10 year olds and the discover scuba class.

[kris@bulldogg.ca]

I think you are asking the wrong question. Being 10 will be two young for some participants, and some could likely handle it younger. This is really a question of making sure that your nieces are mature enough (some children may not be) and you find the right instructor.

As with most skill related activities, the arbitrary age chosen is not nearly as important as finding the right teacher.

Just my two cents.

 

[doctormike]

My younger son's 8th birthday party (about 15 years ago) was a "bubble maker" party at a dive shop with a nice warm pool. There were about 25 kids, done in two groups, and they had a blast. Little tanks and BCs, no issues with any of the kids. I did it again at that same shop later on with a group of kids from his scout troop and from our local nature center. I really recommend this.

 

[mmerriman]

do it - you'll be able to talk with the instructor when done about whether the kid is ready to undertake an OW class, or have a real interest in it.

 

[Doby45]

My 8yr old daughter at the time did her Discovery Dive in St. Marteen and she flew through the pool stuff and then was taken out to the ocean and completed a 25min dive to approx. 24FSW and had a blast. She is getting her Jr. OW this summer. She is 10 now.

 

[TMHeimer]

Go ahead and do it. Discover scuba is just piddling around in the pool with a scuba set on. Chances are the 10 year old will love it. I would be the last person to suggest TRAINING the 10 year old after that (regardless of the "rules" I personally think 10 is simply too young), but for the experience I see nothing wrong with it.

My kids were both in the pool at that age. I eventually certified my daughter when she was 15. My son hasn't shown the interest in getting certified yet (he is now 15) but when/if he does he will have had a number of dives in the pool as a head start.

R..

I agree with all here. The pool should be OK as long as there is no holding of breath. My personal view is 10 (and even older) is not good in the ocean, even if it is permitted.

 

[BoltSnap]

If you don't trust them to drive your most expensive car, you can't trust them to dive

 

[packrat12]

Age is not a good determining factor for when a youth should learn to dive. Maturity and ease in the environment is. The DSD should help determine that. I did my daughters in our pool before we got her certified. Her boyfriend, 18, is less serious about the environment then she is. He is a good diver but I would not want him going technical for a while longer. So again, age is less important then maturity.

As for strength - Today she is barely over 100# soaking wet. She started at maybe 90#. She has always worn full gear including 80CF tanks, even at 11. She is now with the SCR (Explorer) and a 30CF bailout. Her gear weights about 2/3 or better her weight. I guess strength depends on the person. While I will help load, pack and even get into gear, anyone I dive with is responsible for their gear into and out of the water!

All of my pictures are from 2013 with the exception of the SCR. Many of the bottom pictures are around 100' or so in Saba at age 13. The safety stop picture is after she dove U-352 and Spar (100') coming up again at age 13. She is conducting lite penetration of wrecks and max NDL dives at this point using SCR and adjusting PPO2 regularly with guidance and mentoring from me. My point is that a progression path allows a youth diver to come up to a high level of performance while under proper parental supervision. Her boyfriend is progressing through us also but obviously he is able to dive as he wants now.

And as for a realization of risk, consider that I have dove with adults with significant deco that failed to properly plan or conduct their dive. They blew the mistakes off and not sure how much they learned from them. I have seen this from other adults also. Maturity is the key here.

I do love my avatar picture - She was also 13 at that time. Not sure if she is comfortable though....

 

[maj2]

My daughter did PADI's Bubblemaker program at age 8. She also did the "Seal Team" program and "Master Seal Team" programs at age 9 that introduce O/W and AOW skills respectively. She then did her Jr OW at age 10, and Jr AOW and Jr Rescue at age 12. She is now 13.
Since then, I have been diving with her in locations like Bonaire, Bahamas, Mexico (Los Cabos), Grenada, DiveQuest at Epcot at DisneyWorld, as well as local quarries, etc. Cozumel is coming up in March. We just choose dives reflective of her certification and skill level, and have had no regrets. She has a blast with diving.
Every kid is different, but a Discover Scuba session in the pool is a great way to give them a taste of it and see if it is something they might want to pursue later on.

 

[Bubblesong]

Both my kids had SCUBA birthday parties at 10 years old in which 10 kids try scuba for fun. My son has declined all scuba, snorkel, opportunities. My daughter was OW at 12, AOW aand Rescue at 17, BUT that was before I starting reading on SCUBA board all about things that can go wrong, and what thin ice I was on.
So this is my honest description of her first, 12 years old, open ocean dive after certification: we dove 35 feet, slight current, poor visibility, we decided to stay right by anchor, I hooked a leg around anchor rope, she did not. I looked down at a shell, looked up and she was gone, drifted out of visibility in current. Now it is entirely up to the training, maturity and panic level of a 12 year old. She did not even wait one minute after losing sight of me, but returned safely to the surface right by the boat, where I went after searching for a minute to ask for help. She was upset, but decided to dive again after Dolphins made their appearance.
My take, only let little one dive no current and great visibility.

 

[mmerriman]

My 8yr old daughter at the time did her Discovery Dive in St. Marteen and she flew through the pool stuff and then was taken out to the ocean and completed a 25min dive to approx. 24FSW and had a blast. She is getting her Jr. OW this summer. She is 10 now.

what agency was that???