Early one evening in Maui we happened to see a father and his young son snorkeling together in a condo swimming pool. The quality of their interaction captured our attention. The boy’s father was not only helping his son become comfortable with his equipment, but teaching him hand signals so they could communicate non-verbally underwater. Along with the standard “okay” sign, and the shivering “I’m cold” sign, they were creating hand signals to indicate what type of creatures they were hoping to see.
The enjoyment and engagement of both father and son was readily apparent. Their pool time was not only a fun and practical way for this father to get his child comfortable with snorkeling, but it created a treasured memory his son will likely have for the rest of his life. Who knows? Maybe we were witnessing the early education of the next Jacques Cousteau. Then again, maybe the next Cousteau resides in your family. By getting kids comfortable in the pool and confident with their gear you can jump-start their interest in snorkeling and increase the likelihood of having a great “first snorkel” when you’re ready to hit the reefs in Maui.
For many more tips on snorkeling with kids in Maui, pick up a copy of Mask Fins & Snorkel: The Adventure Guide to Maui’s Best Snorkeling!