Scuba diving is an exciting activity that opens kids up to a world of adventure and discovery. Still, little ones have a natural tendency to become distracted or bored during longer skills sessions or open water dives. It’s important to make their learning journey as fun as it is educational by incorporating structure—in the form of games or other activities—to create a positive experience from beginning to end. Here are five ways to make learning underwater an enjoyable and memorable experience for kids.

1. Find Kid-Focused Classes

For maximum fun while learning underwater, enroll your child in a class with other kids, rather than with a private instructor or a group with adult divers. “Having the opportunity to learn with other children is a huge asset,” says Margo Peyton, president of Kids Sea Camp Inc., which specializes in family dive trips and training where kids get to learn and dive with other kids. Learning alongside their peers creates opportunities for socialization and play during dives, which can turn sessions of skills practice into lifelong memories.

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2. Communicate Creatively

Kids can be naturally curious and talkative, but they can’t just say whatever pops into their minds underwater. Getting creative about communication while diving can help them express themselves and their excitement about the new things they are learning and seeing. Peyton swears by Scubapro WetNotes, an underwater notebook, but a standard dive slate can work just as well for writing notes back and forth—or even drawing pictures of memorable marine life they see along the way. Encourage them to take the lead on things, like asking how much air you have or signaling for a safety stop. You can also ask them to come up with their own hand signals, in addition to the standard ones all divers know, to personalize their experience and your connection as a buddy team.

3. Incorporate Games and Activities

Gamifying pool sessions and open water dives provides structure and goals for kids to pursue while diving. This can help them hone skills like buoyancy and problem solving while having fun. Consider creating an obstacle course, underwater bingo cards or a scavenger hunt that kids can work on in buddy teams, under adult supervision. Games like relay races or underwater darts can inject fun and competition into otherwise bland pool sessions.

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4. Document Dives

Another great way to make dives with kids more engaging is to provide them with their own camera to document their adventures. Small, simple devices like SeaLife or GoPro cameras are easy to clip to their BCD, and they turn ordinary dives into creative projects they can share with friends and family. Peyton recommends providing one camera to buddy teams of kids, so they can take turns as the shooter while the other serves as the spotter and photo subject.

5. Celebrate Milestones

Children thrive on encouragement and rewards, so foster their sense of accomplishment by celebrating achievements throughout their learning journey. Taking the time to make an announcement and lead a round of applause on the boat after, for example, a junior diver completes their training dives, provides positive reinforcement. And don’t forget to mark other milestones along the way, such as improvements to their buoyancy or a keen eye for spotting a particular type of marine life. You can also give small rewards like certificates, stickers or fun stamps for their dive logs to mark achievements like their first night, drift or wreck dives.