Everything you Need to Know about Scuba Diving for Children

Scuba diving is a fun activity that can be enjoyed by the whole family, including children as young as 8 years old.  It’s a great opportunity for a family to do something together to explore our local environment in Ontario or when planning a trip to a tropical destination around the world. In this article, we will cover what you need to know to get involved in learning about our underwater water and discover just how fragile it is.

Minimum Age Requirements for Scuba Diving

Children between 8-10 years old can take part in a PADI Seal Team or a PADI Bubble Maker program which lets them get their feet wet and learn about our underwater world. They also learn the basics of our environment and aquatic life forms.

At the early age of 10, children can take part in an Open Water Scuba Diving course and earn a diving certification for Junior Open Water Scuba Diver.  This can be done as a family or with a bunch of friends. As Junior Open Water Scuba Divers, they are required to dive with an adult family member or a PADI Professional.  Upon reaching 15 years old, the divers are able to dive with another certified diver.

What You Need to Know to Become a Certified Junior Open Water Scuba Diver

To get your junior scuba diver certification, you don’t have to be the best swimmer in the world, but you need to be comfortable in the water.  We will teach you everything you need to know during the course.  There are 4 main parts to the scuba diver course, which is the same for all participants, whether you’re 10 years old or a parent:

1. At-home study with a book and video, or an e-learning online course, which is done in the comfort of your home. This is the academic side of the course and is a very well set up and organized program designed by PADI.
2. In class lectures of approximately 6 hours over 3 nights, where we will confirm all the things you learned at home. We will also show you some equipment, how to set it up, and how to take care of it.
3. In water pool training consisting of 6 hours over 2 days, where we will practice skills essential to making you a safe and comfortable diver.
   
4. Four open water dives usually done over a weekend of 2 dives each day. This is carried out at one of our local water ways in the Quinte area.  During these open water dives, you will perform some of the skills you learned in the pool, and dive around and explore the wonderful under water world.

Once you get your Junior Open Water scuba diver certification, you can go diving as often as you want with your adult family member diver.  In Ontario alone, we have over 250 known shipwrecks for us to explore for all levels of qualification. To say the least, we have some of the best diving in the world here in our back yard.

About the Author

David Burnside, President and Owner at Dive Force Scuba

I have been diving for over 30 years and has dove around the world in many exotic places.  After spending several years in the military and retiring form a successful self run construction company, we decided to open a dive shop in the Trenton area to provide a service to retired and serving military as well as the people around Belleville, Trenton, Brighton and area.  At present, I am working on my Master Instructor Rating for PADI and hold an Instructor certification with the Handicapped Scuba Association International, as well as a PADI Emergency First Responder Trainer.  I am also a Scuba Equipment Service Technician.

I have taught hundreds upon hundreds of students to scuba dive but the most enjoyment I get is when I see young people and families enjoy the sport of Scuba Diving!