What age can swimmers start?

We start teaching children at 6 months old in our guardian-assisted Water With Me™ classes.

Do you offer adult lessons? or lessons for teenagers?

Yes! We work with adults of all levels.Whether you're nervous, a beginner, intermediate, advanced, or training for an open water experience - we can help you. We're also great at working with teenagers to refresh skills, strengthen open water swim and safety skills, or true beginners who never learned.

how long does it take to learn to swim?​

For kids: buckle up. If you want your child to have water safety and swim skills that they can use their whole life, be prepared to give them yearly lessons until they're at least 13. And water exposure matters. To retain swimming skills and confidence in those skills, practice yearly.

are lessons private or group?

We offer both types. Each type has its advantages. For example, a private lesson will give a person more individual practice time. A group lesson provides socialization, and some positive peer pressure that some students respond to. Call us and we'll help you decide what's best for you or your student.

what if my child is nervous? or it's their first class?

We're experts at getting young children acclimated to being with a teacher, and going into pools. If a child is particularly scared, we will right away tell them they don't have to get in, and they can just sit on the side and watch. Next thing you know, they're getting in.

what towns do you service for backyard swim lessons?

We service Montclair, Glen Ridge, and most of Bloomfield and Verona without a travel surcharge. For an extra fee, we have also serviced Verona, West Orange, Clifton, Cedar Grove and Caldwell. Fill out our backyard lesson form to find out if you're in our regular service area.

what are your safety measures?

All of our instructors are lifeguard certified. Each pool is equipped with rescue tubes fully stocked first-aid kids. Outdoor pools have emergency shelter, a bathroom facility. We're insured, regardless of where you take lessons.

what should i bring to swim lessons?

Everyone should have a swimsuit and towel. For those ready to go under water, a swim cap is required - it helps us keep the pool clean, and keeps hair out of the face so swimmers can focus. That said, if a person needs time to acclimate to wearing a swim cap, we will work with them to introduce wearing a cap. Goggles aren't necessarily required for under six years old. However, goggles sometimes help us introduce water to nervous or fearful students. We'll customize your goggle plan once lessons start. Learning to swim without goggles is a key safety skill - so we will work on this skill customized to the student.

what if my child isn't potty trained?

Keeping our pools clean and sanitary is critical for the safety and wellness of all of our swimmers. If a child or person isn't potty-trained, we require three layers of protection:
Layer 1: Against the skin: disposable, properly fitted swim diaper.
Layer 2: Re-usable, properly sized swim diaper. Many price points are available, including: Healthy Baby Swim™, Green Sprouts™, Happy Nappy™, Charlie Banana™, as well as store brand versions from Amazon, Target or WalMart.
Layer 3: Properly fitted bathing suit.

can i reschedule missed lessons?

For reserved time blocks you can cancel / reschedule lessons online outside of 24 hours before the lesson. For group intensives and workshops, outside of 24 hours, we may offer a pro-rated rate, depending on the situation.

how do i sign up for lessons at one of your locations?

Everything can be done online. For reserved time blocks, you can purchase a package of lessons, and then pick the days/times. Workshops scheduled for specific day(s) can also be purchased / booked online.

how do i sign up for a water ready™ instructor to come to my home/condo pool?

Fill out this form and we'll get back to you with a schedule. Make sure you're in one of the towns we service.

where are your locations?

Year round we teach in Clifton at Clifton Sports and Fitness Club at 199 Scoles Ave. In summer we also teach at various residential pools in Montclair and Glen Ridge, NJ. You can read more about location under the LOCATIONS top navigation menu.

how much are lessons?

Find all of our prices on the website by going to the FEES menu.  We sell reserved time blocks in packages of 3, 4, 6 and 8. We also have some group classes.

what are your hours?

It depends on the location. The indoor pool in Clifton is open: Sat11-2, Sun 11-3, Mon 3-7, and weekday mornings by appointment. For outdoor pool hours, check under LOCATIONS menu. Home pool lesson hours are flexible.

how often should lessons be taken

The trend in swim lessons is to teach in a more concentrated time frame — two or three times per week — at least until students have achieved Basic Water Competency.  A concentrated schedule (rather than 1x per week) typically achieves results in a shorter amount of time, and most importantly, makes students safer earlier.  It also capitalizes more easily on the momentum from the previous lesson, and helps build confidence.  In parts of the world where warm weather is limited, this is especially helpful as students will be able to enjoy their skills more during the summer they learn them.

​However, it's not always realistic to manage an intensive swim schedule due to other commitments or financial concerns.  The classic one lesson per week is fine — it just takes longer to reach goals.
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Generally, it's best to have the long view with swim lessons.  Learning to swim well all three mandatory strokes, plus all safety skills in one summer isn't realistic.

are the pools heated?

Yes. All of our pools are heated. In Clifton, the baby pool is 90, the racing pool is 85. The outdoor pools are all 84.

what if it rains during an outdoor lesson?

Lessons in any outdoor pool are subject to inclement weather cancellations.  Families do not get charged for any weather-canceled lesson.  All pools have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place for lightning or other weather related concerns.  Dark clouds, or the sound of any lightening, even coming from a distance, will require immediate exit from the pool and into the shelter space provided, and then exit from the property when safe. Generally speaking, class proceeds at instructor's discretion, with safety being the primary concern. Class won't be canceled for light rain. Class will be canceled for medium to heavy rain, thunder/lightening, or air temperature below 65°F.  On a day with a forecast of potential inclement weather, the instructor will text to confirm or cancel/reschedule the lesson. If you do not receive a text, assume that the lesson is proceeding.
Options for weather-related cancellations:
- Add time to a subsequent lesson; or attempt to re-schedule.
- Refund issued, pro-rated to the missed time or lesson.
- If medium rain (no lightning) starts during class, instructor may continue safety skills and muscle work in covered area.

do i have to get in the pool with my child?

For group classes with children under 36 months, a guardian must accompany the child in the water.  For private and semi-private classes guardians and the teacher may choose whether a guardian is needed in the water.

Over 3 years old we recommend students take class without a guardian in the water.  It's possible a child may need a few classes to adjust to taking a class without a parent. That said, a guardian must be on deck with a clear view of all lessons at all times.

do you offer gift certificates?

YES! Click here for more information.

How are water ready teachers trained?

Our teachers are all certified lifeguards. They typically have either or both racing experience and/or previous teaching experience. Our internal training process requires 12 hours of module training, plus 12 hours of in-water training and shadow teaching.  All teachers are trained in our SaferSooner™ method, and all of the unique learning activities and games that make our lessons so fun for kids.

Additionally, our teachers receive special training for working with adults, people with anxiety around water and students with special needs who learn or move differently.

do you offer adaptive swim lessons for those who learn, behave or move differently?

Absolutely! Learn more about these lessons here.