Dive activity is once again on the rise globally. If you’ve been away from the water, it’s time to head back. But not just you, your whole family, especially the kids. As I’ve noted before, there is a mountain of research that shows getting youngsters outside is important for their physical and emotional health, brain development and social skills. And, also as noted before, that while children have been diving since our earliest days as a sport, there’s growing attention to it in the media.
Now there’s some new research that shows that kids want to do more with their families. A US-based study found that more than 70% of kids want to spend more quality time together with their parents (and about the same percent of surveyed parents said they feel the same way). Diving hits all of the top four activities kids want to do with parents are 1) go the beach, 2) exercise, 3) play sports and 4) go to the pool. Adding to this, other research shows that family-based nature activities not only improve family function, but seem to do so more effectively than other types of family activities. Diving is a clearly an outdoor nature activity, and our outdoor family activities go beyond scuba diving, freediving and mermaid diving to include PADI AWARE and other Ocean Torchbearer events. And when you can’t go outside, dive related family activities range from visiting aquariums and ocean science museums to reading youth-oriented underwater novels like The Tales of Scuba Steve series.
To get going, contact your local PADI Dive Center or Resort about family scuba, freediving or mermaid diving. They likely have several options, and may work with specialists like Kids Sea Camp that specialize in family dive travel and adventures. Go here for more details about getting youngsters into diving.
Don’t delay. Now that the world is “reopening,” flights and hotels and dive trips are filling faster than ever – so don’t miss out.
Seek adventure. Save the ocean.
Drew Richardson
