PADI Seal Team, Open Water, and Bubblemaker Program for kids on Malapascua
PADI Seal Team and youth diving on Malapascua gives kids aged 8+ a safe introduction to diving. See all dive courses or learn more at PADI Seal Team.
Do you want to try something new as a family? Are your children water-babies? Do they want to move snorkeling to a new level?
PADI offers several programs suitable for children as young as 8 years old. All courses are conducted under the strict supervision of an experienced PADI instructor. The Bubblemaker program introduces scuba as an activity that allows children to experience the underwater world. Under close supervision, participants swim around on scuba in shallow confined water, just playing. Colorful Bubblemaker emblems, decals, towels and toys along with a distinctive recognition certificate and card make the experience one to remember.
PADI Seal Team (8-10 year olds)
The PADI Seal Team program keeps youngsters diving, learning and having fun until they are ready to enroll in the PADI Junior Scuba Diver or Open Water Diver course.
Junior Open Water Diver (10-14 year olds)
At 10 years old, youths are eligible to enroll in a full PADI Junior Open Water course. This is the same as the PADI Open Water course, but with shallower depth limits. This means that families can take the course together. Partial certification options of Discover Scuba Diving and Scuba Diver are also available. Junior certifications automatically upgrade to “adult” certification when they turn 15 years old.
Seal Team Overview
The program is an exciting underwater activity-filled introduction to the world of diving. PADI Seal Team gives children a chance to swim around underwater and experience adventure, discovery and thrills. It also provides parents or guardians with a structured program that lets their children develop skills, learn about the aquatic realm and have a lot of good, clean fun.
The entire program is comprised of fifteen AquaMissions. To become official members of the PADI Seal Team, kids must complete the first five AquaMissions.
Seal Team Aqua Missions
These activities develop fundamental scuba skills and knowledge while preparing kids for further adventure. Children learn about diving by watching the PADI Seal Team video, through the PADI Seal Team AquaMission Activity Book and during pre-dive briefings with their PADI Instructor. Each AquaMission consists of a briefing, a skill session and a game or activity.
PADI Seal Team kids diving on Malapascua introduces young adventurers to the underwater world in safe, shallow conditions.
Finishing AquaMissions 1-5, which is equivalent to completing the skills in Confined Water Dive One from the Open Water Diver Course, means youngsters are PADI Seal Team members. They will receive a PADI Seal Team member card and wall certificate.
Specialty AquaMissions include: Navigation, Photography, Night, Search and Recovery, Inner Space (astronaut), and Creature ID.
Seal Team Prerequisites
- Minimum age: 8 years old
- Maximum depth: Pool (2 meters)
- Location: Pool only
- Materials: Seal Team Crew Pak
PADI Bubblemaker for kids 8 and up
Got a younger diver? The PADI Bubblemaker programme is perfect for kids aged 8 and 9 who want to try scuba before they’re old enough for the Seal Team. They breathe underwater for the first time in shallow water (max 2 metres), in a calm and supervised setting, with a PADI Pro right beside them.
No certification required, no swimming skills assumed. Just a willingness to give it a try. We provide kid-sized gear, the briefing is in plain English, and parents are welcome to watch from the surface or join in.
Quick facts: Min age 8 · Max depth 2m · ~2 hours · All gear, instructor, and certificate included
Once they’ve earned their Bubblemaker badge, the next step is the Seal Team. Five AquaMissions in the pool to build real diver skills.
Junior Open Water
From 10 years onwards, children can enroll in a full PADI Junior Open Water course. There are depth restrictions, but other than that, this is almost exactly the same as the PADI Open Water course. This means that families can take the course together.
Partial certification options of Discover Scuba Diving and Scuba Diver are also available.
After certification, a 10 or 11-year-old Junior Scuba Diver must dive with a PADI Professional. Dives must not exceed 12 meters. A 12 to 14-year-old Junior Open Water Diver is qualified to dive only when accompanied by another certified diver who is of legal age.
Junior Open Water Divers may upgrade their certification level to PADI Open Water Diver or Scuba Diver when they reach the age of 15 with no additional requirements.
Junior Open Water Prerequisites
- Minimum age: 10 years old
- Maximum depth: 12 meters for 10-11 years old, 18 meters for 12 year olds
- Location: Pool / Confined Water and Open Water Dives
- Materials: PADI Open Water Manual and RDP
- Additional Options: Eligible for PADI e-learning
