Year-round swim lessons?
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Anonymous
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As the summer is coming to a close, I realize that we started swim lessons too late and probably over-estimated the time it would take for our 5 year old to learn to swim. I want to continue lessons throughout the year--I'm familiar with the SwimKids in Woodbridge and really liked their facility a few years ago when we lived in VA, but we have since moved to Bethesda, so that's too much of a hike. Is there anything comparable in/near Bethesda?A quick internet search led me to the YMCA on Old Georgetown rd and a place called Kids First Swim School which has some negative reviews on Yelp.
Any other places in the Bethesda/Kensington/Rockville area? Can some give me their opinions/experiences with the YMCA swim lessons? We are not members so I don't know if joining would be necessary for lessons there or not. |
Anonymous
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I would also like to hear folks' opinion on this.
You could also look up swim lessons that the county offers. They fill up super fast though. We have had our DD in Kids First. It's not the greatest, but it's not bad. They keep the pool very warm, which DD likes, and we've had good instructors there. You might take a look. |
Anonymous
| Try to find private lessons. We wasted so much time and money on group lessons with our oldest. Especially if you'll only be doing it once a week. |
Anonymous
| Goldfish Swim School is great, but a little farther out. Probably drive-able in 30 min from Bethesda (Reston). |
Anonymous
| British Swim School. |
Anonymous
| We used the YMCA in Bethesda and then moved to the JCC. I like the YMCA pools better (they're warmer and more shallow, which is better for a new swimmer), but DO NOT take lessons from the old lady whose name I think is Mary. The other instructors are good but Mary is like a crusty old nun - was wonderful with my baby and made my 4yo cry and fear the water. We moved closer to the JCC and my kids have responded well to the instructors and lessons. I've heard good things about Kids First but we have no experience with it. |
Anonymous
| Do private lessons at your local rec center. We've had great luck with that. |
Anonymous
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I would have said the same thing on private lessons, but my 5YO shockingly learned how to swim in a group setting but the key was daily swim. At the start of the summer, he was totally hopeless, but he did a camp (Valley Mill) where there is daily (group) swim + free swim. Within a month, he was swimming.
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
| I was very happy with private lessons at Kids First. |
Anonymous
| We had a good experience at Kids First N Bethesda. If you want faster progress, take private lessons rather than group. |
Anonymous
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I'm not a fan of the YMCA group swim lessons. My kids are in one now and I'm not impressed. I do hear that the private lessons there are much better - especially when you get one of the better instructors.
There is also the Shriver pool. They have sessions that run all year round for group lessons - better price if you are a county resident. They offer private lessons there as well. |
Anonymous
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The county has rec department classes at the indoor pools.
If you are military, Walter Reed has classes. British Swim is ok. Its very expensive so I'd only do it on a groupon. Its very basic and they don't let the kids swim very far so they don't get any endurance. They rotate turns in a 4-6 kid class over 30 minutes so the actual swim is very limited (same with some county classes). There is swimontgomery and stroke and turn clinic if they are ok swimmers and can do laps through the county. |
Anonymous
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The county group lessons are a waste of time. My kids did a bunch of them and learned very little.
We started this summer at Kids First Swim School (the one near Montgomery College in Rockville). We do semi-private lessons -- one teacher for my 2 kids. The difference is amazing. They have learned a ton, and while I wouldn't call them strong swimmers yet, I can see the progress and development. It's not cheap, but it's working. |
Anonymous
| Ann's Aquatics |