop at a park with your patrol: mark the route on a map, plan to check the compass at each trail junction, and pick a lunch spot near halfway. Leave the route and return time with a parent at home.
- Requirement 3c
Describe hazards or injuries you might run into on your hike and how to help prevent them
Tip: Before the hike, list likely hazards like blisters, dehydration, or slips, and how your group will prevent each one.
For example: Make a hazard list for your hike: blisters (break in boots, carry moleskin), dehydration (bring plenty of water), slips on wet rocks (slow down), and storms (check the forecast and set a turnaround time).
- Requirement 3d
Show how to find directions by day and at night with no compass or electronic device
Tip: Try the shadow-stick method on a sunny day and find the North Star on a clear night. Practice both before you need them.
For example: By day, try the shadow-stick method: mark the tip of a stick's shadow, wait about 15 minutes, and mark it again. The first mark is west and the second is east. At night, follow the two pointer stars of the Big Dipper to the North Star.
- Requirement 4
Identify, or show evidence of, 10 or more kinds of wild animals (birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, mollusks, and so on) in your local area or camping spot; evidence can be tracks, signs, or your own photos
Tip: Keep a notebook or photo log of animals, tracks, scat, nests, or other signs you spot. A nature center can help you identify them.
For example: Your 10 might be a squirrel, a robin, deer tracks in mud, an earthworm, a garter snake, woodpecker holes in a tree, a spider web, a rabbit, a frog, and a monarch butterfly. A photo or sketch with the date and place makes each one easy to share.
- Requirement 5
Aquatics
- Requirement 5a
Tell what precautions are needed for a safe swim
Tip: Learn the parts of a safe swim, like qualified supervision, a buddy, and a clear swimming area. Ask your leader to explain how your troop sets one up.
- Requirement 5b
Pass the Scouting America beginner test: enter feetfirst in water over your head, level off, swim 25 feet, stop and make a sharp turn, then swim back to where you started
Tip: If swimming is new to you, take lessons at a local pool first. The test is given by qualified adults at camp or a pool.
- Requirement 5c
Show water rescues by reaching with your arm or leg, reaching with a suitable object, and throwing lines and objects
Tip: Practice reaching with a pole or towel and throwing a rope or ring buoy on dry land, then at a supervised swim.
- Requirement 5d
Explain why you shouldn't try a swimming rescue when a reaching or throwing rescue will work, and why and how a rescue swimmer avoids contact with the victim
Tip: Talk about why a panicking swimmer can pull a rescuer under. Reaching and throwing let you help while staying safe.
For example: A scared swimmer may grab anyone close and push them under to stay up. That's why rescuers reach with a pole or towel, or throw a rope or something that floats, from a safe spot instead of swimming out.
- Requirement 6
First aid and emergency preparedness
- Requirement 6a
Show first aid for: an object in the eye; a bite from a warm-blooded animal; puncture wounds from a splinter, nail, or fishhook; serious (second-degree) burns; heat exhaustion; shock; heatstroke, dehydration, hypothermia, and hyperventilation
Tip: Practice each first aid skill with a partner and a simple kit. Act out a scenario so you know what to do quickly.
- Requirement 6b
Show what to do for the "hurry" cases: stopped breathing, stroke, severe bleeding, and swallowed poison
Tip: Hurry cases need fast action. Practice the steps for each with an adult who has first aid training, and learn when to call for help right away.
- Requirement 6c
Tell how to prevent or reduce the injuries in 6a and 6b while on a campout or hike
Tip: For each injury, think of how to prevent it on a campout, like drinking water, dressing in layers, or careful tool use.
- Requirement 6d
Explain what to do in accidents needing emergency response at home and in the backcountry, what counts as an emergency, and what information to give a responder
Tip: Write down your home address and what to tell a dispatcher. Talk about how help works differently when you're far from a road.
For example: Practice a 911 call out loud: your name, your exact location (street address, or trail name and nearest landmark), what happened, how many people are hurt, and what you've done so far. Stay on the line until the dispatcher says to hang up.
- Requirement 6e
Explain what you should do if you arrive at the scene of a car crash
Tip: Focus on staying safe yourself first, calling for help, and what information to give. Ask a firefighter or EMT how they handle a crash scene.
- Requirement 7
Fitness
- Requirement 7a
After finishing Tenderfoot 6c, be active at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks, and keep track of what you do
Tip: Pick activities you enjoy, like biking, shooting hoops, or walking the dog, and track them on a calendar for four weeks.
- Requirement 7b
Share your challenges and successes with 7a; set a goal to keep physical activity part of your daily life and make a plan to do it
Tip: Look back at your log and be honest about what was hard. Set a goal you can actually keep going after this rank.
For example: Look at your log honestly: "I skipped days when I had tests, so on busy days I'll take a 30-minute walk." Then set a next goal, like running a mile without stopping by the end of summer, and write down how you'll get there.
- Requirement 7c
Take part in a school, community, or troop program about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and other harmful practices; talk with your family about it and explain the dangers of addiction; tell your Scoutmaster or another troop leader which parts of the Oath and Law relate to what you learned
Tip: Ask your leader about an approved program from a school, health department, or community group. Then talk it over at home.
- Requirement 8
Citizenship and money
- Requirement 8a
Help with a flag ceremony at school, a place of worship, your chartered organization, a community event, or a Scouting activity
Tip: Volunteer to carry or raise the flag at a troop meeting or community event.
- Requirement 8b
Explain the respect owed to the U.S. flag
Tip: Learn how to handle and display the flag respectfully, and when to salute it.
- Requirement 8c
With your parent or guardian, agree on an amount to earn based on the cost of something you want to buy; write a plan to earn it and follow it (changes are OK); discuss any changes and whether you reached your goal
Tip: With a parent, pick something you want to buy, write down how you'll earn the money, and track your progress.
For example: Example: you want a $60 sleeping pad. Your written plan might be doing yard work or pet care for family friends, saving part of any birthday money, writing every dollar in a notebook, and checking in with a parent each Sunday.
- Requirement 8d
Compare the item's price at three or more places to find the best place to buy it; after 8c, decide whether to spend the money as planned, save some or all of it, or use it another way
Tip: Check prices online and in stores. Decide together with a parent whether to spend, save, or share what you earned.
For example: Compare the sleeping pad's price at a big store, an outdoor store's website, and a used-gear swap. Then decide with a parent what to do with what you earned: buy it, keep saving, or set some aside to give.
- Requirement 8e
Give 2 hours of service on one or more Scoutmaster-approved projects; tell how serving others relates to the Scout Oath
Tip: Choose an approved project that helps others, like a food drive or park cleanup. Think about how it connects to helping other people at all times.
For example: Two hours could be helping your troop clear a trail, stocking shelves at a food pantry, or planting flowers at a library. Then connect it to the Oath's promise to help other people at all times.
- Requirement 9
Personal safety awareness
- Requirement 9a
Explain the three R's for keeping yourself safe and protected
Tip: Learn the three R's of personal safety and talk about them with a parent. Your handbook explains each one.
- Requirement 9b
Describe bullying and the right way to respond when someone bullies you or another person
Tip: Think about what bullying looks like in person and online, and what you can do if you see it or it happens to you. Talk with a trusted adult.
For example: Bullying can look like repeated name-calling, leaving someone out on purpose, or mean posts online. Ways to respond: don't join in, stay with the person being targeted, tell a trusted adult, and save screenshots of online bullying to show that adult.
- Requirement 10
Show Scout spirit by living the Oath and Law; share how you've carried out your duty to God and lived out four Scout Law points (not the ones used for Tenderfoot 9) day to day
Tip: Pick four Scout Law points you haven't talked about before and share real examples from your life.
For example: Pick four Scout Law points you haven't talked about yet and bring one story for each. For Thrifty: you patched your torn rain fly instead of buying a new one. For duty to God, share what it means in your own life and family, in your own words.
- Requirement 11
After finishing Tenderfoot 10 and while working on Second Class, have a Scoutmaster conference
Tip: Bring your handbook and talk with your Scoutmaster about what you've learned and what's next.
- Requirement 12
Pass your Second Class board of review
Tip: The board of review is a friendly chat about your Scouting experience. Be ready to share a favorite moment.
Ask yourself
- Which outdoor skill do you trust yourself with now, and which still makes you nervous?
- If a real emergency happened on a campout, what would you do in the first minute?
- What did four weeks of tracking your activity teach you about your habits?
- How did it feel to earn money toward something you chose yourself?
- Who helped you most with this rank, and how could you do the same for a newer Scout?
Good questions to ask your Scoutmaster at your conference
- What should I practice now to be ready for the First Class swimmer test and orienteering course?
- What did you learn from the first real emergency you ever had to handle?
- Which troop jobs would help me get ready to lead later on?
- How can I help the newest Scouts in our troop?
Helpful reads
- How advancement works, Ranks, sign-offs, conferences, and boards of review in plain words: how a Scout moves from Scout rank to Eagle, at a pace that fits your life., Youth · Families · 6 min read
- Your Scoutmaster conference and board of review, What happens at each, how to get ready, questions they might ask you, and questions you can ask them. It's a conversation, not a test., Youth · Families · 6 min read
For leaders & parents
- Plan outings with built-in time for map and compass practice, fire building, and patrol cooking.
- Schedule a supervised swim session so Scouts can work on the swim test and water rescue skills with qualified adults.
- Have older Scouts lead first aid scenarios so younger Scouts practice under realistic, low-stress conditions.
People & places that can help
- Scoutmaster and older Scouts — They can teach skills and sign off requirements.
- American Red Cross (opens in a new tab) — First aid and swimming safety resources.
- Local pool or YMCA — Swim lessons if you want to build confidence before the swim test.
- Smokey Bear wildfire prevention (opens in a new tab) — Easy guides to safe campfires.
- USGS Topographic Maps (opens in a new tab) — Free topographic maps you can use to plan your 5-mile hike and learn map symbols.
- Money as You Grow (opens in a new tab) — Short, practical money lessons on saving, earning, and spending for kids and teens.
- Move Your Way (opens in a new tab) — Ideas for staying active and how much activity teens need each week.
- USAGov: The American flag (opens in a new tab) — How to show respect for the U.S. flag and what it stands for.
Pairs well with
Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.