Game Design Merit Badge

When:  April 25, 2026
9 am - 12 pm

Where:  First English Lutheran Church
3807 North Charles St.

Who:  BSA Registered Youth
Limit: 30 game designers (Scouts)

Cost:  $10 material fee per Scout

The game design merit badge teaches creative thinking, human-centered design, and storytelling skills. Games are interactive stories that unfold on boards, on fields, across the built and natural environment, with cards and props, and on digital devices. During this session, we will discuss gaming and play theories, talk about and explore our favorite games, and build prototypes of games that we can test with each other. There are no technical skills required. Scouts interested in prototyping video games may bring devices if they already have experience in video game programming and prototyping, however most prototypes (even video game prototypes) will be made using physical craft materials and paper.

We will complete all requirements during this session, although scouts should be prepared to discuss their experience with a variety of games: card, board, sports, and video games.

Instructor: Dr Patrick Brugh, Johns Hopkins

Dr. Brugh is an Eagle Scout from Baltimore who has worked in education and digital design for over 20 years. He has designed gamified learning experiences and delightful digital systems for departments, universities, and government clients across the United States, working at WashU in St Louis, Loyola University Maryland, Johns Hopkins, and Deloitte Consulting. He is an expert in workshop facilitation, prototyping research, and human-centered design.

Details on the Game Design merit badge, and the digital pamphlet, can be found here: https://www.scouting.org/merit-badges/game-design/