Snorkeling gear for kids
Why You Should Snorkel With your Children
Well I have 2 kids and I, like every parent, want to share life experiences with their children. I decided to put this review together after searching for snorkeling gear for kids. There is just as much choice for children as there is for adults. So choosing the right snorkeling gear for kids that you know will work & is safe for your children is not easy.
So that’s my reason, but why should you snorkel with your children? Well it can be hard to come up with new, exciting activities to do together every weekend.
A Quick look at our choice of Snorkeling gear for kids
Youth Sea Pals Kids Snorkel Set
A look at what snorkeling gear for kids we will be reviewing
Gintenco Kids Snorkel Set | WACOOL Snorkeling Snorkel Package Set |
Youth Sea Pals Character Kids Snorkel Set | UPhitnis Kids Snorkel Set |
Powsure Kids Snorkel Set | Rocks Pro Dry Set |
If you plan on taking your kids snorkeling, those are some lucky kids. Being near the water is wonderful for one’s well-being. Even looking at the coast is good for us — so diving in is especially beneficial. There are several reasons it’s especially healthy for young ones. First off, regular physical activity makes for more confident, happier kids. Swimming is a great way to get moving. Children, however, can become bored with the rather repetitive workout. Giving them s kids snorkel set and the chance to observe gorgeous and unique sea life. while they kick around can keep them engaged longer.
Eco-conscious parents who are trying to teach their kids to be as green-minded. should definitely get them into snorkeling. You can try to explain to your youngsters. The ocean habitats they could be saving when they remember to recycle that plastic. but nothing will convince them quite as much as seeing it up close and personal, which is why you will need some snorkel gear for kids. After being inches away from the vibrant fish, coral, and crabs. Your children will feel closer to these creatures. They’ll be more eager to protect them. They also might spot some of the very items you’ve asked them to recycle in the past. While discover firsthand how their actions can affect the planet.
Snorkeling is also a creative, healthy way to bond as a family. It can be hard to come up with new, exciting activities to do together every weekend. The way the world is at the moment this is a great family activity you can do while being socially responsible. When you feel like you’re out of ideas. Everyone will get excited about grabbing their kids snorkel set and heading to the shore. If you’re only near the ocean on vacations, you’ll still be glad to have the gear with you. As your time in the water is much more affordable than most tourism activities. After your swim, you’ll all have plenty to share about what you saw and experienced.
For A look at what to consider when choosing kids snorkeling gear, read our guide below.
Gintenco Kids Snorkel Set
| Dry top anti – splash design secures kids safety snorkeling set. One way inhalation valve and has a mobile floating ball on the top of it. Once the tube is underwater, the tube entrance will be closed by the floating ball. This kids snorkel mask has 180 Panoramic view and anti fog. The lens of a snorkeling mask is made of tempered glass which can protect against collision. The broad view provides kids a better experience while snorkeling, swimming and scuba diving. The skirt of the diving mask is designed with soft and flexible silicone to provide a watertight seal for the face. It is comfortable, leak free while safe for kids to enjoy such great fun with the underwater world. Adjusting straps of snorkel mask from 10 inches to 19.6 inches without creeping down in the water by easily pressing this children snorkel set button buckle. Fitting a range of 4-16 years old children faces. The skirts of snorkel mask and its mouthpiece are made of food grade silicone without odorous smell. This snorkel set will not make the child uncomfortable and painful. It is durable and easy to clean and especially suitable for long term usage. |
WACOOL Snorkeling Snorkel Package Set
Take a look at some of the reviews
| For ages from 6-12 years old, this kids snorkel masks. Fully adjustable head straps (easy – adjustment buckle with just pinch and pull) with a high grade silicon face skirt which molds to fit a kids face shape. The ribbed design provides extra support and ensures a water tight seal. Enjoy maximum under water visibility in this kids snorkel mask, with advanced lens shape design and tempered glass with anti fog treatment means you’ll have a crystal clear underwater experience, user friendly for kids. no worry about fog. One piece glass design enables better and wider vision underwater. The advanced anti-splash system prevents water from entering the snorkel and the purge valve allows for easy cleaning and draining water out of the snorkel. The mask and snorkel and manufactured using top grade materials. The silicon mask and mouth piece provide maximum comfort and long lasting performance. |
Youth Sea Pals Character Kids Snorkel Set
Take a look at some of the reviews
| The Palau long adjustable fin opens the way for a new type of snorkeling and swimming fin. It has been designed for two specific purpose. The first was to have a foot pocket that could easily adapt to at least three or four consecutive foot sizes. This would enable the same fin to be used by all the members of a family. The liberty snorkel masks features a wide mono front lens with a 2 sided lenses to ensure a panoramic view without interruption. The result is a snorkel masks that allows maximum light and feels as open as the ocean itself. All lenses are tempered glass for the best clarity. The skirt is made of hypoallergenic silicone to ensure comfort and a perfect seal. It is a breeze to adjust the length of the strap thanks to the two buttons on the buckle. The Tao dry is a dry snorkel for kids, that allows divers to take every breath with confidence and focus on the reef below. The top has a splah guard and a float mechanism that prevents entry of water when submerged. A generous bore contoured tube provides ample airflow and a lower purge valve enables instant cleaning when needed. |
UPhitnis Kids Snorkel Set
Take a look at some of the reviews
| Full dry snorkel can eliminate water entry when submerged. With tempered glass lenses can resist scratching and withstand deep water pressures. The big eyes mask provides wider clear vision and brings your child a pleasant and interesting diving experience. As food grade silicone mouthpiece and flex skirt is safe and soft snorkel for kids which enough to make your child comfortable when diving or snorkeling. |
Powsure Kids Snorkel Set
Take a look at some of these reviews
| Full dry top snorkel can eliminate water entry when submerged. With tempered glass lenses can resist scratching and withstand deep water pressures. The big eyes mask provides wider clear vision and brings your child a pleasant and interesting diving experience. As food grade silicone mouthpiece and flex skirt is safe and soft enough to make your child comfortable when diving or snorkeling. |
Rocks Pro Dry Set
Take a look at some of the reviews
| The rocks kids set is Cressis answer to the price conscious parents who need reliable snorkel equipment for their kids for a vacation use. The rocks mask lenses are made from tempered glass and the dual window design provides an excellent and wide field of vision. Easy to reach nose pocket for ear equalization. The skirt is made in soft silicone to ensure comfort and a perfect seal. The snorkel features a splash guard designed to prevent splashed surface water from entering inside the snorkel barrel. Practical low purge valve to easily blow out residual water. Easy to use snorkel keeper for attachment to the mask, with silicone mouthpiece. The set has a soft comfortable open heel foot pocket with easy to adjust buckles designed to follow the kids growth. The dual composite blade provides excellent power and energy saving. Easy adjustable buckles with large thumb loop. Comes with a practical net bag is included in the set. |
Mask Materials And Fit
For a good kids snorkel set, it is essential that your child’s snorkel mask is made from high-quality materials and it fits well. A good mask will have tempered-glass lenses. This will provide durability to the mask that your child will wear in the water. You should also look for a mask which has a wide range of vision. Children are visual creatures, and when they are under the water, they are going to want to see all that the ocean has to offer. Look for angled glass which allows good panoramic and peripheral vision.
A good fitting mask will rely a lot on the strap. The strap for your child’s snorkel mask should be wide and easy to use. It is essential that the mask is comfortable. Your child should be able to adjust the mask themselves, so the fastening system and adjustment system should be easy to use. Look for skirts which are made from high-quality materials, such as silicone, which will provide your child with a comfortable fit and a good seal.
Fin Materials And Fit
When kids get into the water, they love to kick their feet to propel themselves. A good set of fins will help your child to have confidence when they move through the water. As with the mask, the fins should be easy to put on and easy to adjust. A ratcheting system is ideal for children, and it will allow them to get precise adjustments with small hands. The foot pockets should be easy for them to get their feet in and out of without needing help. You are going to be dealing with your own snorkeling gear, and you want your child to have some independence with theirs.
A good balance between firmness and flexibility is also a must, and a lot of that balance will depend on the age of your child and their swimming ability. Rigid fins allow you to generate more power in the water, but they are harder to move through the water. Fins with some rigidity are great for older kids and those who are experienced swimmers. For younger kids, we would recommend a more flexible fin for snorkel gear for kids.
Snorkel Materials And Fit
Snorkeling is all about the snorkel. Without a snorkel, you are swimming below the surface. A good snorkel will make you forget that you are even wearing one. A good snorkel should introduce your child to the world of snorkeling while allowing your child to remain calm in the water. With this in mind, there are a few things which you should look at when you are buying a kids snorkel set.
A splash guard is a must to keep the water out of your child’s snorkel. It is likely that their kicks are going to spray up some water, and you do not want that water to get into the snorkel. It would also be beneficial to have a dry valve. This allows the air in when your child breathes but locks when you are under the water. The valve floats up under the water to block the air tube so that they cannot breathe in the water by mistake. Both of these safety devices will stop water getting into the snorkel; something which can put kids off snorkeling.
A purge valve will help to teach your child how to get rid of water from their snorkel, something which all adults have to do from time to time. The last part is the mouthpiece. If the mouthpiece is not comfortable, then your child is not going to enjoy the experience. Your child should be able to hold the snorkel in their mouth without feeling strained.
Gear Bag
One thing which children love is having their own gear bag. It makes them feel as if they have a real snorkeling set (which it is, only child-sized). A gear bag helps them to take care of their equipment and take responsibility for it.
Look for a drain plug or some other method to let the water out of the bag. There is going to be wet equipment in the bag, and you will have to let the water out. This is a must for all kids snorkel sets. The other thing to look for, especially if you travel, is the size of the bag. It is beneficial if the bag can double as a carry on bag.
Wetsuit
You may find that you can purchase a snorkeling set with a wetsuit, but most will come without. If you cannot get one with a set, then we would recommend buying your child a wetsuit. If body temperature drops by even a degree, then you can open yourself up to hypothermia. As an adult, you usually wear a wetsuit for snorkeling and so should your child. A good wetsuit will help to lock in your child’s body temperature. It will also provide a barrier against abrasions, scratches, and impacts.
Snorkel Vest
A snorkeling vest is great if your child is young or if they do not have a lot of experience in the water. A vest will help to keep them afloat and on the surface of the water. It also helps to keep them horizontal in the water. One added bonus is that they are usually brightly colored. If your child does get lost, then they will be easier to spot.
Safety
The safety of your child should be paramount in the water. We recommend starting slowly when introducing your child to snorkeling and ensuring that they have some swimming ability before you get them into the ocean. Outside of that, there are some additional safety precautions which we would recommend you take.
The water can reflect the rays of the sun, so you, and your child should always wear sunscreen in the water. Depending on the water in which you will be swimming, you may want to take an extra precaution by using a shark repellent. A pair of water socks will protect your child’s feet before you get into the water. They will also help to keep your child’s feet warm when they are in the water. Fin tethers will keep the fins with your child should they come off their feet. If your child gets seasick, then some seasickness remedies will work wonders.
Duration
The length of time you plan to spend in the water will also dictate the type of snorkeling set you go for. If you are going on holiday and want something with which your child can play in the water, then you do not need to rely as much on high-quality materials and a larger price tag. If this is going to be something which you and your family do every week, then you are going to want to invest in a high-quality snorkeling set. The more time you plan to spend in the water, the better the set you should buy.
Size
Sometimes the size of snorkeling equipment can be hard to get right. It is worth taking your child to a snorkeling store to be measured fir equipment. Once you know your child’s sizes, you can take advantage of the online prices to get great quality sets at low prices. The thing to look out for is the reviews. If the sizing is different from what was expected, then most parents will comment about it in the review sections. If you know the exact sizes for your child, then you should not run into any problems, but we recommend buying equipment from the country you reside in to get the best fit.
The other thing to look out for when you are buying your snorkeling set is the return policy. There is a chance that you will receive your equipment and some of it will not fit. If you can return the equipment, then you can request a different size.
Age Of Your Child
Most snorkel sets will be seized by small, medium, large, etc., but you will also find that there is an age range too. This will give you a good idea of whether or not the equipment will fit your child. You know your child best, so you can combine their size and age to choose the best equipment for your child.
Intended Use
Not all sets are made equal. Depending on where you are snorkeling, you may have to choose one set over another. If you are just beginning your snorkeling adventure, and are snorkeling on a calm beachfront, then you do not need to worry about your equipment. It is only when you start to adventure out into unknown waters that you will have to think about the quality of your child’s equipment.
Why is it important to buy the right snorkel gear for kids?
Kids love the water and find sea creatures fascinating, so snorkeling is an activity that they will enjoy for sure! If you take your children for a beach holiday, you will be surprised how quickly they can learn how to snorkel, but a leaking mask, a bad snorkel or uncomfortable fins can ruin the experience. Therefore, it is important to buy fitting, good quality snorkel gear for kids!
Although adult snorkel sets might fit bigger kids, but usually children under 10-12 years require kids snorkel gear that is designed to fit small sizes. Never let your children use equipment that is too big or too small for them. Wearing gear that doesn’t fit is not only uncomfortable, but can make the kid feel unsafe in the water as well as increases the chance of accidents and injuries.
Best kids snorkel sets
When looking for snorkel gear for kids, the easiest is buying a complete junior snorkel set that includes a small size mask, a snorkel tube and short swim fins that are designed to fit children. Moreover, a snorkel set for kids often comes with a handy carry bag.
After sizing, quality is the second most important factor if it comes choosing snorkel gear for kids. Like with adult equipment, make sure that the mask comes with tempered glass safety lenses, the mouthpiece is made from soft and hypoallergenic silicone, while the flippers are comfortable and durable.
Most dive gear manufacturers such as US Divers, Cressi, Mares etc… offer youth snorkeling sets and we highly recommend choosing quality equipment from them. The fact that your boy or girl will use the set for a short time only -because they quickly grow out of it- doesn’t mean that cheap, bad quality products can also be considered.
At what age can a child snorkel?
The earliest age to start snorkeling with a child will vary based on their comfort in the water and how well they can follow directions. There are certain mechanics they need to learn to effectively breathe through a tube, but more importantly they need to stay composed and trust that they can breathe and float. Lots of very little kids get flustered! You can try as early as age two with the toddler snorkel gear we recommend below, while some kids will do better at the age of 4 or even 6 years old.
Conclusion
Well I don’t know about you but I even feel more informed of what snorkeling gear for kids I should choose for my kids. I hope you feel the same. We all want firstly our kids to be safe, but also to have great fun.
Out of the six snorkeling gear for kids, we have reviewed. We found that the Youth Sea Pals character kids snorkel set to be our choice. First it had some great reviews & feedback. We found it was well made. The sizing was great compared to others. It represented good value for money and the design looks great.