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I
personally know after having three inspiring children myself, how
important it is for most scuba diving parents to share their love of the
water with their children. However, before you completely "outfit" your
young ones in some of the latest scuba equipment and expose them in the
ocean or lake, it is imperative that they feel totally comfortable in
the aquatic environment. Take baby steeps at the beginning so they don't
get scared or frustrated
Having also been a PADI Instructor for
over 30 years, I know they need to learn similar skills to
 the ones YOU
learned while achieving your Open Water certification. A child that is
proficient in mask and snorkel clearing and regulator recovery will help
build self-confidence and allow them to truly enjoy their time in the
water. The most important element, however, is to teach these basic
skills to your children without scaring, frustrating or worse,
totally terrifying them. I doubt any child wants to fill his or her
snorkel with water the first time. They certainly don't want to flood
their mask, and no way will they freely give up a regulator. One of the
best ways to avoid a potential panic situations, is to help your kids
master these basic Open Water skills by playing games in a pool or other
"confined" areas.
The right
games can be great for teaching children these basic skills and still
maintain their interest. Your child will never realize that he is
learning valuable waterman ship techniques. While you play games, his or
her mask will probably get flooded from time to time and certainly their
snorkel will fill with water, etc. They will probably be so busy that
resolving these challenges will become automatic and self-taught.
The secret to
kids "diving games" is to keep them simple and let the kids win most of
the time. They will get very excited and competitive as the games
progress and will make the games harder and more complicated all by
themselves. There is one simple rule to follow: You may not dunk you
child, although your child may dunk, climb over or do anything short of
drowning you in order to win. Have a plastic ball, toy fish or any
number of similar items available. A trip down to your favorite toy
store should yield some of these fun water gadgets like a Frisbee,
torpedoes or diving discs. Try to find at least one item that will
float. Don't tell your child what you are about to do though. It's
more fun and challenging if you make it spontaneous.
Start out in the shallow area, and have your child get comfortable
with his equipment (mask, fins & snorkel) before you begin the fun &
games. Then start out by selecting an item that floats and throw it out
between the two of you. It should be closer to your child than you.
Now, challenge them to see who can grab it first. You can also pitch
items that sink in the deep end of the pool and have them surface dive
to retrieve the items. All of this will help build self-esteem and as
always you should compliment, praise and congratulate. As water is
splashed, with mask and snorkels filling with water will be important
building blocks to demonstrate proper techniques for clearing a mask
and snorkel. I feel that playing games such as these will help children
accept these normal conditions of expelling water from the mask and
snorkel automatically. Your child will rely on their skills and newly
learned techniques and not just on their equipment to enjoy the water.
Simple skills, presented through fun and games are NOT just child's
play. They are, in fact, a foundation for a lifetime of scuba diving
recreation.
NOTICE:
By the way the minimum age for learning to Scuba Dive is 10 years
old so you know this isn't rocket Science. While Rick's has its on personal
standards for teaching children to dive, we will gladly discuss our
various options with you and your child. Don't forget our
Introductory Scuba Experience in the confines of our own indoor heated
pool is always highly recommended by our staff. Another great way to
"break the ice" is to schedule a Kids "Down Under" Splash Bash Birthday
Party to find out if this is really something you want to pursue for
your children.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT OUR KIDS PROGRAMS, GIVE US A CALL TODAY!!!!
501-753-6004 OR 1-800-521-3541 OR EMAIL US AT
rick@ricksdivecenter.com
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