I rarely write reviews, but swim2john absolutely deserves a million five star reviews. I read through every single review before committing and decided to take a leap of faith. Traveled from NYC to get my 5 year old into swimming. This was his first lesson ever. Yes he cried as the website warns you for the first 2-3 days. By day 4 he didn't want to get out of the pool! He was already doing the breast stroke by week 1 and he did drop drills where he swam to a ledge to get safe. It was hard to get him out of the pool after our last lesson. John and Kimber are amazing. Don't waste time second guessing and just book the sessions! My only regret is that we didn't start sooner. I'll likely bring my son back next year for advanced lessons! read more

Our 4-year-old daughter just finished her second round of lessons with John - WOW! Best money I spent. We first brought our daughter to John June 2025 to learn how to swim to safety if she ever fell in the pool. We didn't have a lot of swim time last year but she came back remembering everything and in 10 days was swimming breaststroke. Still in AWWW. We did a second course because we're heading to a vacation home with a pool and no fence. This refresher gave me a lot of peace of mind. We have two older boys (now 13 and 10), and we've done private lessons, group classes... everything when they were 4. We spent way more time and money and I still didn't feel confident in their swimming. He breaks everything into steps and uses one-word cues and the kids instantly know what to do. You can literally see the muscle memory building and it just becomes natural. He genuinely cares about safety - that's the foundation of everything he does. Bottom line: 10 minutes a day for 10 days and my 4-year-old is swimming. Simple, effective, and pretty amazing to see. Highly recommend. You can see the difference read more

10/10 recommend signing up with Mr. John! He is professional, efficient, and really did give us the confidence to allow our child to be near water. Any parent who truly cares about water safety should sign up with Swim2John! read more

Like many parents, I read every review before signing up. I saw the overwhelming number of five-star reviews and the handful of one-star reviews claiming the lessons were "too intense" or that their child was traumatized. After completing the program with my 4.5 yo son and 2.5 yo daughter, I can confidently say this was one of the best investments we've made. Let's address the two biggest concerns: the price and the tears. Yes, $600 for ten 10-minute lessons sounds expensive at first. I thought the same thing. But after experiencing it, I completely understand John's philosophy that time is money. Last summer, we enrolled in a traditional swim program. It was much cheaper, but after eight lessons my son had learned almost nothing because the instructors never pushed him beyond his comfort zone. He spent most of the class on the steps. After one lesson (10 minutes) with John, my son had already learned more than he had in that entire previous program. By day two, both my 4.5 yo and my 2.5 yo were swimming. Could you eventually get the same results somewhere else? Maybe. But it would likely take months of lessons and end up costing far more than $600. John gets those results in just two weeks. The second concern is the crying. Yes, my daughter cried during the first four days. John didn't panic, back off, or make her feel ashamed. He remained calm, confident, encouraging, and professional while continuing the lesson. There was never a moment where I felt she was being treated harshly. He simply understood something many parents forget: learning difficult things isn't always comfortable. Then something changed and by day five, she was excited to get in the pool. Now that the program is over, both of my kids beg to swim every single day. Instead of fearing the water, they can't wait to practice what they learned. John also makes every second count. Those 10 minutes are nonstop instruction. There's no standing around, no wasted time, and no opportunity for kids to avoid learning. At first I wondered how 10 minutes could possibly be enough. By the end of the program, I realized it's actually the perfect amount of time to keep young children focused while maximizing learning. As parents, it's natural to want to protect our children from being uncomfortable. But discomfort and danger are not the same thing. Learning to swim is a life-saving skill, and I'd much rather my children experience 10 minutes of challenge than spend years without the skills that could one day save their lives. John is exactly what you'd hope for in an instructor...firm when it matters, incredibly encouraging, genuinely kind, and fully invested in helping children succeed. If you're looking for an instructor who lets kids stay in their comfort zone, this probably isn't the program for you. If you're looking for results, this absolutely is. I'd pay the $600 again without a second thought. read more

We are so grateful for the time and energy you've invested. Your ability to break down complicated techniques has made learning both easier and more enjoyable for my child read more

10/10 Highly Recommend! We had previously tried group swim lessons, but they just weren't working for our daughter. Within just two weeks of working with John, our two-year-old is not only swimming confidently--she also understands water safety. She can now get herself back to the wall or the steps from any angle in the pool, which gives us so much peace of mind. John is incredible--not just with the kids, but with the parents too. He coaches us right alongside our daughter, giving us the tools and confidence to keep practicing and reinforcing her skills at home. We're truly amazed at what she was able to accomplish in such a short time, and we're so grateful for John's guidance and support. If you're looking for results and a coach who truly cares, John is the one! read more

Swim2John - Our daughter with John, learning to swim. - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me

We thought our little one (age 4) would NEVER be water safe - but after 8 minutes into her first lesson with John, she was a swimmer, and now she LOVES the water. We actually loved his tough love method, and recommend Swim2John to all our friends and family. Peace of mind and water safety should be a #1 priority for anyone with kiddos in the home, and Swim2John has a proven success rate! read more

Hands down the way to go with swim lessons! John is fantastic and as a parent this is WORTH the commitment to have a swimming kiddo at the end. Both our girls (age 4 and 2.5) have gone through the program with John. He is all about teaching them safety and while the first few days may be tough, my girls were both SO confident in the water by the end of 2 weeks. I recommend this to everyone. Don't waste your $$ paying $40 every week for ineffective lessons and for your kids to splash in the water. read more

I am sixteen years old. When I was roughly five or younger, I did Swim2John, and after ten days, I could swim to the side (or 2John!). Nowadays, I am a confident swimmer and enjoy recreational swimming with family. It works! However, never in all my years have I experienced such deep-set dread as when we drove to the pool I was learning in, and I still feel queasy and nervous whenever we pass that turn in the car. Nothing has ever frightened me more, before or since. Yes, I cried every session, just like the website says. We still laugh at the time I ran out of the pool, subconsciously believing that since I'd never seen "Swim2John" exit the pool, he was unable to. He marched over, pulled me out of my dad's lap, and threw me bodily into the water, which to me was like watching a tiger walk out of its enclosure. I remember those ten days better than I remember the birth of my sister. Yet, I highly recommend this program: it's worth it. I may have some lingering stress, but by George, I can swim. And within ten days, too. Just be warned that the instructor may become the recurring antagonist in your children's pretend games. A sincere thank you to Swim2John (whose name in our household will always be "Swim2John" rather than "John"). read more

John was wonderful with my 4 year old Lucas! It's amazing how much progress he made in just 10 lessons. Dont waist your time/money with traditional swim schools...just go see John! read more

All three of our boys have worked with John and it's been an amazing experience. Our boys are stubborn and have processing issues and can be overwhelmed easily but John's method works for all. We want them to have fun in the pool but as a lifelong water baby I know intimately how dangerous water is and a healthy fear of the water is crucial to staying safe. John teaches them, through experience, that water is dangerous but that they are capable to get themselves out of danger. His method is more mental training than physical, though it's amazing how much exertion can happen in just 15min a day! They will cry and they won't want to go until day 3 or 4 but it does click eventually and they start having fun and being disciplined in the water which is what "water safe" is truly about. My 3yo just completed his two weeks and went from only floaters to being a little fish already; he swims confidently all around the pool but always knows how to "get safe" when he's running out of breath or slips off a step or gets knocked in by his brother. Don't hesitate to sign up but you MUST be committed and must go; don't send a caregiver mom/dad need to be there for every session! And like dad supporting mom's authority with the kids, both parents must support John's authority to get the child to trust him. He will keep your child safe!! 100% recommended. read more

Coach John has been one of the best decisions we've made for our kids yet! Both of our kids learned to swim with Coach John right around when they turned 3. And now both can swim in the pool no floatie no problem. John was great - he was firm, set his expectations, and progressed the lessons across the 10 days. Such a quick and efficient way to teach a child how to swim in the pool! After the 10 days our kids had so much fun, they really miss Coach John, and enjoy keeping up with their swim drills in our home pool. 10/10 would recommend!!!! read more

Swim2John is incredible. It's the best money we have ever spent. We now have peace of mind when our 4 year old is near a pool. Within three days our son was swimming to safety. Do not pay any mind to the negative reviews on here. Just get through the first lesson and you will be so thankful that you and your kid stuck with it. John gave our son confidence in the water and we appreciate him so much. read more

if they're were 100 stars John would get them all. I was taken back at what a gift this man has for working with little ones to get them swimming in such a small amount of time. My 3 year old daughter was literally swimming on her 3rd day. she brought John a fishy everyday and was beyond excited to see him. I'll continue the drills at least twice a week to ensure she continues to grow into a strong swimmer but I'm just so thankful for this class. worth every penny. We had done swim lessons before and they were just so slow and we really didn't get anywhere. Now I have a toddler who swims. this is going to be a great summer read more

Swim2John was great! My son Nixon took his swim class last year. He's firm when he needs to be but can also be silly. My son respected and adored him. The first few practices for some kids/parents may not be for the faint of heart but just push through it and it's the most rewarding thing. We highly recommend Mr. John, this program works!! read more

Swim2John - Last 2 classes, a parent gets in and learns the techniques so we can practice with our kid once their lessons with Mr. John are finished. - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me

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John is incredible! My son (now 6 and a very strong swimmer) swam w/John when he was 4. He was TERRIFIED to put his face in the water before John. Within two days, he was asking to see John so he could swim more! Amazing. We just finished classes with John for our 3 year old daughter and it was so fun watching her progress. Both kids learned to love the water and get safe, quickly, with John's guidance. We are huge fans of John and send all of our friends and family to him when they ask for swim lesson recs! Thank you, John!! read more

We are loving Swim2John!!! Absolutely one of the best investments we've ever made in our kids' safety. My 4 yo and 2.5 yr old are taking lessons now and are well on their way to becoming competent and confident swimmers. Compare that to my two older kids who are taking traditional once-weekly swim lessons. Three months in, they are still nowhere near being water-safe. I wish I had found Swim2John sooner so I could have just enrolled all of my kids at the same time. There's no arguing with his method. It just WORKS! Also, John and Kimber are such warm, kind, and amiable people! John works incredibly well with the little ones. My kids always look forward to their lessons, and they are so proud of themselves for all the hard work that they do each session! I'm so grateful for the important work that John and Kimber do! read more

John and Kimber are wonderful! Both my kids did Swim2John and, no joke, in less than 10 days they were swimming! It was quick, easy, and 100% worth it. My youngest, who just finished Swim2John a few weeks ago, still asks everyday about Mr. John and if he gets to go to swim class :) this is because he was so happy after last 6 days of class because he was swimming to safety on his own and was having a blast! My 3 nephews did Swim2John several years ago and same success story! They were swimming in less than 10 days! Highly recommend! read more

Our first son was a swimmer by day 3. Our second son, by day 5. I continue to be shocked by how awesome this program is. John is great. His method is simple and it works. read more

Swim2John - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me

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Very happy with these classes. My 4.5 year old kid has mild sensory issues and doesn't really like the water. Bath time is even a struggle for me most days. She had been in a pool maybe 5 times before starting these classes, each time very reluctant to get her head in the water, so I knew traditional swim classes were going to be a nightmare for me. I'm very glad I opted for this approach. At the end of the two weeks I have a kid who can swim to the steps or side of a pool if she falls in (water safety), she is no longer afraid to put her head in the water, and can swim a few yards to me. Plus she's (mostly) conquered her main fears about swimming so I have something to work with to improve her skills. We went to a public pool this past weekend and after some initial hesitation she was back to diving in and practicing her strokes like the coach taught us. If you have a water-averse kid like mine, this approach basically pulls the bandaid off quick. To the parents reading this I do want to share that you may want to consider how the stress may impact you. That first day to the second was MISERABLE for me and her. She had lots of anxiety, couldn't sleep at night waking up throughout with bad dreams, and was crying off and on for 24 hours straight. She even wet herself at school. If that level of anxiety had continued I'm not sure I would have been able to stomach the program. It turns out her fear and anxiety were more crippling than actually getting in the water and during the second lesson she said she was having fun. But even though she said she liked it, she was nervous with tears throughout the two weeks. Learning this skill was stressful for her, and was frankly just as stressful for me too. If I were to do it all over again I would be more sensitive to the commute time to reduce the amount of anxiety that builds up before the lesson. I was desperate to get her water safe this summer so I went with a location that was available, even though it was 30 min a way from me. read more

Swim2John - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me

Signed my daughter up for lessons and after 2 weeks, 10 minutes a day, he lived up to his promise. It was a hard first 2 days but after that she LOVED getting in the pool with him. What some people are saying is true: he's not very nurturing and will not be hugging your child as they cry to comfort them. That's not his style. We tried two other instructors before him that was very loving but my daughter did not progress and did not want to swim without floaties. Maybe that's a military style, maybe that's bootcamp style, but it worked for us. He was gentle when she was upset, but also firm. The most important part is that parents and teacher be on the same page. he might not be a good fit for every family but we believe he did an incredible job and the best part is that it's only 10 MINUTES a day. read more

Best swimming instruction for young kids, his process works and is guaranteed. Go with the best!

We recently took our 2 yr old (31 months) to John for lessons. To summarize in a few words- he is absolutely amazing!!! Highly recommend!! Our close friends and even pediatrician recommended him! 10 min a day for 2 weeks and we have a swimmer!! We don't have a pool nor have we tried other lessons so we started from scratch. It's unbelievable what he does! Prior to the lesson- he provides thorough information on his technique, what to expect etc. read it and you will be prepared. Yes our child cried - probably more than most kids considering he cried almost every day.. John was extremely patient and still firm. It was incredible watching the bond and trust he built with our son (pic attached). You will not regret it and well worth the price! Our plan is to take our son back over the next few years to brush up on skills. Just know- John even coaches the parent for a couple of days (if you choose to get in the water) and prepares you for further coaching after his class. To top it all off- quick updates with great info and quick replies to emails are always a plus! Thank you Kimber for always getting back to us and keeping us informed! COVID 19- not an issue! You are there alone - private lessons! He also provided CDC info as related to swimming ahead of time which helped. We are forever grateful! read more

Swim2John - Such a precious moment witnessing my son appreciate and trust John! - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me

John is a great instructor and his technique worked on my 2 year old and 3.5 year old. My eldest learned to swim in 3 days. He had been going to the ymca for 3 months twice a week and had only learned to blow bubbles. So the cost and time savings was much appreciated. Plus, I hope to be able to continue the program with my kids. As other parents have mentioned, the class is stressful on the kids and the parents. There are simple things that could be done to reduce the level of stress including ensuring the host house is welcoming. The host family we had never said hi to us (we swam immediately after them and saw them everyday) refused to provide a trash can, a toilet for my 3 year old, an area for changing. They explicitly said no one could use their small yard area for changing. My son had to pee everyday before class in a bush in the road and we had to change in the street. Making things easier and more comfortable would go a long way. (It is not like I wanted to use their house as a changing area, but to close off your yard to families who are wet and need to change is very unwelcoming.). Hopefully there aid more guidance around hosting going forward because as a mom it's a lot to deal with your kids screaming and stressed for two weeks in the base case. read more

My two boys, 3 and 5, responded very well to John's coaching style, as it was very strict and structured. He was goal oriented and met my kids at their swim level. My kids demonstrated water safety by the end and accelerated in their abilities to swim. I am very impressed and highly recommend this program! read more

The name should be Swim Away from John My kids are scared of the water because of him. Don't always believe all the reviews. read more

All three of our kids went through Johns swim course at the age of 2 years old. Our 3rd kid just finished last week and we have another successful swimmer in the family! You will not be disappointed. His method WORKS!!! Trust him. You can continue to waste money every week going to swim classes or you can have a successful swimmer who knows how to get safe etc. at the end of his 10 day program. read more

Swim2John - John giving our son a high five after doing a good swim - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me

My 2 year-old son had an amazing experience with John, and asks to swim with him every time we go in the pool. He recites the tips and compliments John said to him during the lessons, and I feel very confident that he would get himself to safety should he ever find himself in danger in the water. We will enroll our daughter in John's class as soon as she's old enough. read more

I meant to post this sooner, as we had our Swim2John the beginning of May...but better late than never. :-) We absolutely loved our lessons with John! My little guy Emilio, age 3, loved the lessons too and he became a safer swimmer because of John. I'm not gonna lie though, day 2 was a little rough but after we got in....Emilio was ready for whatever task John had him tackle. John was soo good with him every day and always put my worries at ease. Emilio still asks if I can take him to see John! Definitely recommend this water safety class for your child, well worth the money. Now I don't worry as much about my little guy when we are around water, because of John, he knows how to keep safe. read more

Unbelievable! My two youngest kids learned to swim in 10 days with this program. We first signed my son up when he was 2 1/2 because we were about to go to Hawaii. He learned to swim and had the best time on our vacation, and I relaxed a lot more knowing he was safe. Two years later we put my 3 year old daughter in Swim2john and are just as excited with the outcome! As a parent, watching this process can be a challenge but after watching two of my kids come out the other side being water safe and LOVE swimming, it was beyond worth the discomfort! read more

Swim2John - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me

Worth every penny! My daughter is almost 3 and has always been clingy in the pool. Never gets her face wet and never wants to take her floatie off. We own a pool so I wanted to get her comfortable and swimming as fast as possible and when someone recommended me this 10 day course, I signed her up! John was very compassionate and was very sweet with her even when she cried every single day. By the end of week one I thought there is no way she will be swimming by the following Friday but sure enough, she is rocking it. John provided exercises to continue working with her now that the 2 week class is over and my daughter is doing great. I'm so glad we stuck with it and are continuing to work with her because every day I feel she is more pool safe. She can jump in and get to the "safe side" over and over again in addition to swimming across the pool and then back to the steps. I will definitely recommend John's course to all of my friends with kids. Even though it seems like a lot of money, it's actually way cheaper than spending $30 a lesson a few times a week somewhere else for a whole summer and then the child still can't swim which has happened to us before! I posted pics of Day 1 vs 10 below! read more

Swim2John - Day 1 and not having it! John was patient but persistent and she made it through the whole 10 minutes. - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me

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Swim to John is the best swimming class out there. I was recommended by my cousin, and definitely signed up as soon as I heard how much of a great experience she had with him. NY toddler was swimming on his own by day 3. Seriously worth it. I am definitely going to sign my daughter up. read more

I firmly believe John is saving children's lives by providing this service. John's approach is solid, consistent and successful. His no nonsense method ensures that the child is focused and learning each session. During the first two days John was able to bond with my son despite his temper tantrums while always making his expectations clear. My headstrong, once fearful little one thrives with structure and he quickly came to love his swim lessons with John. By day 3-4 he was telling me he wanted to jump in! My son was successfully swimming to the side or stair well before the end of the program, John used the last few lessons to teach technique. I cannot thank John and Kimber enough. My son can swim!! read more

I have spent so much time and money trying to get my daughters comfortable in the water with no success. When we started with Swim2John, my toddlers had no clue what to do in a pool without their floaties on. Flash forward to day 10 and they are comfortable enough in the pool to want to swim to the stairs and the ledge on their own. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, knowing that if they were ever to fall into a pool, they would know how to safely get themselves to the steps or the side. I cannot say thank you enough to Mr. John, we had such a wonderful experience with him and finally feel like our money was put to good use. Take my advice, don't waste your money or time- go with Swim2John the first time around! read more

My daughter, 3yr old, recently took John's two-week course and we couldn't be happier with the results! The class is intense, but so impactful and life changing. I had my doubts at first, especially as my daughter was a bit anxious about the class, but John is so sweet to the kids and really knows how to work with them. His experience and expertise really show up on day 1. He pushes them to be smart swimmers, to be able to save themselves if they fall in and has his sweet moments with each child too. I can't recommend this class enough!!!!! read more

Swim2John - Swimming with Teacher John - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me

My son is 2.5 years old. He is extremely shy. He hates being around anyone but his parents. So, he cried almost everyday (except the last two when we got in the pool). It is a hard class to watch as a parent at first. But, if you want your kid to be safe and to learn to swim, it is worth it all. My son can swim about 10 feet, he grabs onto the side of the pool wall, and can swim to steps. I am glad I stuck with it. I second guessed the decision for a couple days. Thank you so much John. We could never have gotten this accomplished in 10 days, it would've taken far longer. read more

John is amazing! This was the best and most efficient swimming program and I will recommend this program to anyone that will listen. After 10 days my daughter was pool safe and is able to swim by herself to the pool edge or stairs, and loves swimming!! It is seriously incredible. I was nervous at first because I read some reviews about the tough love (and my daughter is super sensitive), but to be honest, he is very sweet with the kids. He just ignores the crying because obviously if he paid attention to that, he'd reinforce it and accomplish nothing in the 10 minutes. He was very loving and encouraging and my daughter ended up calling him 'Uncle John'. Just don't expect him to stop the lesson because your child is crying...which is good because by the third lesson they will get the hang of it and start to enjoy it. The first two lessons were tough, but by the 3rd one, my daughter was swimming to the edge (she only cried for about 2 minutes and then something clicked and she was totally fine)! Once the 10 days were up she said she wanted to do more swimming lessons. Please sign up! It is the best way to get your child pool safe and we are blown away. We will definitely be going through this program again next year with my son. THANK YOU UNCLE JOHN! :) read more

We just finished up our sessions with John today and are so happy with him. Our son turned 2 over the summer, so I wasn't sure how well the lessons would go because of his young age (aka little to no interest in following instructions) but I was blown away with how quickly he picked up swimming. John is a wonderful teacher-he is very calm and compassionate but knows when to push the child when necessary. There were a couple of nervous tears on the first day, but now my son cries when it's time to get out of the pool. I highly recommend John and have already given his information out to other parents. read more

We enrolled our 3 year old son in John's 10 day swim program. Our son had done swim classes prior, but never left with any skill or ability that gave me confidence in his abilities. He was completely reliant on floaties until we startd this class. The first 2 days were very challenging as a parent and for our son. It was a new experience, it was hard, but we trusted the process, stuck it out and I am SO GLAD we did. John built incredible confidence in our son and he developed a strong relationship with John (Johns approach built trust between him and our son). John helped him work through learning this new skill (which is hard, hence the first few day tears) and we are leaving after 10 days with a child that can swim to safety. By day 3 our son was so excited to go to swim every day - running out of the house with a smile. We watched his confidence sky rocket. John also ensures that parents go home with a game plan to allow the children to continue to improve their skills. We have a new born baby and I will be enrolling him in Johns class much earlier than we did our first child due to how wonderful our experience was and my comfort knowing my 3 year old can swim to safety. Again, the first 2 days are hard for both the parent and the child, but stick it out and see it through. You will be happy you did and the joy you'll get from seeing the growing confidence in your child is unmatched. read more

This was the best swimming program I have tried and we have tried many in the San Diego area! John has figured out what naturally allows young kids & toddlers to learn how to swim and become safe in the water. His methods create an intuitive way for kids to learn how breathing works while swimming. NO other program has done this as safely or effectively with my 2 kids. Also, I love that John has a calm and non emotional approach about the crying and showing emotion (that naturally happens when kids try something new and different.) The kids do cry. A lot for the first 2-4 days. BUT John NEVER makes the kids or the parents feel bad about the crying. He simply goes through the motions and lets everyone know, with his consistency and continuous praise, that they are okay. I was nervous about these classes because my 3 year old son had an near drowning accident in a pool 6 months ago and since then would not put his face in the water and was uncomfortable around water in general. He screamed if anyone tried to get him to go under. Despite many other expensive classes over the spring and early summer, he never got over his fear. Yet with Swim2John, on day 4 of 10 my son was laughing with John and swimming underwater without trouble. By day 10 my son told me that he liked swimming and he liked his swim class. This is a true miracle class. It is rare that you see a teacher so confident, so well studied, and so effective with his methods. I would recommend Swim2John to anyone. We are so thankful that we found John and his class. read more