Teaching kids to scuba dive, what I learned along the way.

10 things I learned from teaching  JOW’s(Jr. Open Water kids age 10-14)

By Holly Wakely

PADI OWIS Kids Sea Camp Team Instructor

In February 2021, I became a PADI dive instructor with Kids Sea Camp at Buddy Dive in Bonaire.  This has been a dream of mine since I became a Jr. rescue diver 6 years ago. Thanks to Margo’s dive leader internship programs, I was able to gain experience this spring break in Belize as a fresh-minted PADI Instructor.  The ability to intern and gain experience teaching once you become an instructor is invaluable.  Margo paired me each week with very experienced and seasoned KSC instructors so that I could learn and gain confidence.  The first week I assisted as part of the team with four students, Izabell, a 10-year-old, and Natalia, an adult mom with her two sons, Daniel, age 14 as well as
Alex, age 11, The second week I was the lead instructor with assistance for  2 kids, 10-year-old Macello and 13-year-old Brooklyn.  In the third and final week, I worked with 10-year-old Logan and his mom, Bailey. 

So here is my journey across these three weeks teaching in Belize. It was a rollercoaster!

My PADI Course Director, Lars at Buddy Dive, prepared me well. He made sure, knowing I was becoming a Kids Sea Camp instructor to drill me on the best and most effective ways to teach, both adults and kids. However, real-life teaching poses some obstacles that you don’t learn in the book. From cuts and scrapes to tired, hungry, chatty kids, and boat rides through rough water or getting them through some of the more difficult skills. Boy, did I learn a lot more than I now anticipate!

Each one of the three weeks had a 10-year-old Junior open water diver to teach; some people argue that 10 is too young to dive. I know that it’s because I was certified at 10 at Kids Sea Camp. I know it is entirely possible for a young diver to join the underwater world with the right kid-friendly instructor. Luckily for me each of my students had participated in either SASY or SEAL team over their years with Kids Sea Camp, so already they were comfortable with a regulator in their mouth and swimming and snorkeling in open water. Each student came with their own unique set of fears and stresses. So are 10 slightly random things I learned in order to overcome real-life Jr. open water obstacles and encourage each of my students to complete their training and become certified.

1. Sunscreen is useful for more than just sun protection- it’s jellyfish sting-proof as well as pre-existing cuts, scrapes or bug bites that can sting in salt water. Lather them in skin-sensitive waterproof sunscreen (bonus points if it’s reef safe) and let the kids know that, like magic, no stings in salt water anymore
2. Sometimes you have to negotiate class time and training. Kids want to play, but you have confined water sessions to do? Make it fun and create play time after classes are completed for the day. Some water volleyball or paddle boarding, crab races or even a smoothie is a great reward.
3. Food is fuel! This one I kind of taught myself. I think I got hungrier than the kids did on a daily basis in the hot sun. Frequent snacks and water breaks are important for keeping energy up and taking breaks so the course is not too daunting for little ones.
4. Everything is bigger for kids because they’re small. Forty feet may only be 7 times your height, but it can be 10 times their height. This can make the ocean seem really intimidating. It helps a lot if they can see the bottom and have clear, calm water to begin in. Stay shallow, I find 20ft the perfect depth for the first 10 dives.
5. The scariest skill is the full mask removal and replacement.  Salt water burns their little eyes and scares them.  Practice this repeatedly in fresh water during the confined sessions.   Let them know they can keep their eyes closed, and you can hold on to them.  Let them practice in salt water without dive gear while snorkeling and then complete in class on an open water dive.
6. Kids are learning from watching you, so they copy what you do and how you do it. So make sure you are your best diver self when diving or teaching with them.
7. Keep things fun. Acronyms are boring, until they’re not. BWRAF, the buddy check. You may know it as Begin With Review And Friend, at least this is how it’s taught in the book. At 10 I would never remember this, make it Big White Rabbits Are Fluffy or Burger With Relish And Fries, and suddenly it’s glued into not only my short-term memory but my long-term memory too.
8. As soon as their internal timer hits 25 minutes, they’re freezing. Layering wetsuits or skins helps, but they’re naturally going to get colder than us, faster than us.. Unless you show them something crazy cool (this could be just a turtle to us, but they’ve never seen a real live sea turtle before), then suddenly they’re distracted from the slight cold and are excited about diving.
9. Mask flap straps are the most helpful piece of equipment they could own, no joke. For some reason, their hair gets everywhere, and the rubber strap is sticky and hurts. Flap straps make it easy to put masks on and off. They look cool too (especially if it says Kids Sea Camp on it!)
10. Pee schedules.  OMG, little kids have to go to the bathroom all the time.  They have little bladders, and they are drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. So be prepared to take a lot of bathroom breaks.  A two-piece wetsuit comes in much more handy than a one-piece.  And NO, they will not pee in their suit or the pool, so make sure the toilet is close by.

Holly Wakely is now a PADI course director and a shining star in the diving industry. She currently works with Blue Horizons Diving and continues to create the next generation of divers with the utmost care.  We are incredibly proud of her and her accomplishments.

Kids Sea Camp Inc.