The first lesson is all about helping your child feel safe, supported, and comfortable in the water. Instructors typically use games and simple activities to build trust and determine your child’s skill level. Some kids may jump right in, while others might need time to adjust—and that’s OK! Progress looks different for every child.

Starting early definitely helps kids feel comfortable and safe in the water, but children can learn to swim at any age. Whether your child is a toddler, school-age, or older, our lessons are designed to fit their individual needs and goals.

It is helpful for parents to think about what they’d like their child to accomplish during swim lessons. Are you hoping your child will be comfortable and safe swimming with friends and family, or are you looking to prepare them for a competitive swim team? Learning to be a safe, confident swimmer requires fewer lessons than learning all four competitive strokes. Communicating these goals with your child and instructor can help guide the process and set realistic expectations for everyone involved.

It’s extremely common for young children to cry during lessons, especially in the beginning. Many children need a few lessons to get comfortable, and that’s completely normal. With consistency and positive reinforcement, most children settle in and start to enjoy the experience over time. The key is to stay calm, supportive, and trust the process.

If your child is crying during a lesson, it can help to step out of their line of sight. Seeing Mom or Dad nearby may make them more upset. However, some children feel more secure when they know exactly where their parents are. Every child is different, so it’s okay to try both approaches and see what works best for your family.

There’s a lot you can do at home to help your child feel more comfortable in the water. For younger kids, practice blowing bubbles, pouring water over their head/face, or splashing around during bath time.

For older kids, try visiting a local pool to practice the skills they are learning in class. The goal is to make water feel familiar and fun, not stressful. And no matter your child’s age, always supervise closely and keep safety first!

Not necessarily! Some children like to wear goggles, and others don’t. We have goggles available to borrow if your child would like to wear a pair.

• When you arrive, you will take the driveway on the right and drive around the loop as far as possible to allow other parents plenty of space to park. We ask that you do not park in the right lane as it blocks the path the neighbors use to leave their home.

• Feel free to sit on the couches, at the bar, or beside the pool on the bench.

• There is a bathroom available for swimmers and their families. Ask your instructor and they will show you the way! We ask that you do not flush anything besides toilet paper.

• There are toys available for children to play with in the waiting area.

• We have extra towels available if you forget to bring one. Life happens. :)

• There are Dum Dum suckers in a clear tote on the bar. Swimmers, siblings and parents are more than welcome to take one before leaving. If a swimmer asks their instructor for a sucker, we defer to the parent.

The pool room is very warm year-round. The air temperature must be greater than the temperature of the water to prevent condensation that damages the walls, windows and ceiling.

We ask that you provide at least 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule a lesson. However, we understand that unexpected situations can happen! We’ll do our best to accommodate you when possible, but repeated last-minute cancellations may result in forfeiting the lesson.

No-shows without prior notice will automatically forfeit the lesson.

We open the calendar for booking on the 15th of every month at 8 PM, unless otherwise communicated. A reminder email will be sent before the calendar opens. Lesson times are booked on a first-come, first-served basis.

We understand it can be frustrating to miss out on a spot. If that happens, feel free to text us—we’re happy to add you to our cancellation list! Our cell phone numbers are on the bottom of the monthly email.

Both Ali and Katie have full-time jobs outside of teaching swim lessons. As much as we’d love to make swim instruction our full-time focus, we also need to maintain a schedule that allows us to balance work, family time, and personal well-being. We truly enjoy teaching and are committed to offering high-quality lessons, but availability is limited because we want to give each family our full attention without overextending ourselves. We appreciate your understanding and support—it means a lot to us!

Please feel free to email alisswimacademy@gmail.com or text Ali Smith at 765-414-3476.