Junior Freediver Course in Malta & Gozo (Ages 11–14)

Taught correctly freediving is a valuable skill for a child to have

Beginner Friendly Course

Learn Freediving in Malta and Gozo - Freediver Course picture 1

Duration: 2 days
Sessions: 2 academic + 2 open water
Depth: up to 12m
Level: Beginner
Certification: Apnea Total Junior Freediver
Location: Malta and Gozo

250 €

INCLUDES:

Course Materials
Freediving Gear
Transportation to/from dive site
Videos & Pictures
Water and Snacks
International Freediving Certification (upon successful completion)

Learn Freediving in Malta and Gozo - Freediver Course picture 2

Our Junior Freediver Course in Malta and Gozo is a structured 2-day freediving certification program for children aged 11–14. This Junior Course is designed to introduce young swimmers to freediving in a safe, supportive, and highly supervised environment.

Over two days, juniors learn essential freediving skills including breathing techniques, equalization, safety procedures, and buddy awareness through a combination of theory sessions and guided open-water practice.

Water training takes place in the clear, calm waters of Malta and Gozo under close instructor supervision. Kids are gently introduced to freediving depths (up to 12m) while building real confidence in the water and awareness of the ocean.

Beyond performance, the course also helps children understand their limits, recognize risks in the water, stay calm under pressure, and make safer choices around the sea.

Ideal for children who love the sea, swimming, snorkelling, or water sports, this junior certification is a fun, educational, and internationally recognised first step into freediving.

Book your Junior Freediver Course HERE

WHO IS THE JUNIOR FREEDIVER COURSE FOR?

The Junior Freediver Course is for all children aged 11-14 who love the sea and water activities.

The Junior Course instills safe habits while developing aquatic acumen. It provides a unique, exciting and safe introduction to the wonders of the underwater world.

WHAT WILL YOUR CHILD LEARN?

The Junior Freediver Course offers the opportunity to learn freediving skills in a fun, safe, supportive and engaging environment. It provides the proper skills and knowledge to freedive effectively and safely to a depth of 12m. Once your child reaches the age of 15, they can transition to the adult-level depth of 20m.

Your child will learn how the body responds to freediving, how to control their breath, how to equalize ear pressure, how to stay safe and look after their freediving buddy, as well as other essential apnea skills such as duck dive, streamlining, etc.

Junior Freedivers will gain confidence in the water, and the freediving skills and knowledge to safely explore the underwater world. They will also build self-confidence, increase body awareness, understand their limits, become safer at the surface and under the water and develop a healthy relationship with the ocean, the marine life and nature in general.

JR FREEDIVER COURSE DESCRIPTION

With a total of 2 academic sessions and 2 open water sessions, the Junior Freediver Course spans over 2 days. Both days follow the same schedule: knowledge development in our training facilities either in Malta or Gozo followed by practice in the Mediterranean Sea.

During the theory sessions, your child will learn about the principles of freediving, the free diving equipment, the importance of proper apnea techniques and safety protocols.

During the open water sessions, your kids will apply the freediving skills in a real-world setting. We will practice duck dives, kicking, equalization and breathing techniques along a freediving line. We will also practice safety procedures and the buddy system.

We do not teach teenagers separately to adults. Teens on our Junior Freediver Course follow the exact same programme as our adult students. All learn side by side, they share the same goal and feel the same sense of achievement. Youngsters will learn the fundamentals of freediving, while fostering comfort in breath holding and depth.

Parental/Guardian participation is not required, but encouraged. Sharing the thrill of freediving with your child is sure to be an unforgettable family experience. Freediving is the most natural way to enjoy the sea and the ocean, and it can become your new family holiday activity.

What are the benefits of freediving for junior freedivers?

Freediving can help teens thrive in many ways:

Freediving introduces water confidence, which makes the experience in the water much safer and improves underwater performance including swimming in a pool, snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing, and all other water sports;
The practice of freediving improves health, especially on a cardiovascular and respiratory levels, and well-being, and promotes a healthy lifestyle;
In a youth course, kids learn breathing techniques that can be applied as an outlet for stress and anxiety, as well as to improve performance in land-based sports.
Junior Freedivers develop valuable life skills such as rescue techniques, understanding of personal limits, both mental and physical, and ability to identify danger.
Learning to freedive increases overall confidence and body awareness by surpassing perceived limits.

Junior Freediver Course Structure

Classrooms

Freediving principles
Introduction to freediving gear
Essentials Freediving techniques
Safety Protocols
Yogic Breathing
Breathing techniques
Hydration and Diet

Water Sessions

Suit up and Equipment prep
Buoyancy Control
Practice of skills
Practice of freediving disciplines
Practice Rescue Techniques
Buddy System

Do you have any questions? Get in Touch !

FAQ Junior Freediver Course

Is Freediving safe for children?

Freediving is very low risk when taught correctly and practiced safely. It is an aquatic activity that initiates children into water confidence, providing them with the right knowledge and skills to snorkel, skin dive, and freedive responsibly and safely.

It is a sport based on relaxation and mental control. As such, it is considered as a healthy activity, not an extreme sport, and it can be practiced by everyone.

Freediving is the most natural way to discover the underwater world and our body, with its natural automatic responses (including the mammalian diving reflex) is made for it.

What is the minimum age to freedive?

Junior Freediving Education can start as early as 4yrs, although the focus at this age is on swimming techniques. Freediving education as such starts at 8yrs in confined water such as a swimming pool and at 11yrs in open water.

It is important to take into account the physical development of each child as well as their maturity and understanding.

We allow children over the age of 11 to join our Freediver Course in accordance with our main certifying body, Apnea Total.

Is a parent required for a child to attend the Junior Course?

No, parents are not required to attend the course with their child(ren). They will be asked to complete the registration form and give their consent.

Although not compulsory, parental participation is encouraged as it can be reassuring for the child. It is also an opportunity to create a fantastic family experience, and strengthen family bonds.

Parent(s) taking the Freediver Course with their child(ren) receive a 50€ discount.

I am a certified freediver, can I join my child?

What are the prerequisites?

How can I book a Junior Freediver Course?

To book a course, kindly fill out form below with your preferred dates and location. You can also send us a e-mail, WhatsApp, Messenger or Telegram. All bookings are confirmed on receipt of a non-refundable deposit.

What our students say about their experience!

See all our reviews

    
 
 
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   Hicham Sheikha 
 16 September 2026
 
 
  I took the freediving course at Apnea Total in Gozo, and it was an excellent experience! Arturo, my instructor, shared a lot of knowledge and made me feel very safe in the water. On every dive, he went down with me to the bottom and came back up with me, correcting my technique and giving me new tips for the next dive. I had always wanted to try freediving, but I needed a safe place to do it, and Apnea Total gave me exactly that. Thank you so much, Arturo and the whole Apnea Total Gozo team!
  
 
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   Felix 
 14 September 2026
 
 
  I had a fantastic 3 days of freediving and spearfishing with Arturo at Apnea Total Gozo. This was my first time trying both, and I had absolutely no prior experience. Arturo is an outstanding teacher, and his passion for the water is infectious. He has a real talent for making the theory interesting and, more importantly, showing you how to apply it in the water. The dry practice and exercises really pay dividends when you’re in the water just an hour later. Spending time in the water with Arturo was an absolute blast, and it was amazing to see how much you can achieve in just a few days, even starting from scratch. Thank you, Arturo, for a great experience and a great time. I hope to be back in Gozo soon!
  
 
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   Dalia Icloud 
 13 September 2026
 
 
  I had such a great time with my instructor Reggie! She made me feel very safe in the water, after me not having dove in 3 years. We had a really good conversation on relaxation , and practiced my technique again. It was a fantastic experience being in the blue water, freediving with amazing support. Thank you to the team for making it a great experience , really professional and I learnt so much from Reggie about the sport and her journey as well freediving ❤️ thank you!!! I will be back soon
  
 
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   Leon Zhong 
 12 September 2026
 
 
  I did the 2-day freediving course in ApneaTotal Malta and the half-day expedition in Gozo. I enjoyed both! The intructors Reggie and Arturo are both very patient and informative. They made me feel comfortable in the ocean.
  
 
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   faustino janeiro 
 11 September 2026
 
 
  100% recommended! I arrived with zero diving experience and am leaving with a new passion. I was lucky enough to have Arturo as our instructor, and that played a huge part in what I’ve taken away from the course! He’s very friendly and approachable, but also very attentive, and he made sure throughout the course that we got the very best out of it. It’s definitely an activity that, if you’ve never tried it before, will change the way you view your holidays. I’d definitely do it again – I’m already thinking about my next trip to Malta so I can do a more advanced course with Arturo.
  
 
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   Jennifer M 
 7 September 2026
 
 
  I had an amazing time in my two days of diving with Apnea Total Malta. It was a last minute booking in peak season but they did their best to accommodate me and let me know about an opening to dive. My depth session with Reggie was fantastic - I haven't met anyone who both infectiously update but also super calming. I had wanted to wreck dive for the second day and the team coordinated to make sure it was suitable for me. It was an equally delightful session. Arturo was a wonderful guide who put in extra work counteracting currents to make sure I could be in position for a good view at the bottom. I received videos from both diving days. Both dive sites were a short swim from shore. I highly recommend them for both coaching and fun diving experiences.
  
 
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   Stuart Lafferty 
 6 September 2026
 
 
  Learning to Free dive with Apnea Total in Gozo was a fantastic experience. Four of us signed up for a Discover Freediving course. No-one in the group had done this before so it seemed like the perfect introduction to the sport. Initially there was some nervousness and apprehension, everyone a little uncertain about holding their breath underwater. Our Instructor Arturo, through a combined passion for his sport, professional instruction, and relaxed manner immediately put everyone at ease. The day was split into 2 halves. Firstly the classroom where we learned about the sport and the equipment used. He explained to us physiology and the effects that being submerged has on the body, and breathing and relaxation techniques that we would later employ. The time flew by! The second half of the day was spent in the sea where we were introduced to the practical elements. Everything we did was demonstrated in bite sized chunks, and we slowly built our technique step by step. Everybody in the group progressed at different rates, yet Arturo managed to personalise the training to the individual. No-one felt left behind or pressured to move on before they were ready, and by the end of the day we all had achieved much more than we had expected to. Each of us felt that we had really achieved something. My wife and I (she was one of the four) were free the next day so we combined our Discover training day into the full freediving course. As you would expect the second day built on what we had previously been taught. We developed our breathing and relaxation exercises, and learned about safety and rescue techniques. In the water, the progression continued in a similar manner, as we kept practicing Arturo gave constant feedback, guidance, and encouragement. I can happily announce that we are freedivers! -albeit baby ones. We both had the best two days learning to freedive, and we are certainly going back for more training. The wife has her eye on a mono-fin and a sparkly mermaids tail, and I am going back to build on what I have learned so far. Our friends are also returning to complete the full course. If you’re reading this review weighing up whether or not to give it a try. All I can tell you is that I cannot recommend this school highly enough. Value for money, professionalism, enthusiasm, and top quality instruction they get a 10/10 from us.
  
 
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   João Banza (PT) 
 6 September 2026
 
 
  I recently completed the Freediving Course with Apnea Total Malta, and my feedback is extremely positive. The course is very well structured. It is an intensive two-day experience and the amount of knowledge gained is enormous. As an Advanced Open Water (PADI AOW) scuba diver with more than 50 dives, I learned a lot of new things that will be useful not only for both sports, but also for improving my respiratory health and breathing techniques in general. Our instructor, Arturo, was excellent. Besides sharing a great deal of knowledge with us, he was always very attentive to the students, both during the theory sessions and in the practical sessions in the sea. He encouraged us to go beyond our perceived “limits”, but always with safety as the absolute priority. Both Apnea Total Malta and Arturo are highly recommended. A big thank you to the whole team for an excellent experience!
  
 
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   Sandra Geordie 
 2 September 2026
 
 
  So glad I booked a course with these guys. The most patient instructor in the world, really well set up, always felt safe. I had a brilliant two days and look forward to continuing my free diving journey ☺️
  
 
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   Jens Kock 
 31 August 2026
 
 
  Es hat unglaublich Spaß gemacht. Danke Reggie, für die kompetene Einweisung und für das sichere Gefühl, welches du uns jederzeit vermittelt hast. Auch toll ist es, im Nachhinein Bilder und Videos von den Unterwasser-Einheiten zu haben. Klare Empfehlung!
  
 
 
  
 
 
   Trustindex rating score: 5.0 of 5, based on 535 reviews