We couldn't be more thrilled with our experience at Swim Guru. My 3.5 year old son's skills have just taken off and he is so much more confident, safe, and having a blast too! read more

The pool at UWS is easy to access. Parking is free and right outside. Staff has been wonderful with my very nervous swimmer!

I witnessed two private Swim Guru lessons being conducted in the (cold) lap pool at the Bellevue Aquatic Center. Each was a 1-1 lesson with a 2 year old. The first lesson was in process when I arrived at the pool. That toddler was screaming and struggling in the arms of the instructor, desperate to escape, desperate to get to her mom (standing on the pool deck). The "instructor" continued to hold her down in the water against her will, forcing her to lay on her back (while screaming and struggling - nothing resembling floating was happening). There wasn't a moment's pause in the screaming. The second lesson was even worse. That little girl was utterly terrified. Screaming, she reached desperately for her mom (who, like the first one, was fully dressed, standing on the pool deck), begging to be rescued. No such luck. Her terror continued unabated - with non-stop blood-curdling screams - until she lost control of her bowels and poop escaped her swim diaper (requiring that all of the lap swimmers made to vacate the pool). That little one learned nothing about swimming nor water safety during that lesson. What she did learn was that she cannot trust the adults and that pooping can be a successful strategy to escape. I predict she'll poop earlier in the lesson next time. If this was anything like a typical "swim lesson" from Swim Guru, they know nothing about child development nor the impact of trauma on learning. There is no excuse for treating toddlers this way. read more

I am a 47 year old that never learned to swim until now. I took lessons with Hilary who was an amazing coach. I had fear of deep water so reassured me that the psychological habit of being afraid of deep water would take time to get over. She was able to teach me the physical mechanics of what I needed to do to float/swim, even with my fear. I was able to swim in 12 feet deep water after a few lessons. I wouldn't say that I feel totally comfortable in the deep end of the pool but I can be in the deep end knowing I won't immediately drown, which is a huge progress for me! Hilary was compassionate, knowledgable, and adept at helping me manage my fears. I'm so grateful for her instruction. Side tip: As far as I know, the pool at Underwater Sports (UWS) is the only deep pool so if you want to learn to swim in water deeper that 4 feet, then need to sign up for classes in that location. read more

If I could rate higher, I would! We've had our 3.5yo son in lessons for a year and we've seen an amazing progression in swimming. But even more amazing is his growth in patience, listening, following direction, and his overall focus. Coach Teigan has been amazing! He is kind, patient, knowledgable and dedicated to our kids. We now have our 1.5yo in swimming lessons with Coach Teigan and he is teaching her to save herself in a pool and to trust herself in those situations. He doesn't bat an eye when she cries and always holds her close when she's nervous, he's truly wonderful and we love to see our kids connect with him. We tried other swim lessons before finding Swim Guru and especially Coach Teigan and we would never go back. Our son's ability to swim at the level he's at far exceeds our young family members and friends. It's more expensive than the average swim lesson but you're almost guaranteed to spend less over time as your child will be swimming confidently in a much shorter period. Seriously, sign up for Swim Guru, just don't steal all our slots with Coach Teigan :) read more

SwimGuru - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Proud mom of a 4 year old who started off the summer refusing to "dunk," and within 2 classes was going underwater and learning to swim no problem. 18 classes later she is doing running jumps into the pool, swimming across the pool, stopping for breath and most importantly- safe, happy and confident! We have had lessons with many of the wonderful teachers at Swim Guru and are so appreciative of these talented people. They won't negotiate when it comes to what they ask our daughter to do- they're firm, but they are kind, encouraging, and celebrate her wins. They are persistent and creative with instructions she can understand when things aren't coming together. They've also worked with us as parents to be better teachers when we're in the water with her solo. Scheduling wasn't easy- it took a lot of sacrifice and coordination for two working parents to make these classes work. And the app is very clunky. But I'll definitely be sending my second child in spite of that. read more

I highly recommend Swim Guru if you're an adult learning to swim for the first time. I've been taking swim lessons for a few months now and have found the Swim Guru approach to be fantastic. They teach the components of swimming such that you develop a comfort and understanding of how your body works in the water (spoiler alert - very different than land). They tailor their teaching pace and style to your particular responses in the pool, and adapt as they learn more about you. I am grateful to have them as partners in overcoming my fears and learning such a useful life skill. read more

Exceptional classes with talented coaches and a program that really works. At first I wasn't sure if private classes would work for us but it has been worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY. Because of the pandemic, my two children didn't get to continue their swim lessons and were 5 and 7 without knowing how to swim. I found Swim Guru and it has made all the difference. Group lessons just were not working for my kids - even before the pandemic. They really made no gains in a group setting. With SwimGuru my kids made incredibly rapid gains and are now both swimming! The swim test once they pass basic skills is also an important step that most swim places don't bother with. My kids were originally so scared of the water and very quickly became comfortable and then confident and joyful under the calm, competent coaching. We've worked with coach Helen and coach Molly - both of whom are wonderful. Every single coach is great and so are all the pool locations. Thank you SO much for teaching my kids to swim, helping them gain an important safety-oriented life skill and giving me peace of mind. read more

This swimming school is hands-down the best one I've ever seen! 9 months back our almost 4-year-old was afraid to put her face into the water. 2 months later she was confident to swim in Washington lake without a life jacket (with adult supervision). 6 months later she was snorkeling and enjoying the ocean, waves, and deep water. Now she just loves swimming, learned to overcome the fear, and feels confident in the water. This is all because of this school and amazing coaches (Emma, Nick, Carol). They can find the right approach for every child. Our daughter was crying at first because she was afraid of water (same as many small children that we saw), but we also saw how our daughter and other children transformed and truly enjoyed swimming with a very gentle approach from coaches. I believe that the skills AND the confidence our daughter got through these months will stay with her for the rest of her life. read more

I can't recommend Swim Guru highly enough. I was looking for lessons for my 4 1/2 year old who had never had a single swim lesson due to the pandemic. I was starting to panic because he knew nothing about being in the water without a floatie on, and he refused to learn from me or my husband. I was hesitant at first to spend $1000 on 12 weeks of swim lessons-- but when I considered what we had spent on 2+ years of ineffective group and private lessons for my older son, this actually seemed like a good deal compared to that. During the first 15 minute Swim Guru lesson, my son went from not wanting to put his face in the water to (not exaggerating) holding his breath and swimming short distances with his face submerged. Over the first 6 weeks he learned solidly how to flip himself over to breathe anytime he needed to, and progressed to learning some stroke basics by the end of the 12 weeks. In our trips to pools to practice between lessons, I'd see him start to struggle a bit, then flip himself over on his back with his face out of the water to breathe and rest, and then flip back over and swim to the side of the pool. Absolutely incredible. He loves swimming now- but also understands the potential dangers and how to problem solve to keep himself safe. I am thrilled. Swim Guru coaches, you are saving lives! Thank you! read more

If you have the type of child that fits perfectly within their model they are great otherwise there are way better swimming schools and instructors in Seattle. Swim Guru does not do well with energetic kids, young kids who lack focus, and kids who dislike or take time to warm up to a new teacher (as they often change teachers from who you may have originally booked with). Because the lessons are only 15 minutes long they have absolutely no patience for kids that may take a little longer to be comfortable in the water. Coach Carol is a rigid and impatient teacher and requires a child to align perfectly with her teaching method. read more

Had a bad experience when I took my 2 year old here. Teacher seemed to resent me being in the water with her. Had a bad experience with the owners when I withdrew her from lessons. read more

This has been such a great experience for our 5year old. Not only is she leaning to be extremely confident in the water and to swim but we are learning the tools to help her succeed and practice outside of class. The teacher is very kind and patient with her, keeping her positive and confident so that she wants to keep trying and succeeding. read more

It had been decades since I'd been in swimming. Coming up, however, were trips to Mexico and the Galapagos where I didn't want to miss out on snorkeling. At 76 years of age, the idea of taking swimming lessons seemed embarrassing. Not for one minute in these class sessions, however, did I feel anything but welcomed and valued. The skills I learned from Swim Guru's superb instructors were both important and confidence building. read more

SwimGuru is truly the best place that teaches your child how to swim and survive. We have tried community center swim classes and Olympic Athletic Club classes in the past, and it took SwimGuru to teach my young kids how to float and swim across a pool in less than a year. My husband and I even took clases to improve our swimming. Trust the teacher's technique - it works. It's pricey but worth every penny. I highly recommend it! read more

This one star review is not about the teachers but the back office, the appointment system and how they treat customers. Their teachers are the best. I took one lesson and had a wonderful experience. They charge you for the whole package upfront. And then they expect you to book lessons months in advance. I have never been to any school of any kind where you had to do that. You have to get really lucky to book a slot. I never did so had to cancel. I just took one lesson. Clearly they're booking way more students than they have the ability to serve. 2nd. I took one class and gave up scheduling others as the website would give me nothing within two months. When I reported the problem they agreed to refund the money but withhold the 100 dollars for registration - which I thought was extremely unfair. In a world of amazon where you do what's right for the customer - not what's written in your rule book, these guys disappoint. I wouldn't recommend that anyone go here. I'm with Olympic athletic club now, which rocks. They charge per lesson and can book a slot within at max a few weeks. read more

You pay more, perhaps, but you definitely get your moneys worth. The instructors are top-notch and share progress with each other, so the next instructor is fully informed and ready for the lesson. We have three elementary and middle school aged children in swim guru. None could swim at all, but were competently floating and swimming face in water within a few 15-minute lessons. Their methods work. read more

Our 13 month old daughter started swim lessons a few weeks ago and after only 4 hours of lessons she is comfortable putting her head under water, floating on her own for up to 5 seconds, and grabbing the stairs to pull herself out. Coach Carol is amazing. She did so much hard work and created a positive and supportive atmosphere. I never thought our baby could swim before she could walk, but she can!! read more

I absolutely can't say enough about this place. My 6 year old had recreation lessons, golf club lessons and private lessons for about two years total, starting at age 1. She has learned more in the last two months than in the last 6 years. We just arrived on vacation and to see my daughter breast stroke across the pool...it's amazing. And then there is my 3 year old. She is swimming across the pool! The best part about Swim Guru is that they teach your children to survive in the water. As much as swimming is an awesome thing, Swim Guru teaches survival and that is why I recommend it to everyone I know. read more

It's true this - like every program - may not be for every kid. But I am astonished at what it does / did for my four year old. Within a very short time she was able to swim- like real crawl stroke swimming (and backstroke, side gliding and is now working on dolphin kicks and breaststroke.) I know kids who've been in community center classes for two years and haven't gotten to where my daughter is within a few months. And, sure my daughter is great, but it's not because she's some Michael Phelps. Her teacher, coach Jessica, the age & stage where my daughter is, and the program were a perfect fit. It's expensive, but if you breakdown those cheaper lessons elsewhere, you are probably paying more there to get to the same results because you'd be paying for YEARS of lessons. read more

Impossible to get appointments without checking website every day. And there is inconsistency in coaches and planning from lesson to lesson. At $120 an hour, I'd expect more. When my son was able to get lessons from the Bitterlake location it was wonderful. I think they are too overwhelmed and understaffed. read more

Nick at SwimGuru is terrific. He's just the right blend of fun and having high expectations for my 7yo son. He has creative teaching techniques and seems really tuned in to what motivates my kid and how to inspire him to work hard. Highly recommend. read more

Swim guru has helped my daughter not only overcome her fear of the water but also become a strong swimmer. All the coaches are great but I'd like to give a shout out to coach Tiegan! He provides the right amount of structure, gently encourages listening and independence, and he has a progression plan in his head at all times so when we return to our next lesson there's not much backpedaling (unless needed). He engages parents as well to keep them up to date. All of these things are helping her thrive and it's very fun to see. read more

My 2 year old and 4 year old started taking swim lessons 5 months ago and have come so far. I have seen them work through their fears of submersing their face, improve their swimming skills with every lesson, and practice at home through role play and in the bathtub. Their attitudes have changed from being scared of swim lessons to being excited about them. They both passed their "clothes test" within the last month or two, which shows them that even if they fall in the water, they have the skills to be safe. We have had Coach Carol and Coach Brenda, and they have both been amazing! We feel so much more confident with them being safe in the water, and we feel like they have a good foundation for a life-long skill. read more

My son doesn't do too well when he starts any new activities so I was worried that he would refuse to attend swim lessons. He was scared to put his head in the water during the first lesson. After a few swim sessions with me in the water, Coach Dale Boren said he was ready to take lessons without me which was great. Within 1 month of his lesson, he started swimming! He also passed his clothes test before his introductory package was completed. Coach Dale has been amazing. Logan loves getting lessons by her. Thank you so much! I can't wait to get my second son started someday. read more

The team at SwimGuru in Lynnwood is so impressive. I had the opportunity to take my 3-year old granddaughter to her lessons last week and saw first-hand how they could take a child who started out with fear and tears and give her confidence and strength. At this particular lesson, my granddaughter was demonstrating her own progress in the pool (with high-fives galore!) when the next student arrived: a hysterical little girl who was clinging to her father. Coach Carol was able to calm her down by keeping my granddaughter in the pool, using her as a teacher's helper and a demonstration model. I watched in amazement as her approach and demeanor, obviously with wisdom and experience, helped two little girls become better, more confident swimmers. The other child stopped crying each time she watched my granddaughter carry out instructions. My granddaughter was certainly very proud of herself (we gave her lots of praise for being the teacher's helper and for helping someone else) and the other child appeared ready to learn for the rest of her lesson. Shout-out to Coach Carol and her team! read more

Unbelievable. The first day we went, the lesson before us was a 1 1/2 year old who was swimming free style on her own across the pool. My 3 1/2 year old daughter has gone from floaties and not wanting to put her face in the water (even in the bath tub) to being fully safe, competent, and confident on her own in a swimming pool (With me nearby, of course, but I don't have to stay within 12 inches of her at all times. It's quite relieving) . Their teaching methods are so effective that she completed the water safety course halfway through the series of lessons. Now they have moved her on to "swim school" where she is learning specific techniques. An acquaintance recommended this place to us, and I never messed around with anywhere else. I am so glad I didn't, because after one summer of lessons I will never have to send my daughter to any lessons again unless I want her to begin competitive swimming. The price is a bit shocking, but it is truly WORTH EVERY PENNY. read more

I can't say enough great things about Swim Guru. My son started lessons at 2 years old and after 3 months he can swim and float in the water with his clothes & shoes on. They teach your child how to survive at such a young age. All of the instructors are awesome! Thanks you Swim Guru! read more

I have three kids. My oldest has been taking lessons at the city for 4 months and I'm still hesitant to let her swim without a life vest. My middle son just turned 4. Within 8 lessons he's swimming better than my oldest. My 18 month old is learning all the tools to swim like her brother and sWell worth every penny for these lessons. I wish I had known about these lessons sooner!!! read more

At 70 years old I decided it was not too late to have a happy childhood so I took up swimming!! Coach Brenda and Coach Carol have been fabulous and seem to fully understand building muscle memory as I learn to swim. Before my lessons, I often have an opportunity to watch them teach children how to swim and they are spot on to the way I would want my children trained. Adults or children you can have confidence in Swim Guru. read more

My oldest child is 4, my middle is 2.5 and my youngest is 10 months... We just started the baby in lessons with Carol because she and the other folks at Swimguru are THE BEST! If you want your kids to swim (actually SWIM - not blow bubbles or learn a tiny bit each summer for years on end) look no further! My older two were full-on swimming at 2 years old and I expect the same results for my baby. Teaching your kids to swim is a safety issue! This place saves lives! read more

Swim Guru is one of those places that one feels happy to discover and lucky that a place like this exists in the area. Living in a city like Seattle, surrounded by water, my husband and I wanted our kids to learn to swim at a young age. Our son's preschool frequents Green Lake, and it gives us peace of mind to know that he has survival swimming skills. He started taking classes in October 2017, and before the holidays, he had already passed a clothing test. Previously, he was terrified of putting his head underwater, and now he is almost ready to snorkel with us in a few weeks! Earlier this month, he went through a brief period of regression when he was suddenly fearful of swimming one day out of the blue. Coach Carol and Coach Brenda did everything in their knowledge and power to address his fear immediately before it became the new normal. Efforts were made to make swimming fun again by bringing toys back into the picture. They stopped working on new skills and went back to basics. They had me get into the pool with him. Since he connected most with Coach Brenda, arrangements were made for him to have Coach Brenda each time he was scheduled for a lesson. I never even requested the switch, and I don't know if anyone was inconvenienced as a result, but it really helped to have consistency during his struggles. Swim Guru went out of their way for my son to have a positive experience again. It was just over and beyond my expectations, and their dedication to their cause makes their swim program exceptional. Moreover, in my observation, what is just as impressive as their ability to teach swimming skills is the coaches' understanding of a child and his emotional needs. None of my son's cries or fears were dismissed. Brenda kept talking him through it and somehow won him back to enjoy swimming again in less than two weeks. Who can understand the mind of a three-year-old who swims like a fish for months and then cries and declares he doesn't want to swim the next day? Not me, the parent, but apparently the coaches at Swim Guru can. They were so understanding and patient with him in building his confidence back. They even had suggestions about what we could do outside of lessons. These coaches are highly trained and experienced professionals who have gone through rigorous and extensive training. They are not college students working part-time. I'm grateful to the whole amazing team of coaches for their dedication, patience and gentle firmness in their teaching. As a mom who swam competitively in a past life and holds a deep love and regard for the ocean, I've always wanted to share my love of swimming with my son. Now thanks to Swim Guru, I can see that dream becoming a possibility! I would give Swim Guru my highest recommendation without reservation for anyone who is considering swim lessons. read more

We started our two year old in lessons and were immediately skeptical. She usually loves the water, but she cried straight through the first few lessons. However, after about five lessons all of a sudden she started absolutely loving the pool and her lessons! She connected to the teachers and begged us to go every day. And the best part is that she actually learned how to swim independently, which I thought would take much longer given her age! I'm so impressed with her progress and will continue to purchase lessons so that she can keep up her skills. I can't recommend this program enough. read more

Coach Carol is the absolute best. My son who was 3 when we started would not even get in a pool and now he loves to play in the pool. We took lessons at all the community centers all over town and he would scream to even get close to the water. The lessons are worth every penny to have the piece of mind that your child is safe in the water. She has also worked miracles with my baby girl who is just 21 months old and knows how to swim and float in the water. She is a miracle worker and everyone must must take lessons from her to get results fast! read more

Today, I want to personally thank Coach Jessica! She not only is an excellent teacher/coach but also has a great personality and style about her! My 3 year old has had up to 30 lessons now and is continues to improve. TODAY... she swam then entire 25 yard pool by herself! She also learned backstroke! ALL IN a 15 minute lesson! The lessons are amazing whomever you have as an instructor... but today I want to sing praises to Coach Jessica! I was such a proud mommy! read more

Two months ago, my son didn't even like getting his face wet in the shower. Today, he jumped into the water wearing his clothes, shoes and jacket and managed to swim across the pool on his own. It was an amazing sight to see! SwimGuru is the real deal if you want your child to actually learn how to swim and be safe. My son took his lessons at Underwater Sports with Coach Carol and Coach Kat but all of the instructors are fantastic. They take a gentle but firm (and always encouraging) approach as their goal is to teach your child how to survive in the water (not just blow bubbles). We had a some tears in the beginning (which is very common) but quickly moved past it as he gained confidence and skill. He's learned so much in such a short amount of time and is always so proud of his accomplishments at the end of each lesson. We couldn't be more thankful for these incredible teachers. They are the BEST! read more

Carol and Kat are pros. A friend told us it was the first out of three places they had tried that had actually taught her daughter how to swim so I signed up my son. First 15 minutes he was already dunking his whole head under water, something he refused to do in many hotel pools over his young life. After only a cumulative 3-1/2 hours he can swim in the deep end! Next lesson they are going to have him jump in fully clothed (the "clothes test") to prove to him he doesn't need goggles or a bathing suit to swim. The instructors get tons of kids who are crying and grabbing onto them frantically and screaming in their ears and they just "good job buddy" along until the kids drop the histrionics and just get on with swimming. Love that it's so private and focused given the lessons are held 1:1 in a scuba store and not at a public pool. read more

My two sons, aged 3 and 5, are fully competent in the pool now after just a few months of twice weekly lessons with Carol. They are independent swimmers, capable of problem solving in the pool (getting to the edge/ladder/stairs on their own, climbing out of the pool from the edge, resting on their back when they need to take a break, submerging faces in water as they swim, and even learning basic strokes!) As a testament to Carol's technique, I can actually sit pool side now with my small boys watching them swim quite capably without having to get in the water myself. While her lessons are not cheap, they're worth every penny and honestly, you get what you pay for. I can't tell you how many times people stop me at the pool in wonder over my boys' swimming abilities. Carol is truly gifted at what she does, and has expanded our enjoyment of the pool exponentially. I am quite grateful to have found her. read more