If you are a keen diver and have or know kids who love the water, introducing them to scuba diving can be one of the most rewarding things you ever do together. Not only can getting your kids into scuba diving open up a range of shared experiences you can have, but it can also become a lifelong hobby for them.
While kids can officially begin learning to dive from the age of 8 under PADI’s guidelines, building their comfort and curiosity around the water can (and should) start much earlier and happen in parallel. Using breathing apparatus and the technical side of diving is just one piece of the puzzle, as helping your child grow confident in the water and building their enthusiasm lays the perfect foundation for becoming a fully-fledged scuba diver later on. With this in mind, we have outlined some top tips for getting kids scuba diving in this article.
Build Water Confidence & Familiarity
Before courses or any kind of formal training can even come into the picture, the most important step for getting kids into scuba diving is helping them feel confident and comfortable in the water. In fact, this process is often best when it’s playful and relaxed through regular time spent swimming in pools or paddling at the beach.
The key is to build up kids' familiarity with the water in an organic way. Even seemingly minor experiences like walking barefoot on wet sand or feeling seaweed brush past their feet can be useful in reducing hesitation or fear later on. However, it’s important to remember that if your child feels nervous, you should never force them. Encouragement is key, but the process of getting into diving should always be led by enjoyment, not pressure.
Encourage Good Habits
When a love for the water starts to grow, take the opportunity to introduce positive behaviours and soft skills that will serve kids well as divers later on. For example, a fascination with marine life is a great motivator for getting into diving, but it should be paired with a clear understanding of not touching or disturbing things.
Equally, teaching kids to listen to their bodies is crucial, and they should know it’s okay to stop if they’re cold or tired. Water safety is another crucial element to start reinforcing early. The sooner kids know how to spot when water conditions aren’t safe, the better. A general awareness of things like waves, tides and other hazards helps safety become second nature.
Work On Swimming Ability
While diving doesn’t come with the requirement for your kids to be elite swimmers, they do need to be able to swim 200 metres unaided before formally learning to dive, and wider swimming confidence will go a long way. Focus on efficient kicking, controlled breathing and learning to float, as these skills will really set them up for success when the time comes to transition into scuba diving. The better their swimming ability, the more confident they will feel in open water.
Try Snorkelling
When it comes to getting kids scuba diving, snorkelling is a great in-between step and a fantastic way to introduce basic equipment and the sensation of breathing while their face is in the water. Using a mask, snorkel and fins for the first time is undoubtedly exciting and it also serves a very practical purpose of offering a gentle transition between swimming and diving.
Whether snorkelling in the sea or in a pool, your kids will start to understand how fins help them move through the water and how they can breathe steadily through a snorkel. Plus, snorkelling is a great way to continue to build a fascination for what lies below the surface.
Get The Right Kit
It’s no secret that kids can change hobbies and interests pretty quickly, and knowing when to invest in one of them can be tricky. However, for those getting into diving, having their own kit can go a surprisingly long way in building a sense of excitement and ownership over their underwater adventures. A wetsuit that fits properly, a mask that doesn’t leak, and fins that feel comfortable will all make a huge difference to their experience and investing in the right ones now will most likely save you some money in the long run! It’s also really important not to hand down your old gear or expect them to make do with ill-fitting kit. This is not only unsafe, but a bad fit can also knock their confidence.
At Aquanauts, we stock a wide range of kid-friendly equipment, including wetsuits and snorkel sets that are suitable for getting into diving. Whether you’re preparing for a holiday where they’ll be in and out of the water or gearing up to take the plunge with proper training, we’re happy to help recommend the right kit for their age, size, and ability level. Simply get in touch with our friendly team and we can assist you further.