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Apr 30th '10, 03:16 PM
<p><img style="margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; display: inline" title="video_games_bl" alt="video_games_bl" align="left" src="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gamelife/2010/04/video_games_bl.jpg" width="146" height="171" />The Boy Scouts are prepared to get parents more involved with their kids’ videogame playing — and other geeky activities too.</p> <p>This week, the organization introduced a new <a href="http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/cubscouts/awards/boys/sanda/video_games.aspx">activity pin for playing games</a> (right), which Boy Scouts of America says is aimed at making games a family activity. To earn the Video Games badges, Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts have to work with their parents to learn more about the games they love.</p> <p>Later this year, the BSA will add three more tech-oriented pins to the lineup: robotics, inventing and <a href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/04/geocaching-has-merit/">geocaching</a>.</p> <p>The BSA wants parents to “look at (videogames) as a family activity, much like going to Six Flags or going out to eat,” representative Rene Fairrer told Wired.com.</p> <p>“We want to empower (parents) with tools, if videogames are already in the house, on how to possibly open up a dialog so you don’t have a child spending half their day sitting around playing a videogame,” he said.</p> <p>While some of the awards’ requirements can be met by playing games with friends, most of them require the Scout to do some research and preparation.</p> <p>Boys first earn the Video Games belt loop by doing things like learning about the ESRB game rating system and creating a schedule with their parents that balances game time with other chores.</p> <p>After that, a boy can earn the Academics Pin by teaching parents or friends how to play videogames, competing with his family in a game tournament or learning to install a game system.</p> <p>The videogame award joins 53 other areas in which young Scouts can earn distinction, including astronomy, gymnastics, geology and skateboarding.</p> <p>“Games can be fun,” Fairrer said. “Games can also be a learning experience.”</p> <p><a href="http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2010/04/cub-scouts-videogames/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gamelife+%28Blog+-+Game%7CLife%29">Boy Scouts’ Videogame Badge Gets Parents in the Game | GameLife | Wired.com</a></p> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6214430959664794120-5075202998208919496?l=ooedbone.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><br />