Advertised to seem like classes are small and personable. Pool was stacked with classes, packed with kids. Instructor barely said hi - was moving so fast in order to get through one class to the next one. Feels like a conveyer belt. Did seem to work for the kids there, but definitely not recommended for highly sensitive kids. And the owner wasn't helpful or kind. The false marketing is what wasted my hard earned money and time. I just hope to help others in a similar situation not waste theirs. read more

Incredible swim school. We've been to both locations and the both are great! Our daughter went from absolutely refusing to put her head under water to getting "treasure" off the bottom. Class size is kept small and the level 1 class has two swim coaches per class (unsure of other classes). Our daughter has so much fun and looks forward to it each week. Very, very happy with the school. We've been to two separate classes, 4 different instructors. All 4 were absolutely amazing. They push each kid to make progress while making it fun. Can't say enough positive things about Leahi swim. read more

My daughter just finished her first swim class at Leahi Swim School. We really didn't know what to expect when we first signed up since we've never been to Leahi. To be honest, it was not what I expected when I brought my daughter for her first class. The pool is kind of small and they run three classes at the same time. It seemed a little crowded for me. My daughter had a really hard time in the beginning to being in the pool and just being in a class. The first class both me and my husband showed up and he went in. My daughter kept pointing at me the whole class so then we thought that he should just take her by himself so she wouldn't be distracted. That was a bad idea, she cried the whole class. My husband came home traumatized that day and said that I was gonna take her next time to see if she would cry for me during class too. Well she didn't cry at all, which meant that I was the designated one to swim with her because he opted out. The kids had the go underwater and my daughter wasn't comfortable with it. She would cry every time she would go under. But as the class went on and we kept practicing that and other skills she started to get more used to it. She enjoyed coming to swimming and before the class ended she was able to put her head in the water and come up without crying. The prices at Leahi Swim School are a little pricey but it's worth it. My daughter's class only had three other kids. I did a sneak peek at another location that does swimming with babies and they have at least 12 in a class. So the small class at Leahi is wonderful. I give them four stars because of the shower and changing facilities. There are two showers and both of them run warm water, which is great, but there are only two showers. Like I said earlier, three classes are run at the same time and they all end at pretty much the same time. So most times, we are waiting our turn for the shower. And it can get pretty cold waiting. Also there's only one changing table for babies for after their swim. So if someone is using it, we have to wait our turn. But overall, great place for kids to learn to swim, and I will definitely bring my daughter back for more lessons. read more

Dirtiest pool I've ever seen!! Rude people and will never go back! Protect your children from these questionable teachers! Management is very unorganized and gave very conflicting instructions every time we came during COVID-19. I will never go back again. read more

I have watched my daughter turn into an amazing swimmer over the course of a year here. I'm so happy she goes here. Highly recommend for any skill level! She is mastering all the various strokes and I couldn't be more proud. Thank you especially to Ms. Jessa who is an excellent instructor! read more

How can you live on an island and not know how to swim. So I thought, why not enroll my son in swimming lessons. Found this place through a close friend of mine who was also enrolling her kids. Been coming here since my son was about 2.5 years old, he's now 4. This location is right on St. Francis school campus. Parking is small and tight. Classes run Mon-Fri from 3pm-6pm and Saturdays from 9am-3pm. When my son first started, they had put him in the parent aid class. Once the child turns 3, they'll no longer be in parent aid. They noticed my son was picking up on the lessons pretty quickly and noticed that he was turning 3 soon. So to prepare him for the next session, they would trial him in the older class by himself and see how he does. He adapted well and had no problems. Unfortunately, we had skipped that upcoming session so the consistency went out the window. When we returned, my son had turned 3 and he did not want us to leave him in the pool by himself with his peers and instructors. He kept screaming and crying so hard that he'd throw up. So one of the ladies who works at the office had talked to us and came up with a plan on how to ease him in again. The plan was rough, as I wasn't used to leaving him as he cried while someone else was consoling him. But she reassured me that she had seen this happen many times and that it'll be ok. I had to be out of sight from him as his instructor held him and talked to him. It took several classes for my son to get comfortable with the pool again and each class started with screaming, crying and being held by his teacher. But it worked! They are so patient and they never gave up! Now my son loves it here! He looks forward to his swim classes weekly. We see really good progress in his skills. The staff is great, really friendly and approachable. They are very easy to work with. Just a heads up, for every session it is not guaranteed that your child will have the same instructors. So if your child doesn't do well with change and needs the same instructors for every session, they are willing to work with you on how they can make it read more

Leahi Swim School - The office and kids bathroom. The kids bathroom has a changing table for the smaller children - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Leahi USED to be good. They are operating at only 20% now returning after covid and are completely unaccommodating to their loyal customers. Beware the Aiea location, there's no showers, no chairs, bathrooms are dirty, the lessons are very short and there's barely any progression in student development. Lessons cost over $20 per session and if you miss one they will not help you as they simply don't care. Off to the YMCA we go! read more

I love this Leahi Swim School. They are the best. Their swimming technique is the best. Very friendly teachers and very patient with kids. My boy love this swim school. read more

This is a great place for kids to learn how to swim! The staff are all friendly and wonderful. No bad experiences, yet. For me personally I've dealt with this company for a while now, even before I had kids of my own. I used to work for a preschool and Leahi Swim would come and pick up the kids from the school, take them to swim class and bring them back. Kids always enjoyed it so when it was time to choose a swim class for my kids, I knew where I was taking them. The pools are heated, about 90 degrees depending on the weather. Heated pools are easier for children to learn because they aren't freezing and complaining they are cold and can actually focus. Yes, we could have gone a cheaper route and done beach swimming classes but I think they wouldn't learn as much. They would still have fun cause swimming is swimming. Leahi Swim has various classes according to their level. They offer a free assessment class to see what level your child can go into if you're not sure. Because our child wasn't confident in the water she's starting off in the beginner class and in two classes she's willing to put her whole head in the water when asked. These guys are good cause we couldn't get her to do that for a while. Swim class is about 25 minutes long and after they provide warm showers to rinse off in. All in all I recommend this place to everyone I know. read more

Leahi Swim School - Cute mural on the wall outside of their pool. - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Registration just got easier...ONLINE registration...no more going early Saturday mornings and standing in line Pool heated and showers with enough parking My 6 year old daughter started since she was been taking lessons for almost 2 years now and my 4 year old daughter had been here for almost a year. They LOVE it. All the instructors they ever had are strict with making sure the girls have proper swim technique but very encouraging...at the same time the kids are having fun too. I'm so happy with Leahi. read more

I've taken my daughter to Leahi off and on since she was one years old and in the parent aid class. At that time, I wondered if it was worth the cost. Now at the end of her first non-mommy-and-me swim type class, I can answer with a resounding "yes." After a couple parent aid classes I figured I would save myself the money and take her to her grandparents house that had a pool and it would be the same as if I had kept her at Leahi. I even bought the rings and kickboards that they get to use in class, but without the guidance of the trained teachers my attempt at conducting my own class was a fail so I enrolled her back at Leahi for the very next session - this time in the beginners class. The first day of class I was worried. All the other kids in the class seemed to be able to swim half the width of the pool on their own, while my kid refused to even put her head in the water. Fast forward to the end of the fall session and I embarrassed myself by literally tearing up in front of everyone as she swam about half the width of the pool and had no problems going under the water. Another example of how impressed I am with their school revolves around a kid I don't even know. I watched this kid for a full session adamantly refuse to put more than her legs in the pool. By the next session she was also swimming half the width of the pool without any issues I could see. I also like that they offer classes all the way until 6:30 PM on the weekdays. As a fulltime working mom I usually cannot sign my daughter up for the early afternoon classes that I typically see offered at the various programs offered for preschoolers. This translates to a very busy weekend filled with classes that I chauffeur my kid to all around town. Therefore, it's so great that swimming class can happen during the workweek by selecting one of the last classes in the evening. And the pool at Leahi is heated so there's no need to worry about how cold the water might be at that time of the day. My only complaint is that they don't offer make-up classes if you can't attend a class. I get it, class sizes are small and the sessions only run for so many weeks, but since all the other classes my daughter is involved in has a make-up class policy, it's something I've gotten used to and come to appreciate. read more

I took my nephew here about 3years ago! The staff is fantastic and I really love how the parents are always involved. Even if your child doesn't want to do a certain activity the instructor comes to help you and you child adjust. It's a great place to take your child for swimming lessons read more

Leahi Swim School - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My son (age 5 years old) has been attending Leahi Swim School since he was 2. I like the teacher-child ratio and that they teach children in a systematic manner that is developmentally appropriate (opposite of "sink or swim"). The teachers appear attentive and they seem to have been trained well. Leahi is expensive (especially when one considers that they do not allow make-up classes) but I don't mind it as I think, especially in Hawaii, that a child be able to swim well at an early age. My low rating is because of the way the management registers (specifically, re-enrolls) students. Yesterday, I had to wait two hours (!!) to re-enroll my child to the exact same class time slot. There was only one person registering children. I complained to the owner (she was the one registering the families) and she dismissed any suggestions (e.g., using the computer to enroll families faster, having multiple people register families, etc.). Her response was that the families at Pearl Ridge had a much longer wait and that she was the one who was suffering the most ("I have to be here all day while you are here for two hours"). I tried not to get adversarial but she is profiting from her time while my Saturday is being wasted. I observed that so many children were getting antsy, whiny, etc., during the long wait. Leahi Swim School can get away with their behavior and poor policies (horrible systems of re-enrolling swim students) because they are the the "game in town" but I think for the next swim session, I'll check out another swim school, such as the Nuuanu YMCA. read more

Leahi Swim School was most definitely a step up from the experience we had with the aquatics program at the Kaimuki/Waialae YMCA (see my review of their program). At least at Leahi they didn't keep switching teachers during the program, and the teacher to student ratio was good. I think it's a good program if you just want your kids to get used to being in the water. At the end of a session of classes, they have the kids stand on these Olympic style stands, give them a medal (with Leahi's logo on it), play some recorded ego-boosting music, and you can take pictures of your pretty/handsome future Olympian medalist! That being said, if you want your children to learn specific strokes, i.e. freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, breast stroke, etc., you may need to investigate a class somewhere else. Our kids went here for over a year, and it seemed they spent more time just playing in the water, and being thrown in the air by the instructors, which is fun, but not really helpful in building specific aquatic skills. And, in my opinion, that's a lot of money to spend for such a thing. But then again we are not in the 5% economic class that many in the "occupy" movement have been talking about! Thankfully, we found another school more than a year ago, that is about the same price, and even better student-teacher ratio, and the kids are actually learning the fundamentals of the strokes, as well as breathing properly. Many of the other parents seemed delighted with Leahi, though, especially when they got to take pictures of their future stars. So, if your goal is just getting your kids used to water, and pumping up their self-esteem, this may just fit the bill. read more

One star for registration process - strange and old school.(hello 1980's) In person registration where you give your preferred dates and times and hope you actually get it. (it depend on if they get enough interest. There is no actual schedule to choose from ) This is then followed by a period when you can call or walk-in a registration based on availability. You then wait until you get a postcard in the mail to tell you what class you got. If you are looking for a Saturday class, then you better go in person on the designated registration day and stand in line early. (BTW, they are not great at answering the phone and returning phone calls. You may need to actually go down in person if you really want to register) Two stars for overall standard teaching techniques (management) It seems like the teaching process really varies and many kids seem to reach a point where they plateau and the instructors can't push them any farther. Two stars for facilities - There are hardly any private areas to change your clothes. Its not hard to change a baby in public, but most parents in the baby class end up going home in their wet suits. Three stars for instructors - Its really hit or miss here depending on the instructor. We have done both baby and toddler classes here. The baby class were pretty good. Alexandra was the instructor I loved the most, but she is no longer there. I've also heard a lot of great reviews for the older Billy, but he is now at the Pearl City location only. This summer we took classes (both sessions) twice a week with almost no progress. There was a lot of hopping, crawling on the steps and singing, but very little actual swimming. I have to reiterate that it is probably dependent on the instructor. I talked to management, but they said that is how they teach. My kid had fun, but I'm not paying for fun. We have opted for a private instructor. for now. Yes, its a little pricey, but the kid has learned way more in 1 lesson than in the entire summer at Leahi. It's time to move on from what was not working. read more

I really like this school as they come to my son's preschool to give them lessons. Actually they pick them up and bring them to the Manoa location...My son has been going here since 3 years old (that's the earliest age both schools will take them, as they have to be potty trained if they're going without the parent.) Either way, I like this because 1) they go late morning on a weekday so they have the pool and the teachers to themselves. I had to go on a Saturday once and it was crazy busy! 2) My son has learned a lot! He's swimming and getting stronger with every session 3) the teachers and staff have been very nice and accommodating the times we had to interact with them. We tried one on one lessons at the Y but he didn't take to that so well. He's only 4 so I believe he doesn't like the "attention" and prefers the small class setting. Here's my recap: Pros: -Heated pool -They take underwater photos, give cool medals and report cards at the end of their session. -Nice teachers, effective since my son is swimming better and better each time. read more

They did a great job helping my daughter get comfortable In the water. Looking forward to future classes.

Really disappointed today. It's the first day of session for us and we go to check-in. They have my son registered but not my daughter. We have been with this swim school for two seasons now (this being our third) and during the summer season I registered both my kids at the same time for the same levels that they were in. Payment was made for both kids but come today, sadness and disappointment for my 6 year old and anger, frustration, inconvenience for me. They sent out a reminder postcard with both their names, dates, and times prior to the session starting, and mind you I registered them myself in person and this happens. I asked how this happened and told them that my daughter must have been bumped for this to happen. I'm usually understanding about stuff and know that mistakes happen but when I have a reminder card that confirms my date and times and they say that they didn't know whether they would move her up a level and that may be the reason why she wasn't scheduled. If this was the case, I should have received a phone call and they should still have had her on the schedule and assessed her then place her which I've been told is procedure. Wouldn't be such a big deal if my daughter wasn't right there and looking forward to her class. They offer me the same day at a later time. I'm not about to wait around an hour and a half. There is a reason I scheduled their lessons for the same time and day. So they ask me to schedule for another day and that's that. I ask if I should bring my son in with my daughter and the owner said no. He should have said yes as a way to compensate for their mistake and because my children are used to going to swim class together. To make matters worse, my son gets out of the pool and asks why his sister didn't swim. Their mistake and my frustration was no big deal to this guy. Seeing the large amount of people there today and they wouldn't make up for it feels like a turn and burn kind of place. Just sorries and a leahi swim school tattoo for her. Sorry won't be advertising for you. Three stars for the teachers because my kids really enjoy class. Not sure if I'm bringing my kids back next session due to the way this was handled. read more

Leahi Swim School - Reminder postcard. I blocked my kids' names but note the level line has two levels for the two kids. - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I absolutely love Leahi Swim School and my little girl agrees! I was born and raised in Hawaii. The way I was taught to swim was basically my older cousins throwing me in the water and me figuring it out! Since my daughter is the only grandchild in the family she never had that... luxury. After numerous trips to the beach, all of which left me recovering from a panic attack (she loves the ocean, but didnt quite get the concept of holding her breath) I realized for the sake of my sanity I really needed to get her proper schooling of what you can and cant do in the water. Today she graduated from her Beginner 1 class and, though going to the beach or pool, still makes me nervous... Im able to relax a little more when we do go. Her teachers from the 11am Tue/Thur Blue Team were amazing! Thank you, thank you, thank you Leahi Swim School! We will definitely be back in the Fall! read more

Parking issues during the week, but everyone is nice and helpful. Not for advance swimming techniques but great for learning to swim.

This is a super awesome swimming program. I am very happy with my instructor Miss Julie she really works well with kids. The lessons are 25 minutes which may seem short, but the kids are engaged the whole time. I really feel that this is a really good program for young kids who are learning how to swim. The pool (pearl city) is shallow and is very conducive to swimming. As a former swimmer and swim instructor I give this an A+. It is a little pricey, but I feel that I am getting my money's worth. read more

I enrolled Mia in the Parent Aid class which consists of babies older than 6 months to 2 years old, and their parents. Currently it is $171 for 8 sessions. This is my first time enrolling her in Leahi Swim school so not sure how much the other fall and spring sessions cost. I think it's pretty reasonable when you break down the cost. That's like $22 for 8 1/2 hr sessions. To me when I break it down that way, the $171 is not expensive at all. At first when my MIL insisted me to register her first and only granddaughter in swimming lessons, I thought "really??? But it's so early..." I did it anyway thinking what harm it could do, and what did I have to lose anyway. A big part of me still thought it was a bad idea. Nope. Not anymore. Best idea ever actually. My daughter not only loves the water, she loves seeing all the other kids. When she's sees the other kids performing, it boosts her confidence and she tries it too. I look forward to tuesdays and thursdays at 11am now just to see her excitement. Leahi really has it's ways in boosting confidence in the water...with fun exercises that sure may just look like the kids are playing and you could so do the exercises for free, but I truly believe kids need to see the other kids succeeding, and the encouragement from everyone around them too. I deducted one star just because of the registration process. Not the same experience as everyone else where they had to stand in line. My registration process actually went incredibly smooth up until the week before the session started. Being that this was my first time enrolling, I had no idea if I had to bring anything, and I didnt get confirmation on my daughters time. We set it up all the phone, but one of the girls I talked to said I should get a confirmation postcard in the mail with my time. I didn't get that. So I called my sister asking what the process was. She told me no they don't notify or confirm with you and I have to call them. I paid $171, & honestly I did expect to get a postcard at least. Anyway, no fuss. I did call. And the girl I talked to was more than helpful and friendly. Im sure they are getting all registration processes in order. I understand it all just takes time. I know I had an easy time registering on the phone, & not their old way standing in line waiting! Student-instructor ratio is good. In the yellow team, parent-aide group, there are 2 instructors to 6 babies and toddlers with one parent-aide. Not too crowded. And all the instructors are really encouraging and helpful. Ive had Miss Kahea and Mr. Toren so far. 4 more sessions to go for this season, and I will continue to choose leahi for Mia's future classes! read more

I think the staff does a nice job with working with the diversity of personalities the children have. They explain swimming concepts in a way the children of different ages can understand. read more

My siblings came here to learn to swim. My best friend used to teach at the Pearl City location. So I started my oldest here when he was 1 years old. He's been coming to this location and the Pearl City one on and off for the last 2 years. Now that my youngest is 1 years old, he's in the parent aide class. I like that they just recently started online registration. Both kids really enjoy learning to swim and the instructors are awesome. read more

Great Swimming Pool Classes with teacher-student ratio. All instructors are very friendly, patient with students. I enrolled my son during summer Blizt section, and he loves it. Therefore, I decided to enroll him again during Fall. It's a little pricy, but it's worth it toward the end. I highly recommended to all parent to take your kids here. I'm sure he or she will love it and learn how to swim quickly! read more

Both of my kids love it here. We took one session off to try Oahu Club, and that was disastrous. We should have never left. The kids are back and swimming better then ever! read more

Excellent teachers - we loved Miss Alex. Our son really enjoys his swim lessons and really progressed immensely when he did the summer blast (three times a week) class. I disagree with previous reviewers, I think management is extremely responsive and helpful. Yes, the re-enrollment process can be a bit difficult, especially if you want a coveted Saturday position. I do wish they allowed for online registration and processing of payments, but otherwise fantastic. read more

I have nothing but praise for the staff and instructors at Leahi Swim School. My 4 kids benefit so much from their small classes and experienced instructors. Their facilities are the best I have encountered and let me tell you some other places that we've been to do not stand up to Leahi's. My children have a great time during classes and always look forward to attending their next class. Thank you Leahi for giving my kids a safe and nurturing place to learn how to swim. read more

Great swim school and instructors. My daughter's swim skills are really improving. I highly recommend this school.

Wonderful, incredible swim school. Very caring instructors that we have had for our three children who are advancing quickly in the levels. Administrators work with parents to find the right class and there is a clear progression through skills and assigning swim levels. Everyone is super nice and wants the best for each swimmer. They also have great hours to choose from. Saturdays fill up quickly so be prepared to arrive very early on that sign up day to get a spot. Other weekday times are usually not a problem. Highly recommend this swim school! read more

My daughter loves the teachers here and we are impressed how quickly the kids progress. Each class adds something new and builds on the last. Even the kids who seemed nervous at first got comfortable quickly! read more

lame. ive never felt so disrespected at this place before. my kids have been coming to this swim lessons for about a year and i am so disgusted. my son was crying when he first came to swim and they have never kicked me out before but today when i want to see my kids swim they KICK ME OUT! why only now do you kick me out? how dare you kick me out when i, as a parent, want to see my kids swim. And only now you say it is a policy. I don't understand at all and I am very upset. read more

Leahi Swim School is fantastic. My daughters swimming skills improved by leaps and bounds and now they are awesome in the waters. All the instructors in the school are very good with children and are very patient. We all love the heated pool and our kids look forward to their swimming lessons regardless of the rain. Well worth the money. Thanks Ben and Staff!!! read more

Leahi Swim School provided our children with wonderful instructors that were professional, competent, and skilled. The staff at Leahi is friendly and accommodating. They take the time to really get to know the kids! Leahi offers class times to meet any busy schedule. Both of our children progressed rapidly with weekly lessons throughout the year. I highly recommend Leahi Swim School if you want your child to be a proficient, confident swimmer, with water safety skills. Sure, other places may be cheaper, but you get what you pay for. read more

This place was terrible. It was over priced, and there were too many kids in the class. On top of that, there was too much play and not enough instruction. if you want to save money, time and your sanity...go with someone else. PLEASE!! read more