Swimming is an essential life skill that every child should learn, and while kids aren’t generally ready for independent swimming classes until about the age of 3 or 4 years, many parents choose to start much earlier.
Unfortunately, getting a spot in swimming lessons around Seattle can be like finding a gold coin under a unicorn hoof at the end of a double rainbow. This task takes dedication and may cause gray hairs. Best of luck to you, swim lesson warriors.
Here are our top picks for diving in with your tiny tot around Seattle and the Eastside.
City of Seattle pools
Various locations
The city of Seattle operates 10 public pools and offers lessons to participants as young as 6 months at most locations. Classes fill up fast, so prepare to jump on registration and be flexible with schedules.
Goldfish Swim School
Shoreline, Redmond, Bellevue
At Goldfish, parents participate with babes from ages 4 to 24 months; young swimmers who are older than that have their own group while parents watch from the air-conditioned viewing gallery. Lesson sign-ups run year-round.
Lynnwood Pool
Lynnwood
Located in the Lynnwood Recreation Center, this popular facility boasts three different pools, including an 85-degree recreation pool with water slides, a water playground and a lazy river. Lessons with mom or dad are available for little ones between the ages 6 months and 3 years old.
Mountlake Terrace Pool
Mountlake Terrace
The shallow leisure pool at this awesome aquatics center hovers at a comfy 88 degrees and is equipped with spray toys, a lazy river and babe-friendly beach entry for before- and after-class play. Parent-tot lessons are open to kids as young as 9 months, with independent classes offered to students age 3 and older.
SwimGuru
North Seattle, Bellevue
SwimGuru instructors are serious about drowning prevention, and their focus is on teaching survival skills, with independent instruction beginning as soon as your baby can walk. Classes do tend to get booked up from two to three months in advance, so plan ahead.
SafeSplash Swim School
Various locations
SafeSplash’s small-group lessons offer two parent-tot and two toddler transition levels for students as young as 4 months old; registration is ongoing and billed on a monthly basis, with your spot held indefinitely once you sign up.
WaterBabies
Various locations
WaterBabies’ philosophy is to empower parents with the skills to teach their child to swim, which means parents do most of the hands-on work in the water with their kids, who range in age from 4 months to 3+ years, while instructors provide coaching on techniques.
SwimLabs Swim School
Issaquah
Private, semiprivate and group lessons of three or four students are offered at this nationwide franchise. Registration is on a rolling basis, but group lessons run in four-week increments and tend to fill up.
Editor’s note: This article was published several years ago and was most recently updated in January 2024.
