Colleen is the best coach, My son Sebastian was terrified of learning to swim, but thanks to…read moreColleen, he can now swim and feels much more confident. Thank you so much, Colleen.

I'm so glad I found this swim school! Colleen is amazing and the instructors are so good with my 5…read moreyear old. He loves coming to lessons!

As far as swim schools go for my son, I can only compare Floaties (@3yrs) to SD swim school…read more(@5yrs). He also had a swim instructor as part of summer school, but that wasn't a swim school. I'm doing my review from my son's new-to-swimming/basic swimmer perspective. Classes that teach more advanced swimmers may be different. SD Swim has certified American Red Cross instructors who presumably use that methodology for instruction (though it isn't specifically stated on their site). Floaties instructors use the Floaties Way, which they're all trained in. SD Swim takes place at Mt Carmel High School's swim facilities, which have the typical chlorinated pool common to most homes and public swim areas. Floaties has their own locations that use heated salt water pools. For SD Swim, I like that each class has an instructor *and* a lifeguard in the water watching the group no matter how big/small. Some groups had six children, some had two. My 5yr old was the only one in his class because the other groups were filled, but he still had a lifeguard watching him while he was being taught. Safety is clearly important here. The instructor taught my son to float on his back (which he was somewhat familiar with from Floaties). Then he was taught to float for a bit on his belly before rolling onto his back again. This was a new technique that made a lot of sense when I saw it. If you accidentally fell into the water and weren't a good swimmer, you can hopefully roll yourself onto your back and breathe. Or if you don't have stamina, you might swim on your belly for a bit before rolling to your back...and back and forth. The instructor was also trying to get my son to sort of swim on his side with one cheek out of the water...in a kind of pre-freestyle position. He didn't quite get it, but I could see where it was going. Facilities-wise, there are about five or six spray showers against the wall to the side of the bathrooms. There are also three stalls adjacent that you/your child can change in. The stalls are only covered with thin plastic tarps that have rips in them (at least, as of this review). A small wind means you could be getting a face full of plastic stuck to you if you're not wary. Or you could be giving someone an eyeful if you really want to change there. Getting my son into the women's bathroom stall to change was a chore, and I realize that some parents don't want their girls seeing penis, which would certainly happen with my squirrelly son. Some doors on the larger outdoor stalls would be a convenience. If you know your kiddo is fine with water on his/head, and you don't mind the regular pool (chlorine), then I recommend SD Swim. Their instruction and focus on safety is admirable. Floaties has the heated salt water pool that I mentioned before. They start beginners off by slowly dribbling water over the child's head and distracting them with a variety of toys floating and hiding in various areas around their pool. It's possible that several classes will be dedicated to overcoming a child's fear of water this way. I'm not sure how SD Swim does it so I can't compare. Lastly, price. SD Swim is not as expensive as Floaties for the same number of classes. This might also figure in to your decision.

My daughter has been in the small groups if just two kids for 3 sessions now. That's 3 weeks total…read more Great experience so far. We've had different instructors each week, but they all are using the same method which is to teach the kids how to float on their backs, the swim on their backs and eventually swim on their front. This is to yeah them to be water safe from the get go. My daughter has learned so much in such a short period of time. I'm very impressed with how sweet and encouraging they are with the kids. She's almost 4 and they are full of praise for her efforts and high fives. We love the week long sessions for 5 days in a row. That's about what we can handle right now. She's exceeded my expectations and I'm thrilled with our experience.

Hope has been great with my three-year-old! She does an amazing job keeping her engaged, and…read morescheduling is always easy. Definitely one of the better programs we've found in the area.

I did so much research trying to find a local swim school/center that met our needs and came across…read moreLittle Otters. From the start we loved how each instructor was so patient with our daughter. She came a little older at 8 years old and terrified of pools and was very anxious. From April to December they slowly but surely got her comfortable and taught her confidence in the water. We watched her go from nervous to excited every week. The best instructor was Mr. Seth. He was always incredibly kind, positive, friendly and motivating. Aubree really took to him and was swimming and diving by her last session. I can't say enough good things about this school and how it has carried over into other areas of her life. We noticed her anxiety decreased, her softball skills increased and an overall improvement in awareness. HANDS DOWN WORTH THE MONEY. Thank you to all the instructors that took the care and time to help Aubree-we are so grateful.

Darlene has been teaching both my middle-school-aged daughter and my kindergarten-aged son, and…read morewe've been really happy with their progress. She teaches out of her private saltwater pool, and from the very first lesson, she has been patient, positive, and great with both kids. I really appreciate how she adjusts the way she teaches depending on the child--what works for my daughter isn't necessarily what works for my son, and Darlene does a great job figuring that out. Her scheduling is flexible, and her prices for one-on-one lessons are very reasonable. The difference between their first lesson and where they are now is honestly night and day, and it's clear that they're actually retaining what she teaches them. We've had a great experience with Darlene and I honestly can't recommend her enough!

Darlene is wonderful! She is patient, encouraging, and attentive with my kids. Having private…read moreswimming lessons have really helped my kids improve their swimming skills and build confidence in the water. The lessons are personalized to each child's ability, making them both fun and productive. I am very happy with their progress and I highly recommend Darlene!

Aquamayne Swim Academy has been such a great experience. Nate is incredibly patient and knows how…read moreto meet each student where they're at, whether it's a young child or an adult learning later on. The one on one lessons make it feel very personalized, and I love that the pool is heated it just makes everything more comfortable, especially for kids. The whole space feels welcoming and organized, which makes a difference. You can tell he truly cares about what he does. If you're looking for personalized swim lessons, this is it.

We signed up our daughter, 2 1/2. Jessica said she could get us signed up for the end of May. She…read moresent me the link on her website to sign up. Her website was down. Once it was back up I signed up and asked her if we could start when we agreed and she said that by the time we signed up, other families had taken our spot and now my option would be really late in the day or mid August. We eventually agreed on a compromise time and she assured me it would work out with other children cancelling or getting sick. We went to one class. Then she had to cancel because she was sick. After two weeks of cancellations for various reasons on her part, she moved pools on us to a pool much farther away. This pool was dangerous with tripping hazards and unsafe grades and curbs on and around the pool. Then one day she said we had to go several hours later because "everyone else" wanted to do later class that day because of weather. I pointed out that it was actually supposed to get hotter later in the day and we would prefer to come to our class at the agreed upon time. She just said she wouldn't be there. When I complained that I didn't understand why my agreed upon appointment time was being run by committee and other families' last minute changes, she had a lot of excuses but no logical answer. So there were too many cancellations on her part to count for things like, weather, dirty pool, she's sick, family emergency, Father's Day weekend travel etc. The 6 week program was still going on from May to August. Of course she demanded payment each week even when she cancelled classes. When it came to what she calls "check out", throwing the kids in the pool with clothes and regular diaper, (graduation), my daughter was very scared from the process and did not complete it successfully. Jessica claimed it was a success. I think just to get another family in our spot and collect more money. My daughter went from loving the pool to getting super anxious anytime we get her swimsuit out. Jessica said we would continue lessons until she improved in her attitude towards swimming, but only offered us sporadic undesirable times when my daughter was scheduled to nap. The last straw was when I asked her for a refund as my daughter wasn't water safe as promised. I told her I had the video of the graduation to show proof. Then I was informed that she had video from the homeowner where the class was that shows successful graduation. That's when I realized she had been recording everything with no waver or permission asked. Jessica had taken my daughter's clothes off in the pool and outside the pool. She claimed that it was easier to take off in the pool. She is recording all the children in a state of undress without parents' knowledge. Bottom line she will take your money, not fulfill commitments, change locations, change times, never apologize, has an excuse for everything. She'll try to talk you in circles and she will record your children without your knowledge.

When we signed up with Jessica, we agreed upon a set schedule and time and then the first class got…read morecancelled because she said the pool wouldn't be warm in time. The next day we went on as scheduled. By the third class, we had to go to her moms pool in De Luz, which was further away than the agreed upon location. The pool was dirty and there was no shade. The kids can't wear sunglasses, sunblock or hats during their classes, so no shade was unfortunate for my 7 month old baby. During the swim lesson at her mom's pool, Jessica was scooping stuff out of the pool since the pool was dirty and not cleaned. Her mom was yelling down to her during the lesson as well. Over the course of 3 weeks she kept needing to reschedule the lessons, and then she stated that all lessons would be at her mom's pool from now on. Finally, my husband and I decided to stop lessons because of the inconsistency of the schedule, change in pools, and her frequently canceling last minute. We had paid $600 upfront, and only attended 3 classes. We asked for a refund and she refused. So we paid $600 for 3 10 minute lessons. Please use our experience as a lesson and go with someone else.

I can't say enough great things about The Ripple Effect, Miranda is truly amazing. I'm not sure how…read moreshe does it, but she perfectly balances empathy, patience, and guidance for both students and parents. To be completely honest, I was ready to give up after the first week. There were tears those first few days from both my daughter and me and I wasn't sure I had made the right decision. My daughter had been in traditional swim classes every year since she was 2, and now at 4, we decided to try ISR. While those classes were a great introduction, they were more play-based, and I'll admit I never pushed her. She never even wanted to get her face wet, and we tended to comfort her rather than challenge her. So stepping outside our comfort zone in week one was tough. There were tears, screams, maybe a few scratches, and some very angry looks directed at Miranda by my daughter.. sorry, Miranda.. Knowing the water safety benefits ISR provides, I told myself I'd give it two weeks. To my surprise, by the start of week two, my daughter was excited for swim class. I was beyond shocked. She had developed trust and respect for Miranda and knew she was there to guide and support her. It was truly beautiful to watch. Before I knew it, she was jumping off the steps, swimming, and floating. Watching her go from refusing to get her face wet to confidently jumping in and swimming like a little fish was incredible. I truly cannot recommend The Ripple Effect enough. The confidence and skills my daughter has gained along with the peace of mind for us as parents is truly priceless. We are already looking forward to yearly refreshers!

Miranda were absolutely amazing with our 3 year old daughter and gave her the confidence to be able…read moreto swim and float on her own. Our daughter had taken ISR lessons last year with a different instructor, but regressed half way through her lessons, so we knew we had to try again this year. We found Miranda through our friend and so glad we did! She was very professional + personable from the first interaction and also very communicative prior to and throughout our session. During the first couple of days of swim lessons, our daughter was hesitant, but by the end of the first week she was way more comfortable, enjoying swim lessons, and having fun! Miranda was very sweet and compassionate with our kids and always made sure they felt safe in the pool, while teaching them important swim and pool safety. By the end of the session, our daughter was swimming like a fishy on her own and able to swim, roll, and float to safety! We are forever grateful to Miranda for providing such a wonderful and important service that puts our minds at ease when swimming with our toddler. We highly recommend The Ripple Effect ISR!

My daughter is a newbie to swimming and in a short 3 months with Coach Rachel she was able to…read morecompete and place 1st in her swim meet!

Are you looking for amazing swim coaches for your kids? Then Star Aquatics Club is your best bet!…read moreIn addition to swimming in a heated, outdoor pool, this club offers fantastic swim lessons. My grandson has been taking swim lessons on and off for nearly 9 years now and this is the first club to actually help him move forward with stroke and breathing skills. The price is fair and the expertise will get you towards the "GOLD" standard if you are inclined.