Would recommend this place if you have extremely thick skin, like being talked down to and don't mind if your child is treated poorly if they're not acting like an angel. My children just finished their second round with them and unfortunately my 2.5 year old digressed this last session. I went in thinking that the more "militant" style would be more beneficial than a "fun" one, given that they're teaching life saving techniques and needed to be serious. After the first lesson I was put in place multiple times by the matriarch Jerry but let it wash over me. After all this was one of the first times I was interacting with an instructor of my children and understood that I would feel offended any time someone corrected me about my child. It was only natural. Right. I am a teacher myself and wanted to give her time to develops rapport with my children before judging. My children screamed and cried the first 5 lessons and finally started to calm down towards the end of the first session. A glimmer of hope started to form. So after the first session finished I decided to try and give another round a go, in hopes that my children would blossom and the relationship between my children and the instructors would be solid. Unfortunately this was not the case. After the first few classes they introduced a ring that would go around by child's legs to keep her from kicking. She exhibited extreme anxiety immediately. The instructor tried to blame me for using a floatie at our last at home pool play session, however, the ring had been introduced prior and my child had screamed and cried (anxiety about having her legs bound in the water) that time as well. Don't get me wrong. Sometimes learning a new task is not fun. I am ok with that. Well one lesson jerry wasn't there and another instructor filled in. They used a fabric ring instead of the hard plastic and we immediately noticed improvement. The woman told me she would tell Jerry and acted excited about the discovery. Soooo, the next time jerry went to put the plastic ring on I told her about the discovery the other instructor made. Simply passing on information gained in her absence. She did not like this as she rolled her eyes at me and carried on, but now she was merely taking my child through half motions, placing her sternly back on her spot while barking to "sit down" and without an ounce of warmth to try and calm her down. It seemed as though the instructors patience was gone and my two year old was suffering the consequences. My child cried and looked for some sort of encouraging word while looking utterly defeated. It was very difficult to sit through. After the lesson I approached jerry and calmly asked her if she had rolled her eyes at me. She replied "yeah I probably did, I don't like being told what to do.... your child has a bad attitude.... I won't use the ring then but she won't improve.... etc". Clearly she did not understand my purpose of passing the information on. I tried to make the best of it and encourage my child to listen to her teacher and have fun for the last few lessons. Needless to say I was relieved when the last lesson was over and done with. Horrible customer service (if you can even call it that). read more

We've been taking our daughter (2YO) here for the last 6 months and it is amazing the improvement that she has made in the pool. Previously we tried the lessons at La Mesa Rec Center which were more like a "dunk and splash". The class is 30 minutes and only has 3 students ~ so they get plenty of one on one training. They also have focus on water safety which was very important to us. So far she has had Carrie, Jerri and Kimber as instructors - all are great., We will keep our daughter in the program year round. read more

Bubbles is hands down the best. My oldest (5 at the time) took swim lessons at the Y for 2 years without being able to survive in the water. After 1 lesson at Bubbles, she was immediately comfortable, as was I. The very next weekend, we took her to the pool and she easily could float and breath with needing me right next to her. They teach a very different way than most, so don't come in with your pre-conceived opinions. Just let it happen. They are not teaching to be Olympic swimmers, they are teaching to survive in the water. Since then, I have enrolled my 3 year old twins in the class and they are both progressing nicely. They are very family oriented and knowledgeable. It is a little expensive compared to the Y and Community Colleges, but you get what you pay for. Both the Y and colleges were at least 5/1 ratio. Where at Bubbles, there is always a 3/1 ratio or less. I love this place and am happy to give it a big thumbs up. read more

I have nothing but good to say about Bubbles. My daughter has been attending Bubbles since she was 6 months old. She's almost two and is not fearful of the water and has learned above and beyond just water skills. The 3 kids to one instructor teaches the kids to wait their turn. She has known what patience is just from coming to her lessons! Yes, she has cried at times but the instructors are really good with her in turning it around. If you, for some reason, can't make it to a class, they are accommodating in make ups. I feel confident in saying I am investing in my daughter's safety with the lifelong skills she is learning. I've kept her in classes year round. Thank you Bubbles! "Ready? Gooooo!" read more

Bubbles Swim School - "Ready? Gooooooo!" - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Spring Valley, California

Great swim school for my 2 year old. He is now very comfortable with water, and made great improvements.

I'm in love with this place. The instructors really know what they are doing. I'm so grateful to have found this swim school.

I took my kids here about 10 years ago. The owner and her daughter were shockingly rude, but I stupidly put up with it because I wanted to get my kids safe in the water and this place was conveniently located. The other day we drove by this place, and my kids, who are now teenagers, said they remembered how mean the instructor was (owner's daughter). I felt bad that they remembered it and guilty that I ever exposed them to that...there are many other places that teach children to swim. They only get to be kids once and why subject them to meanness from miserable adults. read more

This place is a complete rip. They have the kids in floating wetsuits which gives the kids a false sense they can swim. Many of the people there have been going for an exceptionally long time. They have your renewing for the next session midway through the session you're in, which keeps you constantly enrolled (and paying). The owners are very unfriendly. This place is a cash cow. When I called to tell them we weren't going to come anymore I never even got a call back asking why. After several months of these "swim lessons" my daughter couldn't even float. Today we concluded our 4th session at the YMCA and my daughter can float and swim a little. read more

This place is the worst. Bring your child to this place if you have VERY thick skin. Staff are the rudest. Never a single hellos and talking at or down to is how they will treat you. I gave them too many chances...hopeful that after 3 sessions = over $600 later my child will finally learn and grasp some swimming techniques. Nope. They never challenged my child and was always grouped with younger and new students... so 30 mins shared with 2 other students (crying and/or misbehaving) my child gets maybe 8 mins of instructions at best and is bored from waiting. My child may not be afraid of the water, can kind of float, and find the edge of the pool BUT after 3 sessions you would think they would put my child with kids and instructors who are more advanced. Nope. They. Don't. Care. And god forbid if you voiced concerns. They'll probably kick you out. Give Alli Jo or Sunsational Swim a call - you will have better luck. read more

This school is great! Family environment and they are estrict with estudents, so they can learn:)! Excelent job! My son is 2 y and 7 months, he cried the first and second class, but they were very patient with him,,, now he cries b'cause he doesn't want to leave!!!!! Hope can be more than 30 min,,, Is NOT expensive! Worth is !!!!! read more

On my daughters first lesson i was instantly on guard. Maybe it's the fact that i am a preschool teacher with a bachelors in child development but the way the instructors handle children and speak to the kids is unacceptable. Their method of instruction is intimidation and fear. It was not that they necessarily mistreated my child but i observed many instances of other children being mistreating. Which as a mom should make you worry! If they are willing to treat one child cruely, they are willing do it to your child! This place is not a fun atmosphere for children :( I would not recommend this place to any of my family or friends. read more

For the first 6 wk session of 12, 30 min lessons for $180, I was pleased considering both my children progressively advanced, each having the same instructor throughout. When I paid for a 2nd session, I confirmed my children would have the same instructors. My son advanced consistently with the agreed upon instructor, but my daughter had 5 different instructors over 6 wks of instruction of 12 lessons & was repeatedly NOT referred to by her correct name, even when corrected! The same instructor also placed her on "time-out" when struggling to keep her legs together to not kick ... TWICE! The last straw was when they took my daughters time to train a new employee where I addressed my concerns over the waste of time & inconsistency in teaching with so many instructors where the response was "that's the way it is". That day she had a total of 3 1/2 minutes of a lesson! They offer 3 kids to 1 instructor for 30 minutes = 10 minutes per child. At $15 per 1/2 hr, on average, my daughter received a 6 to 7 min lesson where most of her time was sitting on the step waiting. I found their abrupt customer service manner rude & lacking personal interest for my child. POINT BEING, INCONSISTENT TRAINING IS NOT TO THE BENEFIT OF THE CHILD! I strongly DO NOT recommend this business! Now, I understand why they have a cash or check only policy! read more

Last summer my daughter enjoyed the water so much I thought I had to get her in swim lessons right away to prevent her from trying to get into our pool we just built. We started lessons and things seemed fine but as they progressed quickly, she started to fear the water. By the time I stopped taking her here, she has an extreme fear to all swimming pools. My daughter is terrified. I don't recommend this school to any child that has any issues. My daughter had a fear of strangers before this class and now she is afraid of the pool too. Not good. The instructors do not offer any advice or do they discuss the progress or game plan to teach these kids. read more

This review doesn't even deserve one star. The owner was exceptionally rude. It seemed as if she was looking forward to saying no to every question I had. She was not at all welcoming or inviting. I went in for a free trial lesson and had to walk out before it even started. Her staff seemed embarrassed for her. As a former swim instructor I would not recommend this swim school to anyone! The swim experience should be fun and positive. I did not get that vibe at all! read more

We gave bubbles a year to prove my initial gut instinct wrong. They did not. They are rude and customer service isn't a priority. Which I could forgive if they ran a good program. They do not. The first six months were okay, but then they started having different teachers every week and lacked consistency. For they price I expected more ... save your money and go to they YMCA or another program. I wish I could get the wasted time we spent there back ... read more

This was awful! They didn't build enough trust with my daughter before starting. Now my daughter who wasn't afraid of water is afraid. They need to realize not every child is the same! Not recommended read more

My wife and I took our three year old daughter to Bubbles for her swim lessons. Not only for the instruction, but to give her something fun and enjoyable to do over summer. She did ok on her first day, but by the third lesson, she didn't trust her instructor and was crying her eyes out. The instructor, (the young blonde), must have grown impatient because on my daughters last turn in that 3rd day, my daughter's head was dunked under water MID-SCREAM. Not a very good way of leaving a positive impression on a three year old if you ask me. I noticed that my daughter developed, what I thought, was a rash from laying her face on the side of the pool as she cried saying that she didn't want to swim anymore. My wife looked at it when we got home and she said that she had been crying and screaming so much that she burst some capillaries on her face, (the wife is a BSN, RN so she knows her stuff). We asked her Pediatrician what she thought about the little marks on my daughter's face, she agreed, she had burst some capillaries on her face from crying and screaming so hard. She then added that she didn't put her own kids in swimming lessons until 5 years old. She said, "Kids are so un-coordinated at that age that any little instabillity can make them fear the water." Here's the kicker...Eventhough my daughter was mortified of her swim lessons, they told my wife that a refund was impossible, not even a partial one. My wife asked what they could do for our daughter so that she could actually learn and find the lessons enjoyable. She was told that she would get a call back...it's been a week and a half, my daughter has missed 3 classes...and still, no call back! Not only did we not like the way that our daughter reacted to the lessons, but you can see that some of the trainers shouldn't be working with children because they have absolutely no patience and it shows in their demeanor. Save your money! read more

I took my child there 6 years ago and experienced complete rudeness from the owners. I thought after 6 years things may be different, so I took another child there. OMG they haven't changed a bit ... complete rudeness. They really do not deserve your business. read more

Our daughter has been attending bubbles for over a year. From the first lesson, we have always been impressed with the professionalism, knowledge, and rapport with the staff. Their establishment is clean, well run, and accommodating to the family watching their child during the lesson. They came highly recommended from friends of ours and we highly recommend them as well. read more

After 1.5 lessons here my 3 year old twins came screaming out of the pool and have been afraid of swimming ever since. Maybe this method works for some but not for us. I think they were too shocked the first lesson to react but by the second one they knew they were afraid. I wish the instructor had taken the time to build trust before dunking them. read more

i called to try to set something up for swimming lessons after a 5 minute phone conversation in reference to schedule with the owner of all people i was turned off by this place. i will not recommend anybody to go there. She is (the owner) rude rude rude. there are ways to talk to people and she hit every one on the what not to do list. read more

Taught my son to swim comfortably, great with small children. I like that parents don't have to get in with one yr old and they teach them to sit on step. It is very pricey though and I can't afford lessons there anymore. read more

Bubbles is really good with the kids. A lot of the negative reviews are from over emotional parents. Yes, they put rings on their legs, but there's nothing scary or malicious about it. The teachers are firm but very nice. My daughter loves the water and has already improved with her technique and listening. She cries for me while sitting and waiting her turn, but that's because she likes swimming with her dad and I. read more

Today was my first day taking the 2 boys I nanny for swim lessons. They were seperated into groups and had 2 kids per instructor. The instructors were all so kind and positive. The 3 year old I nanny started crying and didn't want to go into the water from the stairs and the lady was very calm and encouraging. He still want happy but hopefully by the next cola he gets more comfortable. It was fun watching them learn the basics from the side. Will update my review when all their lessons are complete! read more

Both of my kids have learned to swim here. The staff really knows what they are doing. It is amazing to see how quickly they can have kids swimming. It seems expensive, but isn't water safety one of the most important things to spend our money on??! I would highly recommend bubbles to other people! read more

I have nothing but good words to say about this place. I have been taking my two daugters here, (2 1/2 and 1 1/2 yrs) over a year now. The instructors are great with the kids. My daughters get excited whenever they see the pool. The staff is very accomodating especialy with some schedule changes. read more

The first instructor we had was fantastic. She built up my child's self-esteem and made them like swim. I was amazed by the speed in my child's progress. But since then I've experienced instructor after instructor that plays favorites with previous, more experienced students and instructors that berate my kid the entire lesson. Well, guess what? They'd listen a lot better if you'd build up their confidence a bit. The other night my kid switched hands and, like magic, swam like a champ. Because that teacher told them they were strong and had muscles. Went home smiling all night. Was the first time that's happened in months (and probably $1200). I think the favoritism needs to stop and some of the instructors need to start recognizing the difference between small children with low self esteem and obstinate children. I see children in there who deserve to be berated get treated with patience, while my child, who always behaves and sits on the top step, just needs to be shown they're liked and told they're a good swimmer too. read more

My 1 year old LOVES, L-O-V-E-S, his swimming classes with Miss Jeri. He cried a bit on his first day but it was all laughs and giggles after that. I really appreciate the fact that Miss Jeri never pushed my son out of his comfort zone. For some reason he doesn't like to float on his back. Although, Miss Jeri tries at every class she never forces him. I had to miss a class once because my son was sick. The next time I showed up, before I could even ask, the lady at the reception desk asked if I wanted to schedule a make-up class. I was very impressed. I read a review that complained about the 3:1 ratio and how students only get 10 minutes of lesson. I guess it is technically true but it works out in the best interest for the child. It's not like your child has to wait 20 whole minutes at the steps. The teacher alternates between the 3 children all class long. This is especially beneficial if your child is afraid or not comfortable in the pool yet. Also, while your child waits for their turn they can practice social skills for pool time. At least that's what I do. I try to teach my son to sit down and wait until it is his turn. (Even though he tries to jump off into the water on his own). Or I redirect him when he is splashing water in other students' face. I am forced to take a break due to financial matters, but I do plan on coming back. read more

Bubbles Swim School - One happy swim student. - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Spring Valley, California

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I loveBubbles Swim school. My daughters both go and I have to share my most recent "Bubbles Rocks" moment. Safety first! A child vomited in the pool and I was and still am AMAZED on the instructors QUICK response to this unfortunate accident. They know what they are doing and I will forever be a HUGE fan! Great job Kimber, Kameron and team! read more

I cannot say enough positive things about Bubbles! I am one of THOSE mothers, who is very paranoid about every aspect of her child's well being and safety. I wake up over and over all night just to make sure Archer is breathing, and he's 2-years-old without the slightest health problem. I was very nervous taking him to his first swim lesson - practically shaking myself. I got to sit right at the edge of the pool with my feet dipped in the water. My poor baby cried and cried - scared of the pool. The staff cuddled and cooed to him, hugging him as they gently moved him through the water. Slowly, which each session, I moved further back until now I sit in a chair just like all the rest of the parents. Most read magazines and text - I'm not quite to that point yet, but you can tell the parents are all comfortable with their children in the water, under the watchful eyes of the instructors. My little man LOVES the pool now. Jumps right in when he is told to, and otherwise waits, with pool safety in mind. It's one of his favorite things to do - and he is learning to float and roll over on his back. I agree that swimming lessons are not just a sport - it is a necessity!!! read more

We love Bubbles. I have three kids, now 9, 7 and 4. All have learned how to swim here. Our 9 year old learned well enough to participate on a swim team when she was 6 years old. Our 7 year old, when he started was extremely scared of the water. Cried and cried. He started when he was three and now he is diving off of the diving board head first and he loves the water and the swim school. Our 4 year old started when he was 2 and he is now jumping off the diving board, swimming on his own. The instructors are firm and fun. They are good with the kids. Swimming is hard and the 10 minutes of swim time is perfect because they would tire out too much if it was more than than that. This is standard in other private swim schools. It's family owned which gives it a cozy atmosphere. Their rules are not different than any other private swim school. read more

AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE. This is only the second review I have ever written in two years, as I am typically even-tempered, however I could not let this one go without sharing my horrific experience ...that's how bad it was! I will NEVER recommend this swim school to anyone...not even my worst enemy. One of their instructors made the most humiliating and disrespectful statements to my son who has an intellectual disability and is unable to perform certain activities independently. Because of his disability, the world is a very challenging and unpredictable place for us and requires we make decisions most would never even have to consider. The instructor made her degrading and scolding remarks right to my son, despite the fact that I was in her view standing just one step behind him. A true professional would have requested to speak with me privately and then calmly stated the issue and how we might handle it differently going forward. I was too upset to react in the moment, so on the way home I called the school. I spoke with the instructor and asked her to take stock of the remarks she made and recognize that there can be more to a situation than meets the eye...and much to my surprise she became defensive, digging her heels in further as the conversation progressed!! I was so shocked at her lack of compassion, understanding, and ownership...especially from a person who teaches children for a living! Although we were only halfway through the lessons I had prepaid, there was no way I could subject my son to returning to the school as he was very upset and uncomfortable about returning. I subsequently contacted the owner to share my experience and request a refund for the unused lessons. She was equally, if not more, insulting and also expressed absolutely no compassion for a child with special needs. In fact, she took an even greater defensive position than the instructor and would not even consider the possibility that her staff person (who is related to her) did anything wrong, and did not give a moment of consideration to my request for a refund. So, because her staff member acted out of line and unprofessionally, but refused to own up to it, I'm out 1/2 the money! This school is definitely not about doing the right thing, knows nothing about customer service, and totally lacks the skill and professionalism needed to work with children....and most shockingly of all, takes no responsibility for their out-of-line remarks and humiliation of a child. Please steer clear of this place! They are much more expensive than your local municipal pool, and only give your child 10 minutes of instruction per 30 minute session; the other 20 minutes the child sits at the steps and plays with toys....we could accomplish that in the bathtub at home for free! read more

I started my daughter in Jan bubbles swim school of this year as she loved the water and even though my husband is a swimmer she just wanted to play in the pool with him so we thought it would be good for her to do lessons. First day she was nervous second lesson she cried the entire time then. Both Kerri and Kimber the owners worked with her and had a nack for making her cry on a regular basis. Also my kid is not a cryer either she is tough kid. Then a new teacher came in a young college boy who was very sweet to her and I decided if she had him then we could stay but do to schedule changes we had to change the time she ended up with Kimber who continually had her in tears for not doing it right. .Mind you my daughter is 3. The final straw for me was when Kimber kept shoving my daughters head under water while she was crying because she was not doing it right which caused her to take in water and start choking. I hopped out of my chair and was about to pull my daughter out of her hands when she stopped. After that my daughter begged me not to send her back to the mean lady. We did two more lessons with different teachers there but finally when Kerri was giving lesson with her son hanging on her back half the time under water I decided not only were they cruel to the kids and their own kids but extremely unprofessional. If you attend the lessons you will see this happening on a regular basis. The bathrooms are very small and gross, customer service horrible and in 6 months of lessons twice a week they only let my daughter use her arms not allowed to kick and float on her back she did not progress at all. I had my husband come and watch and he is a former competitive swimmer and coach he agreed this was a scam what they were doing training wise and horrible the way they were treating the kids. If you are thinking about putting your kid in this school I would highly suggest going and just watching some lessons first. We are moving my daughter to private lessons with a teacher that comes highly recommended from a friend. I wish I would have read all these bad yelp review on this place before I put her in. read more

Good school over all, but lacks a friendly environment for the kids. The instructors I hear is all family and all female instructors nothing wrong with that but they are strict instructors. Strict on the make up sessions that they allow and strict and firm on the teaching instruction. Strict is good in many aspects but also not too good at building up the confidence in some youngsters, at least ours felt that way or as it showed. They did get our 2 year old girl to swim and that is what the goal of a swim school. read more

Besides the NO REFUNDS no matter what-the cold personality free instructors are sure to turn your child off of swimming forever. My experience after one and a half lessons was so terrible even with no refund I will never go back! My stress level rose instantly just listening to all the crying children. If you are looking for a fun encouraging swim lesson this is not the place- read more

Amazingly good with Children and they have been in business for a long time.The main teachers Jerry, Kerry, and Kimber are awesome! My child was almost 2 when we started and very attached to me, he was one of the criers, he cried for the first 2-3 lessons and Jerry was amazing with him. Now he cries when his swim lessons are over for the day...they really are good with children give them a shot. Customer service is also good If you have any questions just call and ask! read more

We love Bubbles swim school. They do an amazing job with kids of all ages. I think what some people don't understand is that safety needs to come first in the water. I had my boys in from 3-5 years and now they are doing a session over the summer. When we started my boys loved the water, but had no clue how to swim. Within 6 6 week sessions. They were very comfortable in the water and had a true understanding of safety. At 6 they are now great swimmers and know what it means to be safe in a pool. So many kids their age think it's funny to horse around and don't realize how someone can get hurt. My daughter started at 4 months and 14 months later she's doing amazing. She had major separation anxiety when she was young and the instructors were always very calm and understanding. They had me get in the water with her the first few sessions to help with her anxiety. she slowly outgrew it, But also continued to learned to swim at the same time. Kids this age learn more than just swimming. There's two other little ones by them, so they learn about personal space, sharing, etc. A wonderful environment. My little one loves the water so much and by using the same terminology the school does, I'm able to actually help her swim instead of being stuck in a floaty all day at the pool. highly recommend Bubbles swim school!! read more

Love my daughters swim coach Kimber. She is patient with the kids and helps them feel comfortable in the water. I really like the teaching method and they even explain why they teach them certain techniques to us parents. My little girl always looks forward to her swim lesson! Thank you for making it a great experience :) read more

I took my two year old triplets to Bubbles for the first time. I spoke to Sim and Lori and they were so nice and made me feel comfortable about signing up. When I walked in Lori met me at the door and helped me get the boys swim diapers and into the pool. I was so impressed with the lessons. I am very happy we joined. Definitely 5 stars. read more

So initially I gave this place 5 stars. My son went to 3 sessions here. There were little things I noticed here and there the way kids are treated but I ignored them. The first thing that happened to us was (during his 2nd session) I had scheduled a make-up class for my son which I had entered into my calendar while I was at the window. My husband took my son at the date and time and they told him that he missed the class it had been on another day. So whatever we let that go, he never got his make up class. Last week my son was sick and I thought this week was his last week (yes, I understand THIS was my mix up) anyways, my husband takes him he is ALREADY in the pool when they said last week was his last class. My husband talks to the lady in the window (son still in the pool) and the lady tells him no his last class was last week we are full. So my husband walks back and the instructor asked my husband "so what are we doing" when the lady from the window walks out of the office to the pool and tells her he's done. The instructor would have taken him. The kid was already in the pool. It just does not seem like good customer service to me. Again, I take responsibility for my part in this but come on the kid is already in the pool it was an honest mistake. He won't be going back. read more