Swim Lessons

mommymeg83 · August 2011

Hi ladies,

Anybody have experience with the lessons that YMCA does? My daughter is currently enrolled in Waterbabies. I really like it, it's an AWESOME program & she's gotten a lot out of it, but the classes are expensive - it breaks down to $17.50 per lesson.

I'm debating whether to enroll her for Fall ($215) or to try doing the YMCA lessons? It's important to me that she learns to swim & is very comfortable in the water, and I want to do as much as I can with her before the baby is born & I can't. But at the same time...$215 for 12 lessons = ouch!

babyaustin725 · August 2011

Although I don't have experience with the Y or Water Babies, $215 does seem steep. Tman is in classes through the community center that are $55 for 10 lessons. Can you look into your local parks and rec as well?

Mama_v2.0 · August 2011

You are telling me.... try 3 kids in waterbabies. We are looking into gyms/clubs with pools. $200 a month goes a long way. There are lots of little in home ones around too. (There is one on Tiger Mountain) Also all these gyms/clubs have swimming programs and most of them are open to the public for a little bit more than members (which in most cases still works out to being cheaper than waterbabies.)

Surfinbride · August 2011

My daughter took lessons at the Y. Since your daughter is much younger than mine, the details will vary... but, it will give you an idea. My daughter is 9 now. She took lessons in the spring session (May-June). I was impressed the first day of the session. The aquatic director was on deck with a clipboard to make sure everyone was going to the right lesson. It was very crowded. Previously, we had my daughter do a test with the aquatic staff to make sure she was placed in the proper level. However, I think they placed her in one that was too easy. When I observed class, the instructor didn't seem able to balance the different abilities and needs of the kids. The neediest kid took the majority of her time. One girl was especially whiney and clingy... meaning the rest of class had to wait on the wall while the instructor handled the one. My daughter did not learn any new skills. If I based it on this one last sessioin, I wouldn't recommend it. However, she has taken lessons there when she was younger and they were good.

She's also taken lessons at the Kirkland pool when she was a preschooler. It was great because they have a special tiny pool just for the little ones.

MrsAmyB · August 2011

We did lessons at the Y and at the Redmond pool. I liked the Y better, but it really depends on which instructor you get. I'm pretty sure you can do a trial run. My BIL brought his son to one of the lessons my daugther was in, and I think he did the trial run. I did encounter a young instructor who did a cannon ball into the pool and I wasn't pleased. Esp aroun the young ones. That was the only iffy thing that happened that year. I think it's definitely worth it.

Redmond pool was very strict and I got in trouble for not doing things right. They are looking out for our safety though.

scarletii · August 2011

As someone who has done both, waterbabies is hands down a better quality program. The Y lessons are ok, but I feel like you definitely get what you pay for. If you need something less expensive the Y classes will do just fine.

myself1nme · August 2011

I'm not sure where you live, but I have been taking DS to the Kent Meridian pool on Mon & Wed for $5 per session. We are just doing the mom and tot classes, so I'm not sure what quality the classes are, but it looks like there are only about 4 students per class, so it's a lot of 1 on 1 time.

gina000 · August 2011

I think it varies from Y to Y as well. We take classes at the Y in Tacoma and they are ok, you get what you put into it as the instructor has you doing basically the same thing week after week. Our classes are included with our membership. I have a friend who just moved and now goes to the Y in Kent area and they have to pay for swim classes in addition to Y membership fees. She says the classes are similar to the ones in Tacoma. DS is learning to swim but like I said it is more about what we put into it then what they are teaching.

tfarabians · August 2011

We do lessons at the proclub. Non-members can do lessons there as well. They have group lessons that I believe are about $90 for 6 weeks and we do private lessons that are about $40 per lesson.

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