FAQ for parents

From age 8 for the Bubblemaker — as a day trip by boat, in shallow water and no deeper than two metres. From age 10 for the Junior Open Water Diver, the first certification with dives in the sea. From age 12 for the Junior Advanced. These limits are PADI standards, not house rules — we make no exceptions, not even for a particularly tall 7-year-old.

That depends on the course. For the Bubblemaker it is enough if your child feels comfortable in the water — the dive takes place at a shallow, sheltered spot, and the instructor is there one-to-one for that one child for the full 30 minutes. For the Junior Open Water Diver, genuine swimming confidence is required: a 200-metre swim without aids (or 300 metres with mask, snorkel and fins) and 10 minutes of treading water. Both without a time limit — it isn’t about speed, but about your child being able to stay afloat when tired.

Not as a rule. Before the course you fill in a medical questionnaire. If any question is answered with yes — often in the case of asthma, recurring middle ear infections, epilepsy or certain medications — clearance from a diving medicine doctor is required. You can get it either at home before the trip or on site in Hurghada. Write to us beforehand about which points apply to you, and we will tell you exactly what you need.

Yes. Underwater, the air space in the mask makes everything look about a third larger anyway — which partly compensates for mild short-sightedness. Tell us the prescription when booking and we will check in advance whether we have suitable lenses. Contact lenses work too, but are impractical for children.

Fixed braces are usually no problem. A removable brace is taken out before the dive. Grommets (ear tubes), on the other hand, are a clear exclusion criterion while they are in place — please clarify this with your ENT doctor before the trip. After a middle ear infection, the eardrum should also be fully healed.

Diving is a sport with its own risks — we don’t hide that. But at the depths children dive to (2 metres on the Bubblemaker, a maximum of 12 to 18 metres on the certification courses), the classic diving risks are practically ruled out. What can actually happen is ear problems when equalising, sunstroke on deck or a cut foot. That is exactly what we are prepared for — more on this under Certifications & supervision.

On the Bubblemaker exactly one: the dive is one-to-one, one instructor for one child. On the certification courses we dive in small groups so the instructor really sees every child.

No, never. Children under 15 only dive accompanied by a certified adult or a PADI Professional. Two children as a buddy team without an adult does not happen with us — not even after certification.

Then we ascend a little and try equalising again. If it doesn’t work, the dive is ended — no discussion. Pushing a child on with ear pain is the fastest route to a ruptured eardrum and to a child who never wants to dive again. By the way, we practise equalising on land before the first contact with the water.

Yes, but practically never on the shallow reefs where children dive. The question almost always comes from the parents, never from the children — and the children would be disappointed to hear the honest answer: the chance of seeing a shark on a kids’ dive is close to zero.

Bubblemaker: a day trip by boat — pick-up between 7:30 and 8:30 am, snorkel stop, 30 minutes of one-to-one diving and lunch on board. Junior Open Water Diver: three to four days. Junior Advanced: two days. Course days usually run from 8 am to 4 pm. More on planning in our article Planning a diving holiday with kids.

Yes. Within Hurghada the transfer is included in the course price, there and back. For Makadi Bay, Soma Bay, Sahl Hasheesh and El Gouna there is a surcharge of €20 per day per vehicle — not per person. Just give us the hotel name and room number when booking.

Swimwear, towel, sun protection, a hat and your passport for registration. We provide all the equipment — in children’s sizes. The full list, including what you can safely leave at home, is under Safety & equipment.

You can do more than that — on the Bubblemaker one parent is always on board, and for free. So you experience the whole adventure together: lunch on deck, the snorkel stop on the reef and the big moment when your child dives with their instructor. Whether you are in the water, taking photos or staying on deck is up to you — snorkelling is included, and so is the snorkel gear. With a diving certification you can dive along too, also included; if you need diving equipment from us for that, it costs €15 extra per day. Please tell us when booking if you want to dive along. An honest observation from many courses: children whose parents are relaxed and nearby are often calmer than those being cheered on from outside.

Theory sessions practically always go ahead. Boat trips — and therefore the Bubblemaker trip too — can be cancelled at short notice in strong wind; then we move to another day of your stay. That’s why we advise not scheduling the course on your last two holiday days.

Then we stop, without pressure. Often a break on board is enough and the second attempt works. If not, that’s fine — and we charge fairly for what actually took place. A child who has been talked into it is the most reliable way to make sure they never become a diver.

Usually yes — but tell us beforehand. Then we plan the day differently: more time in shallow water, no time pressure, snorkelling only if need be. Roughly one child in five hesitates at first, and the vast majority of them end up diving. There is more on this in When your child is afraid.

On the Bubblemaker there is nothing to pass — there is no exam. On the Junior Open Water Diver there is: a written exam and skills that need to be mastered. If a child doesn’t get that far during the holiday week, they get a record of the parts completed and can finish the course later at any PADI centre in the world. That rarely happens, but it is no disaster.

Our instructors take pictures during the course and give them to you. Of course you are welcome to take photos yourself too. We never publish pictures of your child without your express consent — which is why there are no real course photos on this website yet.

Then you have the best problem in the world. 🐠 The PADI certification is valid worldwide and never expires — you can continue at a club at home or go straight for the next level on your next holiday. At 15, the junior certification automatically becomes a full adult certification, with no re-test and no extra cost.