Practical Pointers

Specialist Reports Activity Holidays Diving Holidays Practical Pointers 

The best dive location for children is somewhere where you can walk into the sea rather than having to jump of a jetty or a boat in full diving gear. This can be rather scarey for a first-timer.

Children will need their own wetsuit. Check in advance if there are wetsuits for the age and size of your children. If not you will have to take one. Make it a full wetsuit. A short one is likely to be too cold. Water temperature drops as you move down from the surface.

Don't push children into diving. It can seem frightening and 5-10% of those who get as far as starting with the flip charts and videos, then refuse to enter the water.

Take children to talk to the instructor before signing up, so they know exactly what the course involves. They need to feel confident of the instructor so if the first one doesn't click, find another.

Do check that the dive centre holds relevant teaching qualifications and ask to see the instructor's qualifications (both BSAC and PADI have seperate diving and teaching qualifications, so make sure you see both. Also ask the instructor about how much teaching they have done with children, as instructor qualifications DO NOT specifically cover teaching younger people!).

Do make sure the children have understood the theory in its entirety before getting into the water. You will know your child better than the instructor so can make a better judgement on that than the instructor.