Can my kid scuba dive?

What age can they start?

• Ages 8–9: PADI Bubble Maker. Very shallow water, no deeper than 6 feet, with an instructor right beside them.
• Ages 10 and up: Discover Scuba Diving, or the full PADI Open Water course, which kids finish as Junior Open Water Divers.

At 8, age isn’t the only thing. A kid needs a certain level of maturity and has to be able to follow instructions, but most of the time that’s no big deal, because they’re excited to get in the water.

How do we know a kid is ready?

Most of the time, we just ask them. When a kid comes in for Bubble Maker or Discover Scuba, you can tell pretty quickly whether it’s the parent’s idea or theirs. Some are a little shy at first, but they come out of their shell as soon as we get the ball rolling.

For parents

We get it. You just flew into the Caribbean, and now you’re handing your child to a dive instructor to go explore the underwater world, which is a lot of trust.

That’s why a lot of parents sign up with them instead. Book Discover Scuba for yourself in the same session as your kid’s Bubble Maker or Discover Scuba, and it becomes a family experience. If you’re already certified, you can join as a tag-along diver.

You can be in the water with us or watch from the beach, depending on you and your kid. If you’re in the water, trust us to lead. Sometimes we give a kid a little room to get the most out of them.

Groups are small, up to 4 people, with no more than 2 divers under 12.

Gear sized for kids

• Smaller tanks: aluminum 63s instead of the standard 80s.
• BCDs starting at XXS.
• Kids’ wetsuits in smaller sizes.
• Kid-size mouthpieces on the regulator, so it’s comfortable to hold.

We carry kids’ gear at the shop too, fitted when you buy.

As they get older

Everyone dives with a buddy, at any age. What changes is who that buddy is and how deep they can go:

• 10–11: down to 40 feet, with a certified parent, guardian or dive professional.
• 12–14: down to 60 feet, with a certified adult.
• At 15: it becomes a regular Open Water Diver certification.

The dive that’s hard to top

Back in the early 2000s, a kid did a Discover Scuba with us down to 20 feet, and on his very first dive, a pod of dolphins showed up. When we got out of the water, he said, “Great, so what’s next?”

We had to burst his bubble: my friend, it doesn’t get much better than this.

We can’t promise dolphins, though. That was a once-in-a-lifetime day.

One thing to plan for

We’re not a babysitting service, so a parent needs to stay in the area during Bubble Maker or Discover Scuba. Emergencies are very unlikely, but when we’re working with kids, we want help close by. Plan to get in the water with them, or plan a beach day under a palm tree while they dive.

Before the day, fill in the diver medical questionnaire. For anyone under 18, a parent or guardian signs it.