Learning to Snorkel: Special Techniques for Kids
Article by Joel Simon

How many times have you heard the expression: "It’s so simple a child could do it?" With snorkeling, it’s so simple especially a child can do it. In this section we look at snorkeling with kids in mind. We outline techniques for helping children develop essential skills while simultaneously relieving any anxiety conscientious parents may have as they deliberately immerse their progeny into the wide open wilderness of sharks, morays, and other innocent "monsters" that live so easily in the imaginative minds of youngsters. In fact, part of teaching kids to snorkel is unveiling their unique and often inventive concerns regarding the sea.

Long before I learned to swim, I could fly. In my dreams, my early childhood dreams, I could fly. I'd never even seen the ocean, but I knew the sky. Perhaps it was these dreams that drew me to the water. By simply putting on a mask, snorkel, and flippers, gravity slid quietly away, left on the shore with my shoes, my towel, and the key to my bike lock. Floating on the surface of a calm clear sea, watching fish dance between shimmering shafts of sunlight was as close to flying as a child could get in those days. And it was close enough for me. It still is. At eight I fell off a horse. At eleven I fell off a house. At 14 I fell off a speeding sled and at 18 off my downhill skies. At 21 I fell off my water skis, nearly into a concrete canal wall. I fall no more, one simply can not fall off the surface of the water. Even underwater, you can only fall up! ... to the surface, to continue floating. And that's just where I, and most snorkelers of any age like to be.

These days, it's easier than ever to share the weightless wondrous joy of snorkeling with your children. In today's world of travel, facilitated by jet planes, comfortable tropical resorts, cruise ships, and even day care centers, families are visiting tropical shores more often, and more easily than ever before. During these journeys, snorkeling is a perfect recreational activity for the entire family, and especially the kids.

Here’s a real life example. Early one gray November morning, it was raining lightly, my friends Jane and Mark Kriss called me up and asked "Isn't there somewhere warm we can go to teach the kids how to snorkel?" Jessie, 7, and Peter, 5, were tired of raincoats, and Jane and Mark were tired of mud on the carpets. Mark had never put on a mask, but Jane had. Snorkeling with her brother and parents in the Greek Isles remains one of her fondest childhood memories. Now she was looking for a vacation that her own family could enjoy together. The Holidays were coming up and flight mileage had accumulated, it was time. "Have you thought about the Caribbean?" I asked. "Every day" they replied in unison.

As a first step, we all went down to the local dive shop to get the kids some equipment. A properly fitting mask is your child’s greatest assurance of enjoyable snorkeling. Masks come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so be sure to find one that comfortably fits your child’s face. Jessie performed an easy test by holding the mask to his face without placing the strap over his head. He breathed in gently through his nose, and the mask was lightly sucked to his face, staying firmly in place. This was a good fit, sealing out the air as it also would with the water. Small lightweight fins are best for youngsters since they will minimize undue strain on legs, knees, and ankles. The salesman recommended we get the kids some floatation, either inflatable vests or a "foam" belts. These can be a helpful pieces of gear, but in this case both Peter and Jessie already knew how to float. A couple of snorkels rounded out the necessary equipment.

Just before they got on their plane, I loaned them a couple of waterproof fish books. "You might put little checkmarks by the ones you see," I suggested as they waved good-bye.

After they returned I called for a full report. The kids came back fluent in fish lingo--and the names are fun: trumpet fish, cornet fish, and spotted drum. "We saw an octopus, too, that changed all different colors. It was better than TV," said Peter with eyes as big as a harvest moon. "It was fantastic seeing all the fish, and seeing the kids see all the fish," said Jane. "And it was really safe for the children. The only danger was not wanting to get out of the water!"

Snorkeling can be as safe for children as it is enjoyable. And parents can really help out by making sure their kids get proper instruction. Resorts will often have qualified teachers available, but regardless of who assists, there are some important elements to remember.

Most importantly, children must be comfortable in the water. This can begin well before a snorkeling vacation. Jane says, "It’s really fun to start them out in the bath tub at home before you go. And it’s probably the only way to get kids to wash their hair! Peter learned to use his mask and snorkel in the tub before we tried the ocean and it really helped."

Although some kids may "take naturally" to mask, fins, and snorkel, learning to use equipment usually takes time. Remember, snorkeling is a training. Practice makes perfect, and beginning practice is preferably in calm, shallow water, perhaps no deeper than your child’s arm is long. While floating face down while wearing a mask and snorkel, even the view of fingers playing in the sand at arm’s length is rewarding. And there are fish surprisingly close to shore. Shallow areas are ideal for experimenting with buoyancy. Salt water supports snorkelers better than the fresh water of pools, and developing a confident ability to float is a major step towards safe, relaxed snorkeling. Children should also practice treading water, (which is very easy with fins) and prove to both their parents and themselves, that they can calmly keep their head above the water should the need arise.

Children have such varied reactions to the sea. Some are filled with trepidation, others jump in with boundless enthusiasm. Mark and Jessie took the methodical approach. Says Mark: "First we mastered the mask, then the snorkel, and finally the fins. We took the entire first day to become comfortable with the water and the equipment. It was worth it, the rest of the week just floated by."

Ideally a mask stays reasonably dry on the inside, but it can (and does) accidentally fill with water. A flooded mask can be easily cleared by raising the head, pulling the lower edge away from the mouth, and simply letting the water drain out. The same applies to snorkels. A burst of air should clear a flooded snorkel, but breathe in cautiously afterwards just to make sure. If there isn’t air available, then simply remove the snorkel from the mouth. Under the controlled conditions of very shallow water, it’s good to practice deliberately flooding and clearing both mask and snorkle so that children can calmly learn these techniques.

As young snorkelers become more at ease wearing a mask, breathing through their mouths, and feeling the salty water support their bodies, deeper water offers an invitation, not a threat. And the best way to get there is with fins. Fins facilitate fast swimming, as any kid will quickly discover, but their greatest asset is increased efficiency. Used gently, they let snorkelers glide nearly effortlessly along the surface, and keep the body in a relaxed horizontal position. With fins, only legs, not arms, are needed for propulsion. You might mention to your kids that leisurely relaxed movements don’t scare the fish. So if they move slowly, not only is it safer, but they will seem more friendly to the animals and will see much more.

From her experience with Peter, Jane adds: "It’s important to let the kids develop their skills at their own pace. Every level is enjoyable, especially if they aren’t pushed beyond their limits. It’s great for kids that haven’t mastered swimming because it gives them motivation to improve. In fact, even kids that don’t like swimming will love snorkeling!"

A child’s limits will change with practice. As skills improve, these limits will evolve accordingly. There is no glory in exceeding comfort levels, in fact, it can be potentially hazardous. Parents can help children acknowledge these limits in a positive sense by encouraging them to get out when they get tired or cold or uncomfortable for whatever reason.

Children should also be instructed to snorkel with their friends or family, but never alone. This is called the buddy system, and actually makes snorkeling, not only safer, but much more enjoyable. Buddy teams invariably see more than single snorkelers, and sharing these observations is part of the joy.

"This was something we could all do together," said Jane. "In fact the four of us held hands, making a big circle with our heads in the middle, and floated over a huge school of tiny florescent fish." And Mark added with a grin, "Holding hands, we all floated at the same speed, so I could finally keep up with them!"

As the Kriss’s discovered, snorkeling was an activity easily learned by their children, and enjoyed by all. Childhood memories hold a special and intimate place in the hearts of every "grown up". After Peter and Jessie were sound asleep, Mark and Jane thanked me for helping give their children such a rewarding experience, and then confided with a smile, "Perhaps as grandparents we’ll have the chance to do it all over again!".