Boy Scouts to Give Awards for Video Gaming

Gone are the days when the Boy Scouts were rewarded solely for outdoor skills like tying knots and building campfires. The group is now adding two more awards for scouts to win - in video games.

The Scouts will award belt loops and academic pins for video game activities that promote education, teamwork and a familiarity with video game ratings, reports CNET blogger Don Reisinger.

Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts can earn belt loops by explaining "why it is important to have a ratings system for video games," according to the Scouts. They must also create a schedule that fits video gaming around chores and homework and choose games that have been approved by a parent or guardian.

To earn the academic pin, scouts will have to do a number of things: find an age-appropriate game, research the differences between two gaming systems, play a game with family members and teach someone else how to play as well.

They also have to play a multiplayer game with a friend for at least an hour, put together a list of tips for others to follow on playing a game, play a game that promotes educational skills, compare prices of games at three stores and install a gaming system under an adult's supervision.