Wood Badge 2026

Wood Badge
Reboot Your Unit
Wood Badge is an advanced, national leadership course open only to Scouting volunteers and professionals.
Scouters from Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouts, and Explorers, and district and council Scouters all are welcome and belong here.
Listen to the April 2017 CubCast, “Tell Us More About Wood Badge,” to learn more about this advanced leadership training course.
What will you see on course?
You'll do many things on course, like:
- Listening
- Managing conflict
- Leading change
- Stages of team development
- Coaching & Mentoring
- Leadership for different stages
- Servant leadership
- Project planning
- And more!
These come to you in presentations, games, discussions, activities, and other methods.
Why do you want to go?
You want to participate in a Wood Badge course because of things you will learn and do. Here are some of the benefits:
- Stronger units. You will make your Scouting unit — and your sons’ and daughters’ units — stronger.
- What and why of Scouting. You will have a deeper understanding of what Scouting is and why we do it.
- Experience. You will learn and experience things that will stay with you in Scouting and the rest of your life.
- Fun. You will have fun and you will meet interesting people.
- Other groups. You will make your other groups, like work, church, even family, stronger.
Here’s another summary of why to go. This was originally aimed particularly at Scouters in the Cub Scout program, but it applies equally to all of us.
CUB SCOUT LEADERS! How would you like to attend a training that takes you far beyond your Basic Leader Training? Would you like to build your skills in communication, conflict management and teaching methods? How about a leadership course that rivals many corporate level trainings?
Wood Badge is here for you. This is not a Troop leader training but is designed for Cub, Troop, and Venturing leaders. This course will help you better understand how all the Scouting programs tie together. It will provide you with many useful leadership tools to help enable our youth to have the best possible Scouting experience. There is no better time to attend a Wood Badge course and make a difference in your unit than when you are a Cub Scout Leader.
"The Ticket"
Have you heard of “The Ticket” and wondered what it is? The ticket is a group of five goals you set for yourself to do after course, to improve your unit. You learn more about this on the course.
Purpose of Wood Badge
The purpose of Wood Badge is to develop skilled leaders who can strengthen Scouting units in achieving the mission of the Boy Scouts of America.
When we accomplish the mission of Scouting, we do it in the units. Therefore, the short form of the purpose is, the purpose of Wood Badge is to strengthen units.
Although the course is different today, what Baden-Powell said in 1919 still applies:
One of the purposes of Wood Badge training is to get Scouters to think about the practice of Scouting, to meet together, to exchange experiences, and to live together in the spirit of the Scout Oath.
Cost: $375, $350 if paid in full by June 1st ($100 Deposit)
Other ways to save: (no more than 2 per person, max $50)
- $25 off if you recruit an additional person, they must be paid in full
- $25 off if you have a Scout that attends NYLT in the same year in our Council
- $25 off if you are a member of the District or Commissioner Staff (2 per District)
- $50 off if you are member of the Council Executive Board/Committee
Other incentives:
- 1st/2nd Paid in Full registration - Pick your Patrol Critter
- 3rd/4th Paid in Full registration - Receive a Troop & Patrol Color Picture
- 5th/6th Paid in Full registration - 2 "QM Treats" for your Patrol, 1 each weekend
- 7th/8th Paid in Full registration - 1 "QM Treat" for your Patrol the First weekend
- 9th/10th Paid in Full registration - Recieve a Patrol Color Picture
- 11th/12th Paid in Full registration - Receive a Troop Color Picture
Scholarships:
Scholarships, which are similar to Camperships, are applied for during the registration process. Only those registered will be considered by the Barber Scholarhship Fund Committee. Window closes on March 10th for applying.
You should receive an email confirmation once registration is complete. If not check your spam folder for an email from no-reply@247scouting.org
Friday 04-24-2026 12:00 AM ET to
Sunday 04-26-2026 11:59 PM ET
Camp Scouthaven
Saturday 05-16-2026 12:00 AM ET to
Sunday 05-17-2026 11:59 PM ET