OH, THE PLACES THEY'LL GO!

For kids and teens, diving is a sport, a path and, sometimes, a calling

- ANNIE CRAWLEY

“When I scuba dive, I feel like I’ve found home,” 10-year-old Daniel tells me during a debrief in the Pacific Northwest. He’s not alone. I hear these words again and again, from almost every kid or teen I teach. At 11, Jaimie dedicated her life to the ocean, as did Elise. Tommy found his “sport”—scuba diving. Fast-forward a couple years, and at the ages of 13 to 15, these kids are rescue divers, underwater filmmakers and ocean advocates.

Scuba diving changes lives and teaches so many life lessons. As an instructor I also feel like a life coach as they choose a path of underwater exploration. Patience, persistence, passion, respect, responsibility, teamwork—these are just a few of the bonus skills learned during an open-water course. But how do you prepare the kids and teens in your life to take the plunge, and what should you look for in the dive center or trip operator you choose for their journey?

Make sure your kids are mentally and physically ready. Prime them early. They don't wake up at 10 knowing they can be scuba divers. Get them involved in water activities at a young age. Find books about the ocean and curate an online playlist of videos. Make sure you are not perpetuating ocean fears and myths with scary or fearmongering books or videos. Talk to them about ocean exploration and all positive aspects of diving.