Kids Scuba Programs for Younger Kids
By Margo Peyton
PADI Seal Team is an excellent program for kids 8-10. Kids Sea Camp Inc. offers one of the few 6-day scuba programs in the world that conducts this program in the ocean. Our ratio of instructors to kids is one instructor for every two kids. The PADI Seal Team is an enjoyable program that PADI created in 2001 based on fun educational Aqua Missions in the pool. At Kids Sea Camp, we provide SeaLife Cameras for Photo Missions, fun ocean dives for Fish ID Missions, and night pool missions.
Our destinations
There are select locations like St. Lucia Kids Sea Camp Inc. with Scuba St. Lucia and Anse Chastanet, Buddy Dive Bonaire, Sea Explorers in the Philippines, and Reef Divers in the Cayman Islands, where we take Seal Team kids scuba diving in the ocean and experience the underwater world with mom and dad. Over the past 20 years, we have taught over 3,500 Seals, starting with my son Robert Peyton, who is now a PADI Instructor and Tec Diver.
As a mom, I wanted a safe and fun way to introduce my kids to a world I loved and wanted to share with them. Kids Sea Camp is a great way to teach your children about the underwater world. Many local dive shops offer PADI Seal Team dives and classes, so ask your local dive shop about getting your little ones in the water. Kids have to be 8 years of age to start the scuba programs.
There is also SSI Scuba Rangers, which I know is another excellent kids’ scuba program, although I have not taught it. What’s important for parents to know: Ask good questions. In my opinion, the ratio of the instructor to kids should be one instructor to 2 kids in the water. Each operator has mandates and guidelines to follow, but you can always ask for a private class if you like my more conservative ratios. Ensure your kids want to participate; they should be excited and eager to learn. Clear diving activities with your child’s doctor and make sure they are both mentally and physically fit to participate in diving or diving-related activities. Ensure the instructor you pair with your child is kid-friendly with a comfortable level of kid-teaching experience for your liking. Ask them how much experience they have. If your child falls in love with the program, keep encouraging them and continue to the PADI Master Seal Program.
Our seals and sassy
PADI seals can dive a max depth of 12 ft with an instructor, and Master Seals have a max depth of 20ft with an Instructor. Experienced instructors can acquire waivers to take kids into the ocean. There are a lot of hoops to jump through to make this happen, and justifiably so.
Kids Sea Camp has created a bunny slope for the dive industry with kids, and it’s been incredible to see how many of them have grown up to love the ocean and further their careers in diving. We have certified over 50 divemasters and contributed to 30+ instructors who started as little SASY or Seals with us in those scuba programs. Many get into environmental sciences, Marine biology, dive law, and other marine careers that make a difference in our world every day.