There are a lot of choices when it comes to finding the right swim instruction for your child. You’ve got a local city pool, private schools, and maybe even an HOA-managed pool in your neighborhood. So how do you choose the best swimming lessons for your kid? Here are the top 10 questions you should ask before signing up the children for lessons (and SwimKids’ answers to all of them).
1. What kind of training/certifications do your instructors have? Are they required to pass a background check?
SwimKids Swim School instructors are required to complete an intense 16-hour training program that includes classroom and in-water training, plus 40 hours alongside a veteran instructor in swim classes for mentorship and hands-on coaching prior to being assigned their own classes. For those instructors who are teaching the stroke group classes, an additional 10 hours of classroom and in-water training is required.
Practicing SwimKids’ Emergency Action Plan is scheduled for all shifts, and instructors participate in weekly meetings and workshops where safety and teaching techniques are re-taught and fine tuned. In addition, all SwimKids Swim School employees are required to pass stringent background checks for the safety of the children, swim families and coworkers.
2. How many students are in each class?
At SwimKids the class sizes are kept small: our most popular classes are on-on-one private lessons with an instructor, but our stroke group classes have a ratio of four students per instructor, and our Parent-Tot classes have six students per instructor in which parents stay in the water with their little ones. These small class sizes also ensure that your child is getting individualized attention, which empowers their instructor to truly understand their skills, personality and learning styles.
3. Is there a specific goal for my child’s class?
Having a specific goal can help illuminate your child’s progress to make sure they are learning the necessary skills. At SwimKids, specific goals are set for each of our 10 different class levels. This allows the parents to know exactly which skills their children should be able to demonstrate by the end of a Fast Track session or after 8 consistent lessons.
4. Will I get regular updates on my child’s progress?
Communication is encouraged at SwimKids. Instructors and deck managers overseeing the lessons are specifically evaluating each child every 4-6 weeks. Instructors typically call parents regularly during the semester to give updates on student progress and to answer any questions.
5. Will my child have the same instructor for every class?
Yes, SwimKids strives to provide consistency for your child. When you commit to a class, our instructors commit to your student. Your child’s instructor will be there for every lesson (barring occasional sick days or preplanned vacation time). Not only does the instructor enjoy seeing your student every class, it is an important element in the swim lesson curriculum for the instructor to bond with the student.
6. When will my child be able to swim?
At SwimKids, 95% of all students learn to swim into a float during the first Fast Track in which they are enrolled! The unique and proven SwimKids curriculum, along with the nurturing, professional instructors, account for such a high success rate. The watchful eye of a SwimKids Manager also helps identify and assist the little ones who struggle to reach their swim level goals.
7. What happens if my child doesn’t learn to swim? Are your lessons guaranteed?
With almost 40 years of experience, we believe that every child can learn to swim, not just the athletic or brave ones. While SwimKids Swim School does not guarantee a certain speed of progress, we are confident that parents will be impressed and satisfied with that progress!
8. Does the program teach water survival skills as well as basic swimming skills?
SwimKids both teaches children how to respond in a water safety emergency, as well as swim stroke skills (all while having fun; SwimKids is the place where fun and safety meet)! This might be one of the most important questions to consider when choosing swimming lessons for kids. Students are taught a technique called Swim, Float, and Swim, which educates them how to cover longer distances to get to safety. Back floating is introduced early. Higher class levels include special stroke training that introduces aspects of each major swim stroke.
We know there is more than one way to teach a child to swim. However, we don’t practice techniques that include letting go of babies on top of the water and allowing them to sink underwater if they don’t lie still.
9. Will I be able to watch the swimming lessons?
You absolutely can, and at SwimKids, we encourage parents to be front and center to see their child develop a lifelong love for swimming. Each of our facilities have seating in our observation rooms and parents are welcome to stand on deck near class. Because safety is our top priority, we ask that parents or guardians always remain at the facility during their child’s lesson and keep an eye on the pool while lessons are being held.
10. How do you keep the water warm, clean, and safe for my child?
SwimKids pools are heated to 90 degrees year-round, and the air temperature within the pool area is always at a comfortable temperature. We also invest in the highest-quality water purification systems to keep the water in our pools crystal clear and pure.
Our pools are also monitored continuously. However, in case our equipment malfunctions, we also test our pool water manually. Thanks to our advanced water purification and frequent water testing, our pools require less chlorine, reducing the amount of chemical residue and toxic byproducts.
Bonus: How do you maintain a clean facility?
Again, health and safety are our TOP priority, so our swimming lessons for kids are safe for everyone! We use CDC-recommended disinfecting products to clean our facilities.
Ready to dive into fun? If you’re in Davis, Salt Lake, or Utah Counties, secure your child’s spot at SwimKids now! Click here to register and make a splash today!