The Boy Scouts of America has announced that it will start awarding belt loops and pins to Cub Scouts for video game media literacy. ABC News reports that the awards won't be given out for actual game skill, but rather for showing that the child can be responsible about his gaming habits. The belt loop is given for learning the ESRB ratings, playing a parent- or teacher-approved game, and making a schedule that fits game time around chores and homework. The pin is awarded for installing a game console and comparison shopping, among other unspecified educational tasks.

The Boy Scouts already give pins and loops for activities like science, photography, and sports, so this is a natural way to reward kids for being more informed about activities they already enjoy. "Let's be serious, most households have video games in them, and if they don't have them in their households, they're in libraries," said public relations manager Renee Fairrer. "They're a part of our lives."

But while organizations like Common Sense Media and The American Academy of Pediatrics are praising the idea for making kids more conscious of their media choices, it's also seeing its share of criticism for encouraging kids to stay indoors. "Being a Boy Scout is about getting outdoors, it's about being in the woods with your friends and building campfires," said Christian Marino, a former Eagle Scout. "It's not about sitting at home playing video games."