Half Term at Diving Academy: Family Fun and the Mermaid Appeal

Half term at the Reading academy has become one of the busiest and most rewarding weeks of our year, filling the pool with families, first-time try-divers, and returning junior members working toward their next certification. This year, alongside our usual half-term programme, we are also running our annual Mermaid Appeal, and we wanted to explain what both actually involve, and how your family can get the most out of the week.

Why Half Term Is Our Busiest Family Week

School holidays give families a rare block of consecutive days to try something new together, and half term in particular tends to bring in families who might not otherwise fit diving or mermaiding into a normal weekend schedule. We deliberately schedule extra pool sessions and taster slots during this week to make the most of that window, running a mix of introductory experiences and structured progression for families already partway through a course.

It is also, honestly, one of the most enjoyable weeks for our instructor team, because the pool fills with a genuine mix of ages and confidence levels, and the energy of first-timers trying a regulator or a monofin for the first time is infectious for everyone around them.

What Family Activities Are Running This Half Term

Alongside our usual course calendar, half term brings additional taster sessions aimed squarely at families deciding whether diving or mermaiding is right for them, without committing to a full course upfront. These sessions run in our training pool under full instructor supervision, and are designed to be approachable for complete beginners across a wide age range.

For families already partway through a certification, we also run additional pool slots during the week to help keep momentum going, since school holidays are often the easiest time to fit in consecutive sessions rather than spacing them out weekly.

Inside the Mermaid Academy: What Mermaiding Actually Involves

Our Mermaid Academy is a genuinely popular half-term draw, particularly for younger family members who are strong swimmers but not yet ready, by age or interest, for scuba equipment. Mermaiding uses a monofin and a fabric or silicone tail to teach a powerful, controlled dolphin kick, alongside breath-hold comfort, water confidence, and basic safety awareness, all built up progressively under instructor supervision.

It sits alongside our other five academies, Scuba, Professional, Tec, Freediving, and Conservation, as a genuine pathway in its own right rather than a novelty add-on, with its own skill progression from a first taster session through to more advanced choreography and technique work.

The Mermaid Appeal: What It Is and How to Get Involved

Each half term, we run our Mermaid Appeal alongside the Mermaid Academy programme, using the week's energy and footfall to raise awareness and support for ocean-focused education among younger divers and mermaids in training. The appeal typically centres on encouraging families taking part in half-term sessions to also engage with a simple piece of ocean literacy, whether that is a short talk on marine debris, a conservation-themed activity for kids, or a chance to contribute toward equipment and bursaries that help make the Mermaid Academy accessible to more young people.

The thinking behind it is straightforward: a week that already has families excited about the water is a natural moment to connect that enthusiasm to genuine ocean stewardship, rather than treating conservation as a separate, unrelated topic. If your family is coming along for a half-term session, you will likely see appeal materials and activities woven naturally into the week rather than presented as a separate ask.

Making the Most of Half Term as a Diving Family

If you are planning to bring the family along, booking early in the week matters, since half-term slots fill quickly once local schools break up. Mixed-age families often do best booking a taster session first, to let every family member get a feel for the water before committing to a longer course, particularly if scuba and mermaiding are both being considered for different family members.

Bring swimwear, a towel, and a bit of patience for younger or more nervous family members, and expect the first session to be about comfort and confidence rather than covering a long list of formal skills. Most families are surprised by how quickly nerves settle once everyone is actually in the water together.

Beyond Half Term: Where the Academies Lead Next

Half term is often the introduction, but it is rarely the end of the story for families who try diving or mermaiding together. Junior divers who start with a taster session often continue through our Scuba Academy pathway as they get older, building toward recognised open water certifications at an age-appropriate pace, while mermaiding students often continue developing technique, endurance, and choreography well beyond their first session.

Parents sometimes find their own interest reignited by watching their children take to the water so naturally, and it is not unusual for a half-term taster booked for the kids to end with the whole family asking about a full course. That ripple effect, one family member trying something new and the rest following, is honestly one of the most enjoyable parts of running a half-term programme.

What to Expect If It Is Your Family's First Time

If nobody in your family has tried diving or mermaiding before, the first session is deliberately gentle. Instructors spend the opening part of any taster session on comfort in the water and basic breathing or kick technique, rather than diving straight into equipment or formal skills, so nerves have time to settle before anything unfamiliar is introduced. Most families are surprised by how quickly that initial hesitation fades once everyone realises the pace is set by the group, not by a fixed clock.

It also helps to arrive with realistic expectations rather than a specific outcome in mind. Some families leave a first session ready to book a full course immediately, others prefer to let the experience settle for a while before deciding, and both are entirely normal. The half-term programme is designed to give every family that space to decide without pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age can children start the Mermaid Academy? Younger children can generally start mermaiding earlier than scuba, provided they are confident, comfortable swimmers, though exact age suitability is best confirmed with our team based on the individual child.

Do we need to book the whole family onto the same session? Not necessarily. Many families split across sessions suited to each person's age and confidence, then come together for open water or pool time once everyone has had an introduction.

Is the Mermaid Appeal a separate booking or cost? No, it runs alongside our normal half-term sessions and is about awareness and participation rather than a required additional purchase, though families who want to support it further are welcome to ask our team how.

What if we are not sure whether to choose scuba or mermaiding? A taster session in either is the easiest way to decide, and our instructors are happy to advise based on each family member's swimming confidence and interests.

Ready to bring the family along this half term? Browse our course listings or find out more about the Mermaid Academy, then get in touch with the team at Bellman Court, Great Knollys Street, Reading, or call +44 (0) 118 9761 729 to book your half-term session.