DIVING COURSES FOR CHILDREN IN FRANKFURT
All PADI Kids' Courses at a Glance — Ages 8 and Up
Ages 8 and up: Bubblemaker €79 · Seal Team €249 — in the pool, all equipment included
Ages 10 and up: Introductory Dive €79 · Junior Open Water Diver starting at €450 — your first real diving certification
Next: Junior Adventure Diver €349 (ages 10 and up) · Junior Advanced Open Water Diver €449 (ages 12 and up)
Always included: Pool and open-water fees, certification, and—for ages 13 and up—PADI e-Learning
Where: Theory classes at our location in Frankfurt-Schwanheim; pool at the Frankfurt Sports School; open water at lakes in the Rhine-Main region
Children learn to dive differently than adults—they’re more curious, more playful, and often learn faster than parents realize. To ensure this happens safely and enjoyably, PADI offers a program tailored to every age group: from that first breath underwater in the pool to a full-fledged, globally recognized dive certification.
On this page, you’ll find all the children’s courses we offer at the Frankfurt Dive Center, including age requirements, course details, and prices. If you’re unsure which course is right for your child, give us a call or stop by —we’ll give you honest advice, even if that means “wait another year.”
Ages 8 and up — your first breaths underwater
PADI Bubblemaker — 79 €
For children ages 8 to 9. A session in the pool, no more than two meters deep, with the instructor always right by your child’s side. Your child will breathe underwater for the first time using a tank and regulator, learn the most important hand signals, and get used to the sensation in a playful way. All children’s-sized equipment is included, including a mask and fins.
PADI Seal Team — 249 €
For children ages 8 and up who want more after their first time. In the pool, in small groups, through several “AquaMissions”: buoyancy control, clearing the mask, navigation, underwater photography, and environmental protection—each mission is a little adventure involving real diving techniques. Not a certification in the traditional sense, but the best preparation for one. Complete equipment included.
Ages 10 and up — give it a try or dive right in
PADI Discover Scuba Diving (Introductory Dive) — 79 €
Starting at age 10, your child can participate in try out scuba diving — at the same time as the adult session, and they’re welcome to join Mom or Dad. It’s a great way to find out if getting a diving certification is the next step.
PADI Junior Open Water Diver — starting at 450 €
The first real scuba diving certification, for 10- to 14-year-olds. It's the same course as the Open Water Diver course for adults: e-learning, pool training, four open-water dives, and the same certification standards. The only differences are the depth limits and the requirement to be accompanied by a certified adult. On your 15th birthday, your certification automatically upgrades to a full Open Water Diver certification.
Important for 10- to 12-year-olds: Children under 13 are not allowed to sign up for PADI e-Learning on their own—a parent must do so. Here's how:
Opens the PADI Open Water Diver e-Learning course in the PADI Shop (currently €253).
Sign up your child using your own email address and, as a parent, agree to the terms and conditions.
Select Frankfurt Dive Center as your dive center. We'll then automatically receive a message from PADI and get in touch with you.
Our course costs €450 for 10- to 12-year-olds. For students 13 and older, e-learning is included in the course price of €599, and we take care of everything.
For young certified divers — keep going
PADI Junior Adventure Diver — €349
Ages 10 and up: three Adventure Dives to get a taste of different areas, such as buoyancy control, navigation, or underwater natural history. A great way to stay in the water after getting your diving certification.
PADI Junior Advanced Open Water Diver — 449 €
Ages 12 and up: five Adventure Dives, including deep diving and underwater navigation. For 12- to 14-year-olds, the depth limit is 21 meters. Learn more on the page Advanced Open Water Diver.
Junior Specialties
There are already some specialty courses available for young divers, such as Perfect Buoyancy for ages 10 and up. You can find all specialties with minimum age requirements under Specialties.
What's Included in the Prices
Bubblemaker, Seal Team, and Introductory Diving:
Complete children's-sized gear, including a mask, snorkel, and fins
Instruction by PADI instructors in small groups
Pool Fees
Junior Open Water Diver:
PADI e-Learning with lifetime access — included in the price for ages 13 and up; for ages 10 to 12, book it directly through PADI (see above)
Pool training, four open-water dives, pool and lake fees
Complete rental gear in the right size: jacket, regulator, dive computer, wetsuit, tank, and fills
Digital Licensing Card and Licensing Fees
Not included: your own snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, fins, footies)—as course participants, you'll receive a 20% discount on these items at our store.
Junior Adventure Diver, Junior Advanced, and Specialties:
e-Learning, Cylinder, Refills, Diving Fees, and Certification
A jacket, regulator, and wetsuit are available as a rental equipment package for €80 if needed
A word about masks: A child’s face is narrow, and a mask that lets in water is the most common reason why a child becomes restless underwater. We adjust them in the store—and when it comes to fins and footies, we keep in mind that children are still growing.
Requirements
Feeling comfortable in the water. For Bubblemaker and Seal Team, it’s enough that your child feels safe in the water. For the Junior Open Water Diver: Swim 200 meters (or 300 meters with a mask, snorkel, and fins) and tread water for 10 minutes—with no time limit.
PADI Medical Questionnaire, signed by a parent or legal guardian.
Consent from legal guardians for enrollment and training.
Medical certificate of fitness for diving at Hunsfels. The lake requires this from every diver, including children; it is not required at Kronau. Any doctor, including a pediatrician or family doctor, may issue this certificate.
And the most important point isn't on any list: Your child should want to do it on their own. Children who come of their own accord participate with enthusiasm. Children who are sent—usually don't.
Depth Limits for Children and Adolescents
Bubblemaker: maximum 2 meters, in the pool.
Junior certifications for 10- to 11-year-olds: up to 12 meters, accompanied by a certified parent or guardian or a PADI professional.
Junior Open Water Divers aged 12 to 14: up to 18 meters, accompanied by a certified adult.
Ages 15 and up: full Open Water Diver privileges.
Scuba Diving for Kids in Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main Region
Theory sessions, try-outs, and all organizational matters take place at our location in Frankfurt-Schwanheim, Vogesenstraße 12C. Pool training is held at the swimming facility of the Frankfurt Sports School in the Stadtwald, and open-water dives take place at lakes in the Rhine-Main region—all within just under an hour’s drive. Customer parking is available behind the building (entrance at Am Kirchholz 12); to get there, take the A5 and then Schwanheimer Bahnstraße. It takes 15 to 20 minutes from Sachsenhausen, Niederrad, and Höchst, and a little over half an hour from Offenbach, Rüsselsheim, Hanau, and Bad Homburg.
Why the Frankfurt Dive Center
We don't lower the standards, but we adjust the pace. A 10-year-old sometimes needs three tries instead of one to complete the same exercise. We give them the time they need instead of rushing them through.
Small groups. Especially for children. In the water, your child gets the attention they need.
Equipment that fits. Suits, jackets, and masks in children's sizes, serviced in our own workshop.
Diving as a family. Many parents take the Open Water Diver at the same time—because it’s more fun to dive with your own child than to watch them from the boat. About the FDC Club, you can stay connected as a family afterward.
Which class is right for my child?
8 or 9 years old and have never dived before: BUBBLEMAKER. If you enjoyed it, you can move on to the SEAL TEAM.
Ages 10 and up, and curious: INTRODUCTORY DIVE. Ages 10 and up and determined: JUNIOR OPEN WATER DIVER.
Already certified: JUNIOR ADVENTURE DIVER ages 10 and up, JUNIOR ADVANCED ages 12 and up. All prices in the PRICE LIST.
Ready for the next step?
We’ll give you personalized advice—the best next course for you depends on your experience and goals. Give us a call or send us a message.
FAQ
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Ages 8 and up can participate in the pool with Bubblemaker or Seal Team. Ages 10 and up can try introductory diving and earn the Junior Open Water Diver certification—their first real diving certification.
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Bubblemaker: 79 euros; Seal Team: 249 euros; Introductory Dive: 79 euros. The Junior Open Water Diver course costs 599 euros for ages 13 and up, including e-learning; for 10- to 12-year-olds, it costs 450 euros, plus the e-learning, which you book directly with PADI. For Bubblemaker, Seal Team, and Introductory Diving, all equipment—including a mask and fins—is included.
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Yes. The course and certification standards are the same as for the Open Water Diver certification for adults—recognized worldwide and valid for life. The only differences are the depth limits and the requirement for supervision. At age 15, he automatically becomes a full Open Water Diver.
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Bubblemaker up to 2 meters in the pool. With a Junior certification: ages 10 and 11 up to 12 meters, ages 12 to 14 up to 18 meters, in each case accompanied by a certified adult. Starting at age 15, the standard limits apply.
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PADI does not allow children under 13 to register on their own. Therefore, a parent must book the Open Water Diver e-Learning course in the PADI Shop (see above), register the child using their own email address, and select Frankfurt Dive Center as the dive center. The course with us then costs 450 euros. For participants 13 and older, the e-Learning portion is included in the price of 599 euros.
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For Bubblemaker and Seal Team, it's enough to feel comfortable in the water. For the Junior Open Water Diver, you need to swim 200 meters with no time limit and tread water for 10 minutes.
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Feel free to watch—just let us know in advance. You can participate in the introductory dive together with your child. Many parents take the Open Water Diver course at the same time so they can dive together later on.
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In that case, we don't push it. We take a break, talk it over, and most of the time we pick up where we left off at the next session. No one gets dropped from a class here just because they had a bad day.
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For ages 10 and up, the Junior Adventure Diver course is available for 349 euros: three adventure dives, such as buoyancy control or navigation. For ages 12 and up, the Junior Advanced Open Water Diver course is available for 449 euros, featuring five dives, including a deep dive to 21 meters. Some specialties, such as Perfect Buoyancy, are available for ages 10 and up.
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For Bubblemaker, Seal Team, and introductory dives, all you need is a swimsuit and a towel—we provide all the equipment. For the Junior Open Water Diver course, rental equipment is also included; you’ll just need to bring your own ABC gear (mask, snorkel, fins, and foot pockets), on which you’ll receive a 20% discount at the shop as a course participant. For Junior Adventure, Junior Advanced, and Specialties, a rental equipment package including a BCD, regulator, and wetsuit is available for 80 euros if needed.