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PADI Dive Courses for Children

KIDS, LET'S GO DIVING IN PHUKET!

Want to get the kids involved? From as young as 10 years old, your children can learn to dive at our 5 Star Dive Centre in Phuket, Thailand.

Here in Phuket we have calm, crystal clear waters at Racha Yai and Racha Noi islands all year round, making it the ideal place for youngsters to learn how to dive in safety. Most days it's like being in a salty-flavoured swimming pool ... only one with lots and lots of fish!

Apart from additional age, depth and buddy restrictions, the PADI scuba diving courses for children are structured exactly the same as the adult courses listed on our main dive courses page, so they will learn the same skills as adults.

Discover Scuba Diving

Try before you buy!

After a comprehensive brief by one of our experienced instructors, we'll take them down on a buoy line and practice some simple skills just below the surface. After that, it's off for a swim to see what we can find at a depth that's comfortable for them but not deeper than 12m under the immediate supervision of the instructor.

If they really like it, we will incorporate the cost of this introduction programme into their full diving licence so you won't be paying twice!

Minimum age for this diving programme is 10 years old.

Read more about this 1 day programme: PADI Discover Scuba Diving

Junior Scuba Diver

If your stay in Phuket is only a brief one then you can get them to their first diving certificate in just 2 days. This entry-level dive course is a morning theory session, followed by a short afternoon session in the pool to learn the basic skills for diving, and then a day on the boat with at least 2 dives.

A maximum depth of 12m on this one for all divers, and qualified PADI Junior Scuba Divers must dive with a PADI professional in future. But considering that most dive operators around the world supply a divemaster free of charge, this isn't really a big issue.

The minimum age for this diving course is 10 years old.

Read more about this 2 day course: PADI Scuba Diver

Junior Open Water Diver

Our most popular dive course, all of the required theory and 5 pool sessions can be done in 1 day or at a slower pace over 2 days, making sure your children are comfortable breathing underwater, using the scuba equipment, and have all the knowledge and skills ready for the further 2 days of boat diving that they will enjoy in the calm waters of the Andaman Sea.

10-11 year old qualified PADI Junior Open Water Divers are restricted to 12m and must dive with a PADI professional, 12-14 year olds can go to 18m but must be accompanied on dives by a certified parent or a PADI professional.

The minimum age for this diving course is 10 years old.

Read more about the 3-4 day course: PADI Open Water Diver

Junior Adventure Diver

The next step for children on the diving ladder is to have adventure and gain more experience under the supervision of one of our experienced instructors, visiting a wider variety of our local Phuket dive sites.

10-11 year olds can choose 3 dives from: Altitude, AWARE Fish ID, Boat, Digital Underwater Photography, Dry Suit, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Underwater Naturalist, Underwater Navigation, Underwater Photography and Underwater Videography. 12-14 year olds can elect 3 from any of the PADI adventure dives except for Enriched Air Nitrox. Their Deep dive will be limited to 21m instead of 30m.

The minimum age for this diving course is 10 years old.

Read more about this 1 day course: PADI Adventure Diver

Junior Advanced Open Water Diver

This course covers most recreational diving environments; youngsters can choose 5 dives from all the adventure options open to adults except for Enriched Air Nitrox. Their course will include a Deep dive (limited to 21m) and Underwater Navigation.

The minimum age for this diving course is 12 years old.

Read more about this 2 day course: PADI Advanced Open Water Diver

Junior Rescue Diver and Emergency First Response

A little bit of responsibility to go with the scuba fun. Making divers more aware of their own safety as well as that of others is a great habit to start at an early age.

We'll teach your children how to deal with panicked, stressed, tired and unconscious divers, as well as self-rescue techniques.

Emergency First Response (EFR) goes hand in hand with the rescue course, enabling kids to help with everyday accidents, not just those that are dive related.

The minimum age for this diving course is 12 years old.

Read more about this 3-4 day course: PADI Rescue Diver

Junior Master Scuba Diver

Once they have completed 50 logged dives and 5 specialty courses, children and young teenagers can apply for the highest recreational diver rating - Junior Master Scuba Diver - and be fully prepared for all diving situations once they are old enough to dive without the parents.

The minimum age for this diving certification is 12 years old.

Read more about this license: PADI Master Scuba Diver

Diving is Fun for All the Family

So as you can see, there are many diving options open for 10-14 year olds. Once they reach the age of 15 they automatically get the adult certification.

If you learn as a family, you can take advantage of our group instruction prices, but parents - be warned - in our experience the kids learn faster than the adults!

For a taste of the underwater action, watch our:
Thailand diving videos

• PADI course price list