At What Age Can Children Start Scuba Diving?
When I first considered writing this blog, I assumed the answer to the question of when children can start scuba diving would be fairly straightforward. However, after conducting some research, I found the reality is more nuanced than I initially expected. Experts hold a wide range of views, and several factors must be considered when determining whether a child is ready to take the plunge.
The key concerns revolve around whether a child is physically, psychologically, and developmentally prepared to handle the challenges of scuba diving. While physical size and strength are important, what matters even more is mental maturity, the ability to understand and follow important safety rules, manage stress underwater, and remain calm in unfamiliar situations. Scuba diving is not just a sport; it involves mastering life-support equipment and requires a high level of focus, discipline, and responsibility.
PADI’s Age Limit
Most people turn to PADI, one of the world’s leading scuba training organisations, for guidance. PADI sets the minimum age for both the Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) experience and the entry-level Open Water Diver course at 10 years old. For children aged 10 to 11, there are special supervision and depth limitations in place to ensure their safety. For example, they must dive with a PADI Professional or a certified parent/guardian, and their maximum depth is limited to 12 meters (40 feet).
Many insurance providers also align with this age minimum, making it a common industry benchmark. PADI’s extensive history, resources, and commitment to diver safety have helped shape a training system that is both accessible and cautious for junior divers.
But It’s Not Just About Age
That said, age is only one piece of the puzzle; children are not small adults. Just because a child is 10 doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ready to dive. In fact, in some countries and regions, the minimum age is set higher, at 15 years old, due to local laws or insurance regulations. These differences further highlight the importance of looking beyond age and assessing each child individually.
Some children may be mentally ready at 10 or 11, while others might benefit from waiting until 12, 13, or older. There’s absolutely no disadvantage in delaying scuba training by a year or two to ensure they are fully prepared. Diving will still be there when they’re ready, and it’s far better to build confidence gradually than to rush the experience.
When it comes to kids and scuba diving, the key is not to rush. Every child develops differently, and there’s no need to push them into scuba early. If they’re showing interest, start with snorkelling, swimming, or even a bubble-maker experience in the pool. Gauge their confidence and curiosity. If they’re not quite ready, that’s okay—waiting until the mental maturity is there only strengthens their foundation for becoming a safe, skilled diver in the future.
The Benefits of Children Scuba Diving
There are many benefits to children learning to scuba dive. Diving helps children understand the importance of oceans and marine life. The educational aspect is one of the greatest rewards, as children learn about marine creatures, especially sharks, and the impact of pollution. This knowledge fosters a desire to protect the oceans, turning today’s children into tomorrow’s ocean ambassadors.
Scuba diving also offers the opportunity to share family activities, creating unforgettable memories. We have had the privilege of seeing three generations of families dive together, and it is hard to imagine a more enriching family experience.
Furthermore, diving teaches children responsibility, both for themselves and their dive buddies. It also introduces them to basic concepts of physics, physiology, and natural science, providing them with a deeper understanding of the world around them. This knowledge and experience help children develop valuable life skills while having fun exploring the underwater world.
While there are various opinions on when children can start scuba diving, PADI and other leading organizations have set a standard minimum age of 10 years. With proper guidance and safety measures, scuba diving can be a highly rewarding activity for children, offering numerous benefits that extend beyond the dive itself.
Divers Alert Network (DAN)
DAN (Divers Alert Network) are the world authority on scuba diving medical issues. They have a very interesting page dedicated to the minimum age for scuba diving.
The Divers Alert Network updated its recommendations in 2023 after a study of dive accidents involving minors. The updated recommendations are that Junior Divers should;
- Have a dedicated adult buddy within arms reach at all times, a buddy system of two adults and a child would be more prudent.
- The buddy should be someone who knows the junior diver which will help notice subtle cues of stress or discomfort — someone such as a parent or other close relative or guardian.
Those who dive with children should be aware of and understand the unique behavioural characteristics of this age group to help prevent situations that could lead to serious injuries. With proper training and supervision, we can effectively manage the inherent risks involved when a minor joins their family in exploring the underwater world.
DAN – Ask The Experts. Children and Diving, Updated 2015
DAN – Recommendations for Children and Diving, Updated 2023
Natalie Gibb on tripsavvey.com also writes an informative blog.
https://www.tripsavvy.com/is-scuba-diving-safe-for-kids-2963213
Common Concerns With Junior Divers
Does the Child Want to Dive?
Dr. Simon Mitchell speaking for DAN states that this is the most important factor. He states:
“The most important thing is that the child wants to dive. It is also vitally important that the parents are supportive and wholly involved in the decision to allow diving, acting as informed risk-acceptors on the child’s behalf.”
As a dive professional that would be my minimum requirement. I interview the junior divers when I meet them. Not an interrogation, but a few simple questions to understand the child’s reason for doing the course.
Medical Concerns
Unfortunately, there has never been and most likely never will be in-depth hyperbaric testing on children regarding DCS. As Gibb states this would be unethical and therefore most medical concerns are untested and thus, create debate about what may or may not happen. Because there is no concrete evidence this does not mean that some concerns should not be addressed.
DAN do ask the question about decompression stress and long-term bone development. Although there is no evidence of this, it is a concern by some experts.
Ears, Eustachian Tubes and Equalising
The topic of ears and equalization is an interesting one. There may be some issues with the Eustachian Tubes in children may be underdeveloped and make it difficult to equalize on descent. The inability to equalize is a regular issue with adults and during any dive that there are problems with equalizing the dive should be aborted. This would be no different with young children. A knowledgeable, professional and caring scuba diving instructor and accompanying parent should be able to control this.
Also on the ears, one article did mention, although very rare, some scuba diving ear injuries can lead to permanent ear injuries and questioned the ethical morals of placing a child at risk of permanent ear damage.
The Mental Maturity of the Child.
To quote DAN;
“Children often lack the mental maturity to understand and manage invisible risks, and they can behave unpredictably in stressful circumstances. Adherence to plans can be a problem for those who are easily distracted.”
The article also mentions, a lessened ability to problem solve and being easily distracted. King in her article makes the following statement;
“If a child is likely to have a nonchalant attitude about diving safety, it may be best to keep him out of the water.”
The mental maturity of a child should be addressed. From my personal instructor and dive shop owner perspective, my concerns are best waned if the child comes from a scuba diving family. The family already know the dangers of scuba diving and they best know their child. Although scuba diving parents’ approval is highly accepted, normal dive shop managerial and scuba instructor concerns should still be addressed.
My concerns are normally addressed in this manner. I rarely accept any child (10 – 15) to do a beginner activity without adult supervision. I consider this mandatory. If the child is young and is doing a PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience, a parent must accompany them to the pool session and on the boat the following day.
If the child is doing the PADI Open Water Course, the parent must accompany them through the classroom activities, be active in those activities accompany them to the confined pool session. Our preference, if the parent is not a diver that they accompany the child on the boat for the dives as well.
This becomes like a rolling assessment of the child’s ability to be mature enough to complete the activities. It is also very important, if not more important that the parent understands all of the theory and dangers of scuba diving even if they are not a diver.
The Ability To Understand Dive Theory
The ability to understand dive theory is important for both the dive experience (PADI DSD) and the dive certification (PADI OWC). It is important to understand that with the PADI Open Water Course there is no junior theory or underwater skill set. The course is the same for a 10-year-old as it is for a 40-year-old. The instructor (or the parent) can reword some information to make it easier to understand however it will be a requirement for the child to pass all theory exams, plus practical tests just as an adult would.
Level of Fitness
Although scuba diving can be quite stress-free on the body, there does need to be a certain amount of physical and medical fitness required.
Again this is not only for children but for adult divers as well.
Although children normally pass the medical check quite easily, DAN does mention in their article that;
”Childhood asthma underscores how pulmonary function is still evolving in young people, and any risk of air trapping is a serious concern when breathing compressed gas.”
If the child is experiencing any sort of asthma then the likely medical opinion would be not to dive.
The ability to swim is a requirement for the PADI Open Water Course, and some level of confidence in the water should be a high consideration even for the PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience.
Ethical Concerns.
Gibb does raise an ethical point. Here is her view:
“Can a child truly understand the risk he or she is taking when he or she goes diving? Children may not understand their own vulnerability until it is too late. Even if a child says that he or she understands that they can die, become crippled, or be paralyzed for life as a result of a diving accident, do they truly comprehend what that means? In most cases it is unlikely. Is it ethical to expose a child to a risk that he or she does not comprehend and can therefore not accept?”
Summary
It appears that all of the experts agree that it is possible for a 10-year-old to scuba dive as long as certain considerations are addressed. These are pretty standard among the experts.
- Does the child have the desire to dive?
- Does the child have the educational maturity to learn to dive?
- Does the child have the psychological maturity to dive?
- Is the child physically mature enough to dive?
- Is the child medically fit to dive?
Each child should be address on a case by case situation. There will be some 10 year olds that can dive and some that cannot. To be fair, these common rules should be applied to all divers wanting to learn to dive.
Before committing to allowing these considerations should be discussed honestly between the dive centre, parents and dive instructor. If the child cannot, it is not an issue, they still have plenty of time to prepare for the future.
