SSI Certification for Young Divers
Junior Open Water Diver
Your child's first real scuba certification — taught privately, at their pace, with patience and safety at the heart of every dive.
Why Private Instruction Matters
Learning to Dive Should Feel Like an Adventure, Not a Classroom
Children learn differently from adults. They need more encouragement, more patience, more flexibility — and above all, they need to feel safe and excited, not pressured. In a typical group course, your child is one of several students competing for the coach's attention. They may feel self-conscious, rushed, or anxious about keeping up with older or more confident kids. That is not how a child should experience the underwater world for the first time.
With Boutique Diving Bali, your child dives privately with Dominic — one-on-one or with their siblings only. Every skill is taught at their pace. Every question gets a patient, individual answer. If they need to repeat a skill ten times, they repeat it ten times — without anyone watching or waiting. If they are having a brilliant day and want to push further, Dominic adjusts the plan instantly.
Dominic is not only an SSI-certified instructor — he is also a father of 14-year-old twin teenage daughters and a former Swiss Army instructor. He knows how to teach young people with the right blend of discipline, encouragement, and genuine fun. Your child will not just earn a certification. They will discover a lifelong passion for the ocean.
Course Structure
What does the Junior Open Water course involve?
The Junior OWD follows the same three-phase structure as the adult course. The difference? Every moment is adapted to how your child learns best.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age range | 10–14 years |
| Maximum depth (ages 10–11) | 12 metres (40 feet) |
| Maximum depth (ages 12–14) | 18 metres (60 feet) |
| Course duration | Three to four days |
| Confined water training | One full day |
| Open water dives | Four dives over 2–3 days |
| Certification upgrade | Automatically upgrades to full Open Water Diver at age 15 |
Digital Theory — Learn Before You Arrive
Your child completes the SSI academic materials online before arriving in Bali. The digital platform is designed to be engaging and easy to follow — covering diving physics, equipment, safety, and marine life in a way that builds excitement. They can study at their own speed, pause and revisit sections, and arrive in Bali already understanding the fundamentals. Dominic reviews the key concepts in person to make sure everything is clear before entering the water.
Completed online before arrival · Child-friendly digital platform · Reviewed in person by Dominic
Confined Water Training — Build Confidence Step by Step
The first day in the water takes place in a pool or calm, shallow environment. Dominic guides your child through every essential skill privately: breathing underwater, clearing a mask, controlling buoyancy, sharing air, and signalling. Because there are no other students, your child never feels rushed or judged. Every skill is practised until they are genuinely confident — not until a timer runs out. This phase is where trust is built, and it makes all the difference in the open water dives that follow.
One full day · Private pool or calm shallow water · All equipment provided and fitted
Open Water Dives — The Real Adventure Begins
Over two to three days, your child completes four open water dives at carefully selected dive sites. This is the magical part — applying their skills in the real ocean, seeing fish and coral for the first time underwater, and realising they can actually do this. Dominic chooses sites based on conditions, your child's comfort level, and what will make the experience most memorable. Depth limits are followed strictly: 12 metres for ages 10–11, 18 metres for ages 12–14. By the final dive, your child will hold their SSI Junior Open Water Diver certification — recognised worldwide.
Four dives over 2–3 days · Age-appropriate depth limits · Certification valid for life
What Your Child Gets
A Certification Course Built Around Your Child
Completely Private Instruction
One diving coach, one child (or siblings together). No strangers, no peer pressure. Your child is the only student.
Patience as a Teaching Philosophy
Dominic's background as a father and Swiss Army instructor means genuine patience — not just tolerance. Every child learns differently.
Safety Beyond the Standard
Age-appropriate depth limits, strict supervision, premium equipment fitted to your child. Safety is never a compromise.
Globally Recognised Certification
The SSI Junior Open Water Diver card is recognised worldwide and valid for life. Upgrades to full OWD at age 15.
Equipment Included & Fitted
All diving equipment is included, personally selected and fitted to your child's size. Comfort and safety start with the right gear.
Family Can Dive Together
Parents can join the dives or take their own OWD course alongside. Dominic coordinates the entire family experience privately.
Safety First
What depth can children dive to?
SSI sets clear depth limits and supervision rules for Junior Open Water Divers. Dominic follows these strictly — and adds his own safety standards on top.
Ages 10–11
Maximum depth of 12 metres (40 feet). Must dive with a certified adult or dive professional at all times. All dives are planned well within these limits, at sites where conditions are calm and visibility is excellent.
Ages 12–14
Maximum depth of 18 metres (60 feet) — the same as an adult Open Water Diver. Must dive with a certified adult at all times. This opens up a wider range of dive sites including wrecks and deeper reef systems.
Automatic upgrade: When your child turns 15, their Junior Open Water Diver certification upgrades to the full SSI Open Water Diver — no additional course required. They can also complete an SSI Scuba Skills Update at that point to refresh their skills.
Dive as a Family
The Whole Family Can Learn Together
Children Aged 10–14
The Junior Open Water Diver course — full SSI certification with age-appropriate depth limits and private instruction at their own pace.
Parents & Adults (15+)
Take the Open Water Diver course alongside your child. Dominic runs both courses privately and simultaneously — so the whole family learns together.
Younger Siblings (8–12)
Children aged 8 to 12 who are not yet ready for open water certification can join the SSI Scuba Explorer program — a pool-based introduction to scuba diving.
Already Certified Parents
If you are already a certified diver, you can join your child on their open water dives. Share the experience and watch them discover the ocean firsthand.
Mixed Skill Levels
One child taking Junior OWD, another doing Scuba Explorer, parents doing their own OWD? Dominic plans the entire family programme privately.
A Memory That Lasts Forever
Families who learn to dive together share something extraordinary. Your children will remember this trip — and this feeling — for the rest of their lives.
Common Questions
Everything Parents Need to Know
The SSI Junior Open Water Diver is the same internationally recognised certification as the adult Open Water Diver, specifically designed for young divers aged 10 to 14. Your child learns the same theory, practises the same skills, and completes the same four open water dives — but with age-appropriate depth limits and a requirement to always dive with a certified adult or dive professional. The certification is recognised worldwide and valid for life. When your child turns 15, it automatically upgrades to the full Open Water Diver certification.
SSI sets age-based depth limits for safety. Junior divers aged 10 and 11 are certified to a maximum depth of 12 metres (40 feet). Junior divers aged 12 to 14 are certified to a maximum depth of 18 metres (60 feet) — the same as an adult Open Water Diver. All Junior Open Water Divers must dive with a certified adult (parent, guardian, or dive professional) at all times. These limits exist to match the physical and cognitive development of young divers.
The in-water portion typically takes three to four days: one day for confined water skills and two to three days for open water dives. your child learns privately with Dominic, the pace is completely flexible. If your child needs more time on a skill, they take it without any pressure. If they are confident and progressing well, the course moves at their speed. The academic theory is completed online before arriving in Bali, so all the time in Bali is spent in the water.
No prior diving experience is needed. Your child should be comfortable in water and able to swim. The course is designed from scratch for young beginners. If your child has already completed the SSI Scuba Explorer program (ages 8–12), that experience provides an excellent foundation — but it is not a requirement. Dominic assesses every child individually at the start and builds their confidence step by step.
Absolutely — and Dominic encourages it. If you are already a certified diver, you can join your child on their open water dives. If you are not yet certified, Dominic can run your Open Water Diver course alongside your child's Junior OWD — so the whole family learns together, privately, at the same time. Many families find this is one of the most memorable experiences of their Bali trip: learning to dive together.
Yes, when taught properly by a qualified instructor. SSI has developed specific training standards, depth limits, and supervision requirements for young divers based on decades of research and experience. Dominic's approach adds an extra layer of safety: his Swiss Army instructor background means discipline and safety protocols are second nature, while his experience as a father of 14-year-old twin teenage daughters means he genuinely understands how children learn — with patience, encouragement, and a focus on making it fun. Every child is different, and Dominic adapts to each one.
Every course is individually priced based on your family's specific needs — how many children, whether parents are joining, the dive sites selected, and any additional services. Because Boutique Diving Bali offers exclusively private instruction, pricing is prepared as a bespoke proposal after Dominic understands your situation. There are no hidden costs and no standard packages. Reach out via WhatsApp or email and Dominic will prepare a personalised proposal for your family.
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Start Their Adventure
Give Your Child the Gift of Diving
Tell Dominic about your family — ages, experience levels, travel dates, and any questions you have. He will prepare a personalised proposal for your child's private course.
Or email directly: [email protected]