With their natural curiosity and desire to learn new skills, children can quickly become the best scuba divers. Diving club "Diving", instructor Valters Preimanis (PADI MSDT) has compiled a list of all available scuba diving courses that children can attend, both in Latvia and on a trip with a diving club, and the minimum age for scuba diving.
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When to start diving lessons for children
Diving club "Diving" in Latvia offers Bubblemaker & Seal Team is a diving training program for children. A good way to determine if your child is ready for scuba diving is to first test them in the water and pass the PADI Bubblemaker or Seal Team children's diving program.
- The Bubblemaker program allows children 8 years of age and older to try scuba diving and swim in the pool or indoor water. The maximum depth in these underwater activities is two meters.
- The PADI Seal Team program is a broader pool program for children ages 8 and up that combines basic scuba diving skills with fun activities such as taking underwater photos, practicing buoyancy, and learning about the environment.
PADI Junior Open Diving Course
Junior Open Diver training course is similar to the adult certification program, but with an individual teacher and student approach to training and less diving depth. To register for a diving course, children must be 10-15 years old and able to swim. You can see all available diving courses, prices for children and adults on the diving price list - Diving courses.
To ensure that young divers do not exceed their physical limits, the Junior Open Water Certificate has depth limits of no more than 12 or 18 meters.
- Divers who are 10-11 years old must dive with PADI Professional or a certified parent or guardian, and the dive must not exceed 12 meters;
- Divers between the ages of 12 and 14 must dive with a certified adult and dive must not exceed 18 meters.
Jr. Advanced Open Water, Jr. Rescue and Jr. PADI special courses
After receiving the Junior Open Water Certificate, divers 12 years of age and older can continue to gain experience and explore deeper locations by registering with Jr. Adventure Diver, Jr. Advanced Open Water, Jr. Rescue Diver or one of the many PADI specialized courses.
Below is the full certificate and experience courses that young divers can attend. Please note: not all courses are available in Latvia in all areas.
There is no minimum age
- First aid
- Specialty of the project AWARE
6 years of age or older
- PADI Discover Mermaid Experience
- PADI Basic Mermaid Courses
Age 8 or older
- Bubbler
- PADI Seal Team
10 years of age or older
- Jr. Adventure diver
- Diver
- Boat diver
- Discover diving
- Dive against pollution®
- Digital underwater photographer
- Dry suit diver
- Equipment specialist
- Identification of fish
- Jr. open water diver
- PADI mermaid course
- Peak Performance buoyancy
- Underwater natural scientist
- Underwater navigator
12 years of age or older
- Latest Advanced Open Water
- How to Skip a Surface Marker Buoy |
- DPV diver
- Drift Diver
- Enriched air (nitrox)
- Discover Freediving
- Basic Freediver
- Full face mask
- Night diver
- The youngest savior
- Search and recovery
- Shark protection diver
Divers 12 and older can become Jr. Master Scuba Divers - the highest rating that can be achieved by a recreational diver under 15 years.
Conversion of a Junior Diver Certificate into an Open Water Diver
After the age of 15, depth and friend restrictions are set according to the usual PADI Open Water Diver restrictions. Divers who were originally certified as junior divers and want to receive a new electronic card marked "Open Water Diver" can order a replacement at a scuba diving club. The new digital card will be automatically printed without the word "Junior" based on the diver's age when the card is ordered. You do not need to take any special steps to receive a new digital card at the time of ordering. The diver will receive an electronic diving card with a unique number, without the inscription Junior.
Contact the diving club "DIVING'To register for one of the above-mentioned children's and young people's diving programs. For more information on scuba diving opportunities for children in your area, contact PADI instructor Walter Preiman.
