Ultimate Guide To Snorkelling With Kids & 20 Best Places
Thinking of snorkelling with your kids?
We’ve been travelling with our kids since they were both babies and because Carl is a sailor a large part of our travels have taken us to some incredible beaches. Carl loves free diving and we are both huge fans of snorkelling. It was only natural for us that as soon as our boys were ready we’d start to teach them to snorkel. Cameron is three years old and has been learning to snorkel since he was two years old. We love snorkelling with kids because is such a rewarding experience for the entire family.
We’ve taken a very slow and structured approach to teaching Cameron so that he goes at his own pace. We also take Dylan our baby out on our adventures, yes, you heard that right! Dylan joins us on our paddle board which we take out snorkelling with us. We’re hoping that when he’s ready he’ll also want to snorkel.
We want to share with you some cool things that we’ve learnt along the way so that we can help more families snorkel together. And at the end, we’ve listed some of the destinations to try snorkelling as a whole family.
The best way to teach your kids to snorkel
We’ve spent the past year teaching Cameron to snorkel and the top thing that we’ve learnt is that it needs to be an enjoyable experience.
To help you teach your little snorkeler we’ve listed out the steps that we found to work for us.
Step 1 – Make it fun by getting excited about snorkelling with your kids
You’ve got to make it fun. Before we even thought about to teaching Cam, we started by hyping up all of the fun things that we’d see if we went snorkelling, like sea turtles and rays.
A good idea that worked well for us was to take him to loads of aquariums to see the tropical fish he might see in real life and we watched cool kids TV shows such as Octonauts where they explore underwater marine ecosystems. Getting kids excited helps to give them a reason to give it a go.
Talk to your kids about what sea creatures they might see underwater, they’ll get excited and they’ll want to give it a go!
Step 2 – Get your kids the right equipment for snorkelling
The most fun thing about snorkelling is that you don’t need lots of fancy or expensive equipment, so getting your kids ready to try it with a full set of the best snorkel gear won’t cost lots. Just make sure that the proper gear fits them properly, otherwise your little snorkelers could be very distracted fiddling with it in the water! We’ve put together short guide on picking the right snorkelling gear.
Snorkel masks for snorkelling with kids
A regular kids snorkel mask will cover the nose and eye area whilst leaving the mouth area free for them snorkel tube. The snorkel tube then brings the air from above the water surface down to the child whilst their face is fully submerged. It then attaches to their mask strap that will help keep the snorkel in place as they swim.
An alternative is full-face masks, which covers the whole face area (including the nose eyes, and mouth) and that have a snorkel that’s integrated into the mask that extends up towards the waters surface. Whilst full-face snorkel masks are great for beginners they aren’t always suitable later on when children want to dive deeper underwater.
We chose to use a regular snorkelling mask we bought from Decathlon with Cameron with a soft strap. The soft strap helped immensely as his original mask had a rubber strap which he complained kept pulling at his hair. Also, they’re one of the only companies that do a smaller enough size for very young kids.
Snorkel tubes for snorkelling with kids
Classic snorkel tubes are simple and extend from the childs mouth up to the waters surface. And any water that enters the snorkel can be expelled with a short and sharp exhalation that pushes the water back up and out the top. These are the most reliable and simplest snorkel tubes however, we found that Cam had difficulties clearing his snorkel. So we changed over to a snorkel with a guard on the top end that prevented the water from going into the end and a valve at the bottom of the snorkel to purge the water. It was way easier for him to blow the water out the purge valve than it was for him to force if out of the top of his snorkel tube!
Snorkel fins for snorkelling with kids
As with the mask, it’s really important that a kid’s snorkel fins fit are comfortable and that means that the fit well. Because if they’re tight then the child will end up having numb toes. Alternatively, if the fins are too large then they might get blisters or potentially loose a loose fitting fin!). You can find both closed or open heeled fins available, and they’ll each have pros and cons depending on what your child finds most comfortable. We bought open-heeled adjustable ones for Cam as they were the smallest we could find for little kids and it also means we can adjust them as his feet get bigger. He finds them easy enough to get on himself.
Snorkel vests or something to keep them bouyant
Snorkel vests are designed to help you float on the water’s surface. They also give extra buoyancy so your kids can get used to their gear without working too hard to stay afloat.
Unlike a life jacket or life vest, snorkel vests are streamlined and let you swim with your face in the water. Also, you can adjust the amount of air inside them so that you can deflate air as your child’s confidence improves but keep the vest on ‘just in case’.
We don’t have a snorkel vest as Cam has never been a big fan of any sort of vest. Instead, we use foam armbands (as they won’t accidentally deflate like blow-up ones), and he’s still able to easily get his face into the water.
Sun protection
Most of the best places to go snorkelling with kids usually involve being in tropical and sunny locations. In these parts of the world the sun is strong and can be a serious danger to young skin. Both of our boys always wear a UV protection rash vest with SPF 50+ protection. And, for any bits of skin on show, we make sure you apply a generous amount of waterproof reef-safe sunscreen.
Step 3 – Start by snorkelling in the swimming pool with your kids
We know that kids Crawl, walk then run. In the case of snorkelling with kids, it’s pool, beach, boat!
A great way to start is by using a swimming pool with your kids and practising with their snorkel gear in a safe environment. If you’re on holiday then a hotel pool is the perfect place to start. Kids need to get comfortable using a mask for the first time. And once they are happy in the mask, you can add on the snorkel tube and they can practice breathing through a snorkel without the distractions of the ocean.
Young children love to play games, so we spent a lot of time dropping things in the swimming pool for Cam to look at. He was so excited that he could see underwater! We found that the easiest way to teach the snorkel tube breathing was to simulate using it out of water. And then gently starting to use it in the water. And once in the water we kept demoing how to blow hard to get any water out of the tube. It took a lot of fun practice and drinking pool water to get it right!
Step 4 – Visit a sandy beach with shallow calm waters for your first snorkelling adventure
For their first snorkelling trip, you’ll want to find a great place that has a sandy beach. Along with shallow calm waters so that you can walk easily walk into the sea. This means that if your child gets a leaky mask or a mouthful of water from a wave, they can stand up and reset.
We spent days at Pigeon Beach in Antigua practising walking into and out of the sea. Then putting his snorkel mask on and putting his face into and out of the water. We then eventually taught him to walk into the water with his snorkel fins on.
A sandy beach is ideal as it means they can touch down their feet without worrying about balancing on rocks, or dodging things like sear urchins. Yes, we’ve had that happen before, and kids with urchin in their feet aren’t much fun!
Step 5 – Head out into deeper water by using something for them to float on
As is the case with other small children, Cam can get tired quickly from swimming. To help him get into the open water and out to reefs, we sit him on a paddle board and paddle him into the deeper water. It also helps that if he needs a break, has problems with his mask, or needs a drink. As he can simply jump onto the board.
We’ve also been taking 9-month-old Dylan out on the paddle board so that we can go out as an entire family. Carl and I swap over who gets to snorkel with Cam whilst the other plays in the water or on the board with Dylan.
Step 6 – Practice snorkelling skills to build more confidence
Even though Cam is happy to head out snorkelling there are still lots of important snorkelling skills that we are teaching him as we go. These are great things like, how to:
- empty the snorkel when water gets in, either by dumping it out or with a big exhale
- defog his mask by spitting and cleaning it beforehand (or you can use anti-fog spray if you prefer)
- hand signal underwater. We’re still in the early stages and keep it simple. He’s learning things such as ok, stop and slow down at the moment. Plus the occasional hand signal when we see the sea turtles
- clearing his mask by lifting just the bottom, and not throwing the mask off of his face
- to remain calm when he sees something cool, like sea turtles, because his excitement can scare them off
Other top tips for snorkelling with kids
Safety first
Make sure you all have the right gear on, including masks, snorkel tubes, and fins which fit comfortably. Life jackets are essential, especially for much younger kids or older kids that have less confidence as swimmers. At the beginning of each snorkel session it’s important to emphasise your safety rules. That should include rules like staying near the shore and always going snorkelling with at least one friend, plus explaining that they should not disturbing any marine life.
Plan short sessions
We always keep our snorkelling trips short and super engaging. Because for very young kids like Cam this stops them from getting tired too quickly. Also, you should take regular breaks on the beach or the boat as this helps keep them enthusiastic as kids love to chat about what they have seen. You should also have plenty snacks with you and fresh drinking water to enjoy on your snorkelling breaks.
Take your own snorkelling gear
Most hotels and boat tours will provide you with snorkel gear, however, this will usually be in an adult size. We’ve never been on a tour or to a hotel that has small enough snorkel gear for kids. We’d recommend always taking one for your kids.
Check weather conditions and be aware of the tide
You should check for good weather conditions and tidal strength before heading out. You should not snorkel in windy weather or when there are storms approaching as this will possibly make the snorkel trip less safe. Also avoid strong currents especially rip tides.
If it’s very sunny then you should make sure to protect your exposed skin from the sun using a sun cream that is reef-safe or a rash vest with UV protection.
Encourage underwater exploration
Make it fun by encouraging your younger children to identify marine creatures and colourful fish. You could bring along waterproof guides to help with their learning. At the end of the day we always ask questions about what we’ve seen and share his excitement.
Use underwater cameras to capture memories
Young kids love seeing their underwater adventures so taking either a waterproof phone case or a specialist underwater camera will mean you can capture their magical moments.
Respect marine life
This is super important, as we should all teach our kids to admire marine life from a respectful distance. And also show them the importance of preserving ocean ecosystems. We always emphasis the importance of not touching or disturbing the underwater sea creatures. It’s about having an enjoyable snorkelling experience.
20 Best destinations in the world for snorkelling with kids
No article on snorkelling with kids would be complete without a guide to some of the best places in the world to go. We’ve researched (and started our own bucket list) of the best places to share with you.
1. Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The Great Barrier Reef is near the coast of eastern Australia. It is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It’s a fantastic destination for families looking for a memorable snorkelling experience with their kids that has a vibrant and colourful marine life.
The Great Barrier Reef is huge, and has transparent turquoise waters, vibrant coral formations and abundant marine life and . What’s good about it is that there are shallower calm sections within the reef system that can provide a comfortable and safe for children. Young snorkelers will adore discovering the magical world of marine life for themselves.
2. San Cristóbal, Galápagos
What’s amazing and very special about the Galápagos is its unusual and endemic wildlife that is very tame as they lack natural predators. When you are there it’s possible easily and quickly grab snorkelling gear and dive in the waters off of the San Cristóbal beaches. However, the best snorkelling is only accessible by boat.
3. Akumal, Mexico
If you love the idea of swimming with sea turtles and we mean lots of them, then this is the perfect place. It’s located near to the action of Riviera Maya and you can combine awesome snorkelling with swimming in cenotes.
4. Curaçao
This is the sister island of Aruba and Bonaire, with Curaçao being the biggest of what are called the ABC islands. You’ll find more than 30 beaches, however, the best and most calm, which are ideal for snorkelling with young kids, can be found in the sheltered bays on the west coast.
5. Bonaire
Bonaire is one of the leaders in coral conservation and is now the first listing on the world’s Blue destination guide; because of this snorkellers can enjoy some of the best reefs in the world. It’s also possible to get to some great spots from the beach such as 1000 Steps.
6. Rangiroa, Tahiti
At the Blue Lagoon you can snorkel from your table in the restaurant directly into calm and the warm waters of their baby shark nursery and go swimming with lots of black-tip reef shark with your own baby shark! And at Tiputa Pass you can drift with the famously friendly, wild bottlenose dolphins.
7. Mauritius
At Blue Bay Marine Park the visibility is perfect and this makes it a great place for beginners or young kids, because you can go snorkelling directly from the beach. This marine park is also the home of damselfish, angelfish, clownfish and parrotfish, as well as other very colourful exotic fish.
8. Antigua
We had to put Antigua on the list as it’s where we’ve done all of our snorkelling with Cam. It has some great shallow coral reefs for spotting sea turtles and we’ve seen lots of different rays. It’s also home to Stingray City where a tour guide will help you to snorkel, feed and swim with sting rays. We love it as you don’t need to be strong swimmers to enjoy it.
9. Anguilla
Anguilla has water visibility that goes down to more than 100 feet, making it a paradise for snorkelers of all abilities. There’s lots awesome spots to pick from such as discovering its monumental coral gardens (some monuments are more than 2m high) and can be found by Great Dog Island, an island that is only inhabited by local feral goats.
10. Kauai, Hawaii
Snorkelling here is having a chance to go swimming with the elegant Green Sea Turtles that are often found living in there waters off this stunning Hawaiian island. The best time for snorkelling there is between October and April.
11. Whitsunday Islands, Australia
Bait Reef is popular because it’s got some of the best coral formations, and the most famous in the world is one called The Stepping Stones. It has almost 25 flat-topped pinnacles that line up in a similar way to soldiers on formation. These pinnacles rise up from a depths of over 80 feet and just stop around three feet below the waters surface which is perfect for young snorkelers. The pinnacles are totally covered with coral formations so you should keep an eye out for the very small colourful fish that swim about in the water at the top of these stones.
12. Moorea, French Polynesia
Moorea is a secretive spot that is a favourite of snorkelling fans all over the world looking for a close encounter with some black-tipped reef sharks. You’ll want to head to the lagoon opposite Motu Irio to be in with the best chance of seeing the reef sharks.
13. Seychelles
Made up of more than 100 small islands, the Seychelles is top on the list of best places in the Indian Ocean to go snorkelling.
14. Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
The Phi Phi Islands are home to possibly the best snorkelling in the world. You’ll be able to snorkel in some incredibly clear blue waters and be surrounded up high by limestone cliffs that rise to more than 330-feet-tall .
15. Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Snorkelling in Bora Bora is super easy because so lots of hotel and resorts offer overwater bungalows. However, you should make sure not to miss snorkelling in the waters just off from the southern tip of the main island because there you’ll find friendly stingrays, reef sharks as well as colourful fish. We’ve heard that there is also a cleaning station for manta ray on the eastern side near to Anau.
16. Vieques, Puerto Rico
Located on the east coast of Puerto Rico, the town of Vieques is still regarded as an off the beaten path Caribbean destination. It’s interesting to know that a majority of this island used to be a U.S. Navy training base and today is pretty much still undeveloped. At Green Beach you’ll find shallower, clearer waters, making it easy to see a large selection of marine animals and fish, and you’ll have it pretty much to yourself as it’s never crowded.
17. Maui, Hawaii
Maui has lots of amazing snorkel spots. However, for something totally different then you can sail out to Molokini Crater which is a small, volcanic stripe off of the island’s south shoreline. It’s part of the State Marine Life & Bird Conservation District, this is where you’ll find dolphins, turtles, manta rays, and hundreds of incredibly beautiful and colourful tropical fish.
18. Sipadan, Malaysia
Sipadan can be found off of the island of Borneo and is best known for its world-class diving, that was once described by diver Jacques Cousteau as an “Untouched Piece of Art”. What’s great is that the snorkelling there is incredible and makes for easy viewing of other beautiful coral formations where you might find sea turtles, or Bumphead Parrotfish.
19. Palawan, Philippines
Palawan has been voted one of the top islands in Asia. Day trips by boat from Puerto Princesa to Luli Island, Starfish Island, Panden Island, and Cowrie Island only take 45-minutes. Once there you will be rewarded with sightings of starfish and sea snails, plus a marine gastropod mollusca called “cowrie.”
20. The Maldives
Found in the Indian Ocean, this chain of 26 atolls and over 1,000 islands is one of the world’s most geographically dispersed countries and can’t be beaten for underwater exploration.
Snorkelling with kids FAQs
The age that kids are ready to snorkel varies between children. Generally speaking, you’ll find that kids aged four and over have the physical and developmental development best suited to being able to enjoy beginner snorkelling experiences. Always remember that the child’s swimming ability and comfort level will be a deciding factor when picking the best time to introduce your little ones to the excitement of snorkelling.
Yes they absolutely can. A water confident three-year-old can totally join you on some snorkelling adventures. You’ll need to find the correct sized gear, and you’ll want to head into calmer and shallower waters the first time you take them.
You can definitely snorkel even if you or your kids can’t swim. Young kids must always be carefully watched and wear either a snorkel vest or a life jacket epecially if they’re not good or confident swimmers. To help non-swimmers to feel reassures you should take them on a guided snorkelling tour and keep close by she shore or boat
Final thoughts on snorkelling with kids
As an entire family we love snorkelling, there’s something really special about snorkelling with kids. It’s the way that they are so excited about suddenly being able to see a whole new landscape. We really hope that you find our steps helpful and that you and your whole family have a great time snokelling together.
