My son just wrapped up his first session of swim lessons here and I don't think we've had a better experience anywhere as far as recreation for this kid goes.
He's 3, no one in my family (including us) has a pool, and I wanted him to get used to being in the water. He's a pretty sensitive kid, but he likes "swimming" in the bathtub so I thought we'd give this a shot. It was $60 for 6 sessions ($10 off if you sign up before registration deadline, so $10 a class) and way cheaper than freaking Goldfish all the way in Timbuktu. I walked in to tour the facility before I registered him and it's probably the cleanest "recreation center/gym" I've ever been in. Everything is impeccable - down to the changing rooms in the locker room. The pool area is huge, the childcare area is up to date and also huge, and obviously membership is booming for a reason. There is so much to do here, for everyone - several courts, a track on top overlooking the airport, any machine you could ever ask for, an outdoor splash pad, you name it. The pool is always overstaffed if anything. I have never seen less than 5 lifeguards PLUS 2-3 instructors during classes and the lifeguards actually lifeguard.
My son's instructor was Barb and she was beyond incredible with my son. He screamed and cried his first lesson because...he's 3...and she handled it like a complete pro. She had him calmed down in less than 10 minutes and I just stood there completely flabbergasted. There would be days he wouldn't want to go or wouldn't want to do a certain activity because...3...and she just turned whatever his issue was right around. There were other kids in his class that would give her some resistance here and there and she was just so patient and calming. That's really it. She's straight forward with the kids, lets them know she's got them, and pushes them to really get in there without being too abrasive for preschoolers. Class usually started and ended right on time and if she ran 2-3 minutes over with the previous class, she would run the same amount over with my son's. Here and there she would even take the class over by 5-10 minutes and do something "special" with them, like the hot tub or the kid's area.
I love that the classes are offered in the late evenings once a week so that his dad can go. They're always on Thursday nights and Saturday mornings and there are a ton of times offered. You do have to go register in person and they don't take Discover. We will be back for the next session in January without a doubt! read more