11 Tips for Traveling with Children on a Scuba Diving Vacation
Weighing the pros and cons of taking a family dive vacation? Do it. You won't regret sharing the wonder of the underwater world with your children. And to make things a little easier, we asked the pros for some tips and advice on traveling with children for a scuba diving vacation.
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"Take two weeks of vacation — and then unplug on island."
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1. When traveling with kids who have a different last name than the adults traveling with them, make sure you prebook seats together. Call the airline to confirm and have them note in historical remarks that the children are traveling with adults. And if there are any flight changes, it’s a good idea to reconfirm seating. — Margo Peyton, co-owner of Family Dive Vacations and Kids Sea Camp
2. Take two weeks of vacation — and then unplug on island. Put down the cell phones and the iPads and simply enjoy being on a dive vacation with your family. — Tom Peyton, co-owner of Family Dive Vacations and Kids Sea Camp
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3. Traveling with a friend or family member? Split up your belongings, placing some items in the other person’s bag. This way, if the airlines lose your bag, you still have some clean undies to wear. — Scott Taylor, owner, A-1 Scuba, Littleton, Colo.
"When traveling with kids who have a different last name than the adults traveling with them, make sure you prebook seats together. Call the airline to confirm and have them note in historical remarks that the children are traveling with adults."
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4. Book a hotel close to town and walk or bike to get around. The kids will enjoy it and you’ll reduce the amount of emissions you use on your vacations. — Sport Diver Editors
5. Take along cards for the flight. If you’ve got room in your luggage, pack games and puzzles for bad-weather days at your destination. Or pack a few inexpensive prizes, and devise an impromptu scavenger hunt. Sure, you could hand your kid your tablet and let him or her play an electronic game, but where’s the fun in that? — SDE
6. Make sure your children’s gear is in tip-top shape. Empty all the water out of their BC bladders before packing. Kids often hold their deflate buttons too long underwater causing the bladder to take on water. — MP
"Make sure your children’s gear is in tip-top shape."
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7. Plan some fun topside excursions. It will give your kids the chance to experience the country’s culture and meet local citizens. — SDE
8. Pack a kid-appropriate first-aid kit with items like baby aspirin, Band-Aids and insect repellent. — SDE
9. Is your child a new diver? Kids and adults are very different underwater. If your child is just learning and he or she is under the age of 15, make sure the instructor is using a 1:2 instructor-to-student ratio. If under the age of 12, the ratio should be 1:1. — MP
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10. For safety reasons, make sure your child’s gear fits. They shouldn’t be wearing your hand-me-downs or last year’s gear if they’ve had a growth spurt. — SDE
11. Traveling with the entire family can be a budget-buster. Check for dive-vacation deals and shoulder-season discounts in late summer and early fall. — SDE