Disclaimer: Adora was gifted swim lessons at Goldfish Swim School. However, all opinions are my own.

It's summertime, which means it's time to stay cool in the pool!! Recently, my daughter Adora took her first swim lessons at the new Goldfish Swim School here in Richmond, Virginia. It's not too late to put your children into swim lessons! Drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional death; ranking 5th in the United States. Of people who die from drowning, about 1 in 5 are children younger than 14. Putting your children in swim lessons from the ages 1-4 reduces the risks of drowning. Goldfish Swim School offer swim lessons starting at 4 months - 12 years!

Goldfish Swim School Facility

The environment at Goldfish Swim School is very welcoming! We loved the facility. They have everything you can possibly think of that makes taking swim lessons an enjoyable experience. When you first join as a member, they give you a welcome bag which you can use to put your belongings in. Inside the bag is a coupon for their shop, which came in handy because I had to buy Adora a reusable swim diaper(don't bother buying the disposable swim diapers, they recommend the reusable ones because they actually hold waste). Along with free family swim passes and a Goldfish Swim School t-shirt! The first thing I saw when I walked in was the sitting area and the huge window where parents can sit and watch their kids take their lessons. If you have other children that are not enrolled in classes they can sit and play in the children's play area.

At Goldfish Swim School, they have plenty of changing rooms, so there's no need to come dressed in your bathing suit or to use a restroom to get dressed. They have a full wall of showers and provide baby wash to rinse off after the class. My favorite feature was the drying area where you can dry your hair and bathing suits!! I know I'm not the only one who hates going home with wet hair and bathing suits?! I thought that was super convenient! The indoor pool is heated to 90 degrees and they have a water purification system that keeps the water clean and sanitary. They also have a shop where you can buy snacks, swim diapers, goggles, and toys!!

Swim Lessons

Adora's swim lessons went great! Of course, she had her days when she didn't want to listen and just wanted to play in the water, haha. But overall, she had a great time. We did lessons once a week for two months. Since she's only 2 I didn't expect her to fully learn how to swim in that amount of time. The goal was to get her use to the water and learn the basics. Don't get me wrong, they can learn how to swim at that age.

In her class, the kids practice kicking with their legs and scooping the water with their hands. We introduce them to the water by pouring water over them gradually. Then we slowly put them under water. Letting their mouth go under water, then when they're comfortable we fully submerge them. They learn how to float on their backs which toddlers hate the most, but Adora loved floating. They also learn how to climb out of the pool. Goldfish Swim School uses the Science of SwimPlay, where they focus on swim safety while incorporating fun games!! In Adora's class, they try to teach them how to swim by letting them reach for balls. They also let them slide down a float like a water slide and they swim through hoops. The instructors were very nice as well, making sure everyone was following along and answering questions.

What They Offer

Goldfish Swim School offer swim lessons from ages 4 months-12 years.

Mini: ages 4-35 months(offers adult and no adult participation) - 30 minutes classes 3-6 kids depending on if you choose adult or no adult participation.
Junior: ages 3-4 years - 30 minutes long, 4 child limit per class.
Glider: ages 4-12 years - 30 minutes long, 4 child limit per class.
Pro: ages 4-12 years - 30 minutes long, 4 child limit per class.
Swim Force: ages 5-12 years - 1 hour long, 7 child limit per coach.
Jump Start Clinics: 4 or 5 consecutive days, 30-minute classes that teach your child water safety skills at a faster pace.
Technique Clinics: 4 or 5 consecutive days, 30-minute classes that focus on swim strokes; freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.

They also offer family swim, where the whole family can stay cool in the pool! As well as birthday parties. You do not have to be enrolled as a member to enjoy family swims and birthday parties at Goldfish Swim School!! Please contact a location near you to find out more information and to register your children for swim lessons!!

Overall, we really enjoyed being a member of Goldfish Swim School. We recently moved so we can't continue our swim lessons but I do plan on putting Adora back in swim lessons next year when she's 3. I think 3 years old is a great age to put them in swim lessons because they can better understand what it means to kick, close their mouth, and etc. Swim lessons before they're 3 can be a great way to get your child use to the water, to bond with them, to learn basic water safety, and for them to interact with other children. If you want your toddler to learn how to fully swim I recommend doing swim lessons for a longer amount of time or consecutive swim lessons. Thanks for reading and ta-ta for now!!

Get Your Swim On At Goldfish Swim School

Goldfish Swim School Facility

Swim Lessons

What They Offer