Kids love snorkeling. No, scratch that! Kids actually love water. They are natural swimmers, an innate gift that fades with time if we dissuade them. When you need to give your child a good snorkeling lesson, get them the best kids snorkel mask.
If you are a water sport enthusiast, by have you now learned that water sports are fun and enjoyable. However, without the right water gear, they can turn nasty without notice. You do not want to be caught in danger when diving or snorkeling.
As you can see here, there is no age limit for scuba diving or snorkeling. Just get your kid started on either of these incredible water sports as soon as they are reasonably old. For example, as soon as your kids can swim, they can learn snorkeling. So the best thing to do is to teach your kid swimming before you can take him to snorkel.
Many resources say that the best age to start teaching your kids how to snorkel is 5 to 6 years. Some say they have done it 4 years. PADI or NAUI training is best started at 10 years of age. As you can see, the sooner the better, but do your research well.
You may also buy the kids a life jacket for snorkeling. That is very good for non swimmers. It holds them up well in the water, and they can have their fun.
With thousands of stunning places for snorkeling in the USA, you know that you will not miss a snorkeling vacation for anything. Besides, from activities such as snorkeling, you may yet turn junior into a marine biologist.
So when you go for that beach vacation, encourage your children to get into the water. Let them have fun snorkeling. They will never thank you enough.
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How to kids snorkel mask and other snorkeling gear
Buying kids snorkeling gear is hard. There are so many options in the market, and most parents do not know what to take and what to leave behind. I would recommend that you buy your kids snorkel mask on Amazon.
There is a lot of variety, and slightly better prices in most other marketplaces. Besides, you get loads of information about the full face snorkeling mask for children, including reviews left by people who have used these masks before.
Here are some helpful guidelines for buying a snorkel mask for your children:
Full face snorkeling mask vs. traditional snorkeling mask
Without thinking too much about this, just go for the full face snorkeling mask. It has far advanced features and the kids will love using it.
Ok, you could use a traditional snorkeling mask, which consists of mouth piece, the snorkel tube and the goggles. However, one of the many disadvantages of a traditional snorkel mask is that it causes nausea. Children have a nasty gag reflex and they could end up throwing up in the water.
With a childrens full face snorkel mask, you can be assured that your kids are safe in the water. Besides, the full face snorkel mask keeps the water out of their face. This means they can see clearly, and they do not have to swallow tons of ocean water.
A full face snorkel mask is perfect for children, and it is easy to see why. One of the reasons is that there is no mouth piece. You can breathe just as good as if you are on dry land with this mask. When your child wears the full face snorkel mask, he/she does not even have to worry about the water. They can submerge their face in the ocean water, without risking any coming into their mouth.
With no mouthpiece, it means that you do not have to blow your snorkel tube, something that many people hate to do as the water ends up in the mouth.
Because full face snorkeling masks are built with the best technology, they never fog up and if they do, there are means to clear them. Besides, they also have the widest angle of view so the wearer can see a big area. If your kid wears glasses, you can get him/her snorkel mask for glasses wearers.
Size and fit for Kids Snorkel Mask
When it comes to the size of the childrens full face snorkel mask, most parents go wrong. They think that buying a large size of the mask for their kids is best so that the kids cannot outgrow it so soon. However, this is a mistake.
An ill fitting mask can be bad when in the water. It can let in a lot of sea water to blind you. Always get a snug-fitting mask for children.
You can check the best childrens full face snorkeling masks on Amazon.com. Just search for Childrens snorkel masks, and you will be brought many of them . Since they all have age ratings, it is best to buy one that befits the age of your kids.
When buying shoes for the beach, you mostly buy a size up. However, it is different for the snorkeling masks. You are supposed to buy a size smaller so that you can be on the safe side. This is especially important for big teenagers and children.
If you are buying a kids snorkel mask for small children, make sure to look for the XS size. However, even this one has to be tested because some children have small faces and so even wearing this snorkel mask could leak.
The good thing is that even if the childrens full face snorkel mask is small, it can be used by a larger person. If it is even a quarter size bigger, you should not use it. It is similar to buying a wetsuit for children, you make them as snug as possible.
When you buying a full face snorkel mask for children online, just make sure it has a size rating of S or XS. For teenagers though, that would be M/L or even S. The good thing is that you can always return a snorkel mask if the size isn’t right and get another one.
The snorkel mask skirt
This should be made of silicone. Well, that should be obvious, as it used to be the standard with all of the snorkel masks in the market. However, times have changed and today, you may order a cheap childrens full face snorkel mask, only to find that its skirt is made of other material.
With so many products being made as knock-offs from the original brands, you can never be too sure. Thus, before you can order a snorkel mask, read its description, see what materials it is made of.
That is why I say it is best to buy a full face snorkeling mask on Amazon.com, whether for you or for your children. That way, you can first read the description of the mask. You can also read the reviews left by other users to see what they experienced with the same mask that you want to buy for your kid.
If the snorkel mask does not have the silicone skirt, just avoid it altogether. You will save yourself a lot of trouble that way.
Silicone does not react with the skin. Thus, even babies who have sensitive skin can wear these masks without any side effects.
The best silicone skirt, just like the neoprene wetsuits for diving is flexible and very soft. Thus, you can maneuver it to fit on your face. That is why a small mask can fit a large face.
Besides, the softer a silicone skirt for the full face snorkel mask is, the more it will mold itself to your skin. This makes the fit as snug as possible.
Remember, this marketplace is also the best place to buy all of your scuba diving gear.
The full face snorkeling mask price
When it comes to the price of the snorkeling mask, I usually say to just apply logic and common sense. You need to find a good balance between the features and the price.
But first, did you know that full face snorkel masks can last quite a long time? Yes they can, especially when you take good care of them.
Thus, if you are going to have more kids, or if you have older and young children, you can buy a full face snorkel mask such that the older siblings can leave it for their siblings.
If you are buying a snorkel mask for a small child of 4 years, well, that needs to be cheap but high quality. The thing is… children grow faster and in the process, they outgrow their scuba and snorkel gear.
Thus, in a couple of years, the S-sized full face snorkel mask that you bought for junior can be rendered useless.
This is why you should spend the lowest amount possible on a kids snorkel mask. The most important thing is to ensure that you buy high quality.
It is not good to buy too cheap snorkeling masks. They are sold at throwaway prices for a reason, and you can be sure it is not a good reason.
Remember, it is better to spend more money and get more features with your snorkeling mask, than pay less and get fewer features.
The snorkeling mask brand name
You know that the best brand names in the market cost some more money, but the reason is because they are of high quality.
Thus, as a first time buyer for childrens full face snorkel mask, it is better to go for the most experienced brand names. That way, you will know that you are already well protected.
You can never be too cautious when buying snorkeling or scuba diving items. These water sports can turn quite nasty should your scuba diving mask, regulator, snorkel mask or other item fail when you are in the water.
This is why it is best to just buy from the established brands. You see, they have a reputation to protect. Thus, they cannot afford to make low quality items.
One of the best full face snorkeling masks is the Ocean Reef Aria Full-face snorkeling mask on Amazon.com. This is an established snorkeling mask and has been in the market for a long time.
You can also buy the Seaview 180° snorkeling mask on Amazon.com. This is without doubt one of the most popular snorkeling masks in the market. With 180 degrees field of view, you can be sure that they do not come any better than this. This will be handed down to siblings, if not to generations.
Another established brand name that you may consider buying is the Tribord EasyBreath snorkeling mask. You can check it out on Amazon.com to see some of its features.
While it is not a bad idea to try a relatively new product in the market, going with well established brand names makes you feel safe. If you are a parent like me, then you know that safety is a good feeling where your children are concerned.
But these full face snorkel masks are not cheap. However, you know it is not extravagant if it will give you good value for money.
The structure of the full face snorkel mask
If the structure of the snorkel mask is not right, chances are you are not going to enjoy it. Just like the windscreen of a car, a flat viewing window is not right. It can distort the view in the water.
The viewing window should be curved/concave in shape. This allows the user of the mask to have a wider view all around, without blind spots to hinder the view.
If you buy a snorkel mask with a flat viewing window for your kids, it is going to make them feel lightheaded especially if they use it for a long time. Since snorkeling requires you to keep your face down, it is possible to feel lightheaded when using the wrong mask.
Not to worry though, as the flat screened snorkel masks went out of design and out of the market years ago. However, it never hurts to be sure.
Wearing the snorkel mask just right
As a mom or dad, it is your duty to teach your children how to wear their full face snorkel masks just right. No matter how good, no matter how expensive a snorkel mask is, if it is not worn right, it might fail.
First thing, they should keep a straight face when wearing the mask. If they smile and fit the mask at the same time, it will not fit snugly. When they stop smiling, there will be gaps between the mask and the face.
Another thing to know is that a snorkel mask should not be worn on hair. Teach your kids to hold their hair back when wearing the mask. If a few strands of hair are not in the right place, well, that could mean a poor fit of your mask.
When ordering your childrens full face snorkel mask, get the ones made for people with narrow faces. These ones give a snugger fit than the regular ones.
Use the full face snorkel mask for its purpose only
Just as any other item that you may have at home, the full face snorkeling mask should be used for its purpose.
It is specifically made for snorkeling. It is not made for swimming. Do not use it for freediving. You shall not use it for swimming either. If you misuse a snorkel mask, you will end up complaining that it does not work.
You must always remember that when breathing in water, the intensity of the breathing will increase with the activity. For example, swimmers will breath fast because of the exhaustion. Now, snorkeling mask is not made for fast breathing as it could fog up fast. It is made for leisurely breathing. Snorkeling is a leisurely adventure in itself.
Do not let the children use their snorkeling equipment (shoes) in rough waters. That will definitely allow water into the mask. Also, do not assume that they are safe just because they are well geared up. Keep an eye on them.
You do not want to test how deep you can dive when wearing a snorkeling mask instead of a scuba diving mask.
Before letting the children into the water, test the snorkeling mask. Wear it and then blow into it to see whether it lets out air. If it does, there is a leak.
Finally, you must know how to take good care of your gear. You must know how to care for your snorkel mask so that it can last as long as possible. Luckily, it is not too hard.
Conclusion
You have now seen how to buy the best kids snorkel mask. Remember, when it is about the safety of the kids, you can never be too cautious. It is better to err on the side of caution. With the best snorkel gear though, you can be able to turn a regular lazy day on the beach to a fun packed snorkeling adventure. If you happen to be in Clearwater for adventure, try some of the snorkeling spots there. You will never regret it.
