The Bubblemaker course is a scuba diving program for children 8-10 years of age. As a diver absolutely in love with the underwater world, you want your children to learn diving as soon as possible. It is completely understandable you want to show them the wonders of the sea, diving among stunning marine animals and discover together with the colourful coral reefs. However, you know that it is extremely important to learn diving properly in order to do all these things in a safe and fun way.
Bubblemaker Course and Seal Team Programs
Well, that is the reason why there are scuba diving age restrictions for children and why they cannot take any kind of scuba diving course before they are 8 years old. Immediately after reaching this age, PADI offers two option for your children: The Bubblemaker program and The Seal Team Program.
The Bubblemaker program is an introduction to the emotions of diving and breathing underwater. Through this course, your children will have the opportunity to learn some basic scuba diving principles in a pool with a max depth of 6 feet/ 2 meters.
The Seal Team program is a more extensive confined water experience. Your children will know basic scuba diving skills while they have fun taking underwater photos, practising buoyancy and learning environmental awareness.
If you are wondering if your children will be able to dive into the ocean after these programs, the answer is: No, not yet, unless the ocean spot is shallow, calm, very good visibility and has pool-like conditions.
The Junior Open Water Diver Course
For more real diving, they will have to wait until they are 10 years old. With this age, the kids are old enough to complete the Junior Open Water Diver Course. It is similar to the adult certification program but with some limitations.
Kids between 10 and 11 years old must dive with a professional diver or, at least, with a certified parent or guardian. In addition, their dives cannot exceed 12 meters/40 feet.
Diving with a certified adult is compulsory for divers between 12 and 14 years old as well, but they can dive deeper until 60 feet/ 18 meters.
Finally, they will automatically become independent divers when they will be of age without doing any other course.
