FAQs
The earlier your child starts in the water, the easier it is to build strong survival skills
Why Choose SWIMBABES™?
Because your child’s safety isn’t something to leave to chance.
Our difference is simple: Methodology. Experienced Adult Instructors. Frequency.
We don’t just teach kids to swim—we teach them how to survive.
At SWIMBABES™, we offer both once-weekly and twice-weekly introductory classes for babies ages 8 weeks through 17 months.
Families who want their child to progress into survival training must enroll in a Pre-Survival class that meets a minimum of twice per week. Survival swimming is more complex than traditional swim instruction, which generally begins with water comfort and gradually introduces swimming skills. Survival training requires young children to learn and consistently perform specific responses that can help them in a water emergency.
After 85 years of teaching children, we know that frequency and repetition matter. Once-weekly lessons can be appropriate for introductory experiences and for older children who are already strong swimmers. However, babies, young children and beginning swimmers need consistent, repeated practice to develop complex survival skills safely and successfully.
Once children are at least 3½ years old and can swim a strong width of the pool independently, they may qualify for our once-weekly advanced classes.
Our class-frequency requirements are based on generations of experience and are designed around what children need to learn—not simply what is most convenient to schedule. At SWIMBABES™, every program recommendation is made with your child’s safety, learning and long-term success in mind.
It’s never too late to start a child, but here are a few things to know:
- The younger you start your child in swimming lessons, the easier it will be for your child to learn to swim.
- Although the back float position can be taught to any age child, it is easiest to teach before a child can sit up.
- The older the child is, the more other factors begin to play into their attitude about water.
- Swimming is a life skill, not just an activity. Invest in the best lessons you can find.
Getting Started at SWIMBABES™
All classes listed on our website are INTRO programs—the perfect place to begin. Every family starts here!
After Intro, students may be invited into our ongoing weekly program (not listed online).
Our INTRO Options
• Once-a-Week Intro
Ages 8 weeks–17 months
• Pre-Survival (2x/week)
Ages 7 months–3 years
• Survival Programs
– Ages 7 months–3 years: by invitation after Intro/Pre-Survival
– Ages 4–7 years: must meet prerequisites
• Swim Intensives
Ages 7 months–7 years
Short-term, faster progress with multiple lessons per week
SynchroBabies™ Tinies - A session designed for ages 8 weeks-15 weeks with parent.
SynchroBabies™- A session designed for ages 3-7 months with parent. These are once a week.
SynchroTots ™- A session designed for 7-17 months with parent. These are both once and twice a week. We also offer Tots in our Swim Intensive courses.
Basic Water Awareness A session designed for 17m-3y with parent. These are twice a week. We also offer BWA in our Swim Intensive Courses.
Next Steps After Your INTRO Program
During the second half of your child’s INTRO program, your instructor will email you with next step options.
You’ll receive priority registration before classes open to the public. If you miss this window, your child moves to general registration.
Based on progress, your child will be invited to:
• Continue in another INTRO session
or
• Move into Beginning Survival (Perpetual classes)
SWIMBABES™ specializes in Swim Survival Safety.
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Ages 0-3 start with an intro session and may move into a Beginning Survival class by instructor invitation.
Preschool Basic Water Awareness is an intro class for ages 4-6 (no parent) designed for kids who aren’t afraid of the pool but aren’t yet comfortable submerging. Preschool Basic Water Awareness is only offered during our Swim Intensives.
Fearful children should spend time in the pool with a trusted adult (3-4 times a week) to build comfort before joining a group class.
After the Intro Session, your teacher will recommend either another Intro or Beginning Survival class based on your child’s readiness and age.
Our weekly swim lessons follow a proven, step-by-step approach that builds strong foundational skills for long-term swimming success.
We begin with essential survival techniques—such as independent floating—which accelerate the overall learn-to-swim process. From there, students progress through skill-based levels all the way to pre-competitive swimming.
Many of our swimmers remain with us for 2–4 years in our perpetual lesson program, developing confidence, technique, and a lifelong love for the water.
Lessons start at $151.80/month for 1x/week intro lessons. This can vary slightly depending on the number of lessons in the month.
There is a one time family registration fee of $56.95. Diapers and discs are required for beginning classes and are sold separately and are not part of tuition.
We send class opening updates and new class openings by email. Open spots are first offered to current students. Any remaining spaces will then go to our email waiting list — first come, first served.
Classes are usually announced 3-4 weeks before the session starts and fill quickly. Details on pricing and prerequisites (if any) are included with each release.
Join our email waiting list here:
by emailing us at director@swimbabes.com. Let us know you your child's age and you'd like to join the email list.
SWIMBABES™ does not offer make ups, credits or refunds for missed classes.
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Here’s your Swim Class Checklist — don’t forget:
✅ 2 Swim Diapers (yep, two is better than one!)
✅ Swim Suit (ready for action)
✅ Towels (one for you, one for them… or more!)
✅ Swim Discs (for Intro & Beginning Survival — we’ve got plenty if you don’t)Let’s make a splash! 💦
We require specific reusable swim diapers because disposable ones clog our filters and fill the trash.
Our diaper policy:
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Two-diaper system:
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Iplay Ultimate Swim Diaper (under)
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Splash About Happy Nappy (over)
Both are available at our front desk. Please bring two sets in case one gets soiled.
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If a diaper is soiled during class, your child must be changed into a clean diaper and cover before returning to the pool.
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Take soiled diapers home and wash them in hot water.
All kids under 4 must wear swim diapers.
Kids 4+ must be fully potty trained (day & night) for one year before going without.
Potty-trained ages 3.5-4y may wear just one swim diaper.
We do offer private lessons ages 12m-6y when space and instructor availability allow.
Please email director@swimbabes.com to check current availability.
Due to the proprietary nature of our program — and to protect the privacy and safety of our students — we do not allow photos or videos during lessons.
We do offer photo opportunities on award days and occasionally with the director’s permission. Photos and videos are always welcome during family swims.
At off-site camps, we schedule designated photo/video times during select lessons so parents can capture their child’s progress. Your instructor will provide details specific to your camp.
Please keep your child home if they have a green runny nose, congestion, cough, fever, or rash. They must be symptom-free (without medication) for 24 hours before returning.
If your child has diarrhea, wait 7-14 days after symptoms clear before bringing them back to swim.
At SWIMBABES™, INTRO classes make up just 10% of our programs—and they’re the only ones you can register for online. All other classes, whether Perpetual or Advanced, are by teacher invitation only and are not listed on our website. These invitation-only programs make up 90% of our lessons and account for the majority of our teaching time..
As a boutique swim school, we intentionally keep our class sizes and offerings limited, focusing only on programs we know we can deliver with exceptional quality.
Our teachers go through extensive, specialized training, and we’re very selective about who we invite to join our teaching team. This allows us to focus on quality over quantity, ensuring every child receives the best possible instruction and attention in the water. It's worth the wait.
ChatGPT said:
Perpetual lessons are our twice-a-week, year-round classes offered by invitation only. Most swimmers who join the Perpetual Program stay with us for 2–4 years, during which they master all their basic swimming strokes. Some go on to advance into our Pre-Competitive Advanced invitation-only classes.
