We've been taking our 2.5 year old son at this Aquabeba location for a few months, and we are generally happy. First of all, as these swim classes took place in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, we've been very happy with all the safety precautions: - Classes were limited to 2 students, recently expanded to 3. - Only one parent/guardian and the child are allowed in the building at any time. - The parent/guardian and the child are allowed in the building only 5 minutes before class. - They check temperatures for all. The pool is heated, it is clean, and there are two bathrooms/changing rooms, each one with 6 lockers and one shower. They clean the changing areas in between classes. The instructors are great, and the 30-minute classes we took are intense[1]. Even though the exercises and routines were essentially the same, a lot depends on the energy of the teacher. I feel that the more energetic teachers are actually the more effective. There are a few things to consider: - The pool is not very big. It is certainly large enough for the 3 students plus 3 parents/guardians in the current class, but things could get crowded at full capacity. Also considering that each changing room has only one shower. - There is no priority enrollment for students who are currently enrolled in a class. Once the mass email for new enrollment is sent out, spots are assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis. Basically you only have a few minutes to register your kid. - There is no phone number to call. For anything you need, you have to send an email. The person in charge is nice and will reply, usually within a couple of days, and often within a few hours. However, if you need information quickly, thins is a problem. -------------------- [1] This was the Sea Otters level: 1 year/10 months to 2 yrs/10 months. read more

We have been going to Aquabeba for sometime (they are great with our older daughter with special needs) and we have always been happy. It is detailed and progressive. It took some time to build the skills but they are so concrete now that my son is very comfortable this something we are so grateful for. I write this review because this past weekend at a friend's house our son was knocked into the pool by another child playing. As we ran to jump in he shot to the top of the water and started to the wall. He was not even in his swim suit anymore and managed with a shirt on. We were in and got him very quickly but seeing him not panic and know what to do was something we will never forget. read more

We have been taking our 8 month old here for the last 2 months and she is doing so well and has gotten so comfortable with the water. The instructors are great and we feel much better about swimming with her this summer. read more

Feels like a cattle call. Classes are short & start right on time but we're not allowed into the changing room more than 10 minutes early, so getting a toddler ready in a way that doesn't feel rushed is impossible. That stresses out my kid and doesn't allow us to ease into it. The instructor moves through the same program every time and doesn't have much of a sense for connecting with little ones. There is no time for free play before or after, so no chances for my kid to have fun in the water. We prepaid for some classes but we'll look elsewhere when they're done. Others seem to like it, but this is our experience. read more

My daughter started with Aquabeba when she was just 7 months old and I owe my daughters love of swimming to them. Their techniques are great to get babies and children comfortable with swimming and then the necessary training so they can swim safely. We have loved all the instructors and pool staff. And we have seen other swim schools and I really don't feel any have compared to AquaBeba. I really appreciate how everything is very organized and professional. We wouldn't go anywhere else! read more

I came here with my daughter when she was 9 months or so and did a couple of semesters. Now we are back with our 9 month old son and she is back for more solo classes. Instructors are great! The staff is always nice and watch the kids/babies when you have to go change into or out of your suit. We have always had nothing but great experiences with these guys! The only issue I've had was scheduling. They are popular and the classes are fairly small (which is great!) but getting into their weekend classes is close to impossible while the weekday classes are a bit early for my daughter who is in pre k till 3. You will get you monies worth! (I prefer the Olive street location, it a bit dimmer and I don't know just feels more cozy the other location does have an actual locker room though) read more

We love AQUABEBA! Not only have they taught my daughter, who is 9 swimming techniques but they have also boosted her confidence about swimming in general, which is huge. These classes were so needed and helpful when she went to sailing camp this summer. Before these classes my daughter was not a very confident swimmer and it made us as parents a bit nervous. After completing these sessions she was able to apply skill and technique's taught at AQUABEBA to the open waters in Providence, RI where she sailed alone in a boat. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable and caring. The pool is heated and very clean. We recommend them to every parent with a child, as learning how to swim should be a life skill. These skills can only really be taught by individuals who have patiences, knowledge and a healthy attitude to extend this valuable life skill to children. read more

I am still a big fan of Aquabeba and recommend it whole heartedly. However, I wish the class levels were structured a little differently. There should be levels within each age group to separate those kids that are more comfortable in the water from those that are just beginning. My son did three sessions in the Sea Lion group (2.5 to 4 yrs), but we stopped because we just weren't seeing that much progress in the end. I think the class (at least this age group) caters more to beginners than it does to those that are a little more advanced. I wish they had been better at encouraging more independent swimming. Having said that, I love the structure of the program (teacher to student ratio), the size of the pool, registration procedures, etc. Aquabeba really provides a warm and safe environment for those that are learning to swim. read more

We signed our son up for swim classes with Aqua Beba when he was about 6 months old. His love of water has grown tremendously. He is 18 months now and 100% conditioned to being in the water. He LOVES his instructors (Danilo and Mai) and participates in activities with then with no problems! He went thorough a tough attachment period the previous two sessions but clearly has outgrown that and is really, really, obviously enjoying himself and the attention received during class. Thank you, thank you, thank you Aqua Beba. You guys rock and we plan on swimming with you until JJ is an Olympic swimmer ;) read more

Aquabeba - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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i took prenatal swim here during my last months of pregnancy which was amazing. My daughter who is now almost 2 has been taking lessons since she was 4 months old. Anthony has been teaching her the entire time and we love him. We've tried other baby and toddler swim lessons around Brooklyn (if you don't register quick enough the spots fill up super fast) and they don't compare to Aquabeba. The small class size and hands on teaching really helped my daughter build so much confidence in the water. The staff is wonderful and I highly recommend this swim school for your children. read more

Aqua Beba's website reads they offer swim lessons from infants through young childrens' age. But truth be told, I've seen a couple of private adult lessons ending right before my kids' classes were about to begin. AB's swimming lessons is by far the best we've experienced. And that includes swim instructors we've had in Florida while staying with Grandma & Grandpa during the summer. My twin 3.5 yo boys trust Danillo, the founder/teacher, as well as his great assistants. The classes are kept somewhat small (about 8 kids?). The kids are not forced to do anything they do not want to do. By the end of the very first class, the boys had gone underwater. By the end of the first "semester" my boys were diving for toys in four feet of water!! These classes are so awesome that classes can fill up SUPER quickly so if you want in, don't delay. read more

Aquabeba - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

class was overcrowded which left little time to get hands on instruction from the main teacher. Granted Danilo is a good teacher when you get him. I felt that I was having to teach my child the strokes - it was a scramble at best to keep up with Danilo's instruction. He visited us once during the course of the class. Changing rooms were moldy & dirty. Felt group lessons were a waste of money, while the private lessons were good for $$$. read more

I had been looking for a child friendly swim class for months and attended other swim class with my older daughter but they were Okay....This time around with my second daughter I was in search for a Amazing swim school. So I google child friendly swim class in Brooklyn and Aquabeba came up. I was like wow this is so nice and cute. I reached out to them and was told how the registration process goes, I checked my email like never before lol. Yes, I finally got a spot sign them up. Today was their third class and I am beyond happy with them from Rosa and Jose to the ALL swim instructors. When I walk into swim class it's like walking into a community of parents,children and staffs all happy to be there. The swim instructors are so talented with these children and hands on hands. Aquabeba is the first swim school I have been to that I did not hear children crying and screaming on their first class and the rest of the classes. So patient, sweet and caring to EACH child's needs. With that been said coming from a special education teacher and yoga instructor for children Aquabeba is AMAZING and will continue in business for many years!!! read more

My kids all went through AquaBeba. The older ones started when they were babies and now they can do laps! Danilo, the owner, is like a baby whisperer and really gets the kids to feel comfortable in the water. My daughter who is 2 now started at 4 months and can't get enough of the water. Danilo trained her to relax and enjoy it and now she'll go under water! I would highly recommend this place to anyone in the williamsburg area looking for a place for their kids to learn in a safe and comfortable environment! read more

We took the class on N4 & Wythe with my 16 mo old and it was a blast! Such a good way to learn how to interact with my little man in the water. read more

I would recommend this class for anyone! Worth the price. Taking my son to swim classes not only helped me feel more comfortable with him in the water, but also it empowers him to learn how to float, climb to safety, and have a better time in water. I am not longer worried about getting his ears wet. He loves splashing at bath time and pool time. And for an active kid, it's fantastic because it tires him or her out! And naps are priceless! read more

Not only are the classes small so there is more individualized attention, but the instructors and their helpers are wonderful with the kiddos and the kiddos really do learn a lot! My kiddo (2.5 years old) hated the water so much as touching her face. She would cry so much during the first few lessons I was starting to second guess our decision of signing her up! By the end of it all she was floating and keeping herself fully submerged under water for multiple seconds at a time, something I really thought she wouldn't do! The instructors are great, the location is great and the pool is warm :). We will definitely be returning! read more

OK so here's the basic deal: They offer kids swim classes in the basement of a condo on Cooper Park in Williamsburg. It's $282 for six 45-minute sessions (yes that's over $1/minute). If you want to sign up, you need to get on their email list and reserve your spot within hours of them announcing a series of classes. We signed up and paid the full amount in advance. Now, when you think of an indoor pool, you might picture something like the one on Bedford and N1, or like your typical motel pool. Nope, this is a small, crowded pool in a windowless basement. It's designed for Condo Swingers, not kids. Our 3 year-old (who loves getting in pools) was totally overwhelmed by the crowdedness, the darkness, and the volume of children echoing in that basement. After 3 weeks of lessons he had gotten in the pool once and we'd had many protracted dramas. We spent hours spent trying to get him to go. In my experience, when a kid won't even accept an ice cream bribe, they REALLY don't want to do something. He was genuinely frightened by the environment. I tried to give the rest of our lessons away to a friend, but when I asked Aquabeba about it was repeatedly told that "the lessons are non-transferrable". Yes, it does say that clearly right when you sign up. I wonder why they have that policy. When I inquired, the woman I spoke to said they'd had a lot of people transferring their lessons early on (hmmn, isn't that curious?) and so had made this blanket policy to which they could make no exceptions. She briefly tried to intimate that it was pure devotion to their step-by-step "method" which made it impossible for them to let us give our lessons to another kid, but after about 2 minutes admitted that it's a convenience and liability issue: Since they need to have the right paperwork for each kid, it's a hassle for them if your kid is bummed out and you try and give your spot away. She said it would be "unfair to everyone who has taken classes with us" if they allowed us to give our lessons away to a friend. Exactly how those people would be retroactively injured by some kid getting to learn how to swim, I dunno. Aquabeba pretty much have a lock on the market for Williamsburg swim classes, and they get paid in full up front. In other words, they have almost no incentive to provide good customer service. Why would they allow us to transfer our lessons to a friend? They have no reason to. They will announce their next set of classes and sell them out. What percentage of children who attend will be spooked by their creepy basement? I don't know. I know plenty of children who would have a great time and learn a lot from the Aquabeba swim classes. But I know plenty of others who would not. If your child ever gets freaked out by crowds, dim situations, cramped spaces, or noise, you might want to look elsewhere for swim lessons, because if your kid doesn't dig it, they have your cash, and you have no recourse other than writing an online review. read more

Our 2.5 year old is an amazing swimmer thanks to Aquabeba. The instructors are incredible and they really know how to deal with young kids. From the first lesson as a 1.5 year old, they had him going under water and really make it fun for them. read more

Teachers are great, and your kid will get better, but BEWARE: Just when they are getting the hang of the class and comfortable you could get bumped from the class. Once you sign up, every 2 months you need to reply to a 9AM Monday email in less than 5 minutes in order to have a chance at a spot. (Even if you are already in the class) This, apparently is by design, so that more people can get to take the class... But educationally it is plain dumb. Getting a young kid comfortable with teachers, and a swimming environment is not easy. To design an enrollment system that is designed to bump current students for no apparent reason is undermining the hard work of the swim teachers in the pool. Of course it would take more time and resources to give current students a 24 hour head start on enrollment. The poorly justified omission of a priority for current students betrays either a lack of respect for swim education, or a simple desire to make more money, (Or both). It would be like saying College should be for everyone, so lets save money and scrap the whole administration, admissions, and registrar, and let people attend for some random assortment of months, first come, first served, every 2 months. read more