Editor’s note: All public pools listed in this article remain closed for swimming lessons, with the exception of the Snohomish Aquatic Center that is offering private swim lessons, as noted. Many private swim schools and pools are now open for swimming lessons, with limitations. Those that are are noted in the article.
With so many pools in the Seattle area, there’s no better place to get your little fishies in the water to practice their kicks and strokes. From beginner swimming lessons to refresher courses, indoor lessons to outdoor lessons and group lessons to one-on-one lessons, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite swim classes to suit every swimmer’s age, skill level and personality. Grab your goggles and swim towel and scroll down to find out where to make a splash.
photo: Alga Norte
Seattle Indoor Public Pools
Meadowbrook Pool
The City of Seattle Parks and Recreation offers group and private swim lessons as an inexpensive option and there are several facilities to choose from. One of the more popular indoor pools is Meadowbrook in Northeast Seattle. The instruction program includes tot lessons for kids ages 6 months to 4 years old as well as kinder lessons for ages 4-5, beginning swimmer for ages 6-16, diving lessons and private and semi-private lessons.
Note: The pool is currently undergoing construction and will reopen on July 1, 2019. Check their lessons and pool schedule online after July 1.
Cost: Varies with level and number of sessions. View their current swim lesson brochure online.
10515 35th Ave. N.E.
Seattle, WA 98125
206-684-4989
Online: seattle.gov/parks/find/pools/meadowbrook-pool
Queen Anne Pool
The Queen Anne Pool is another great option for Seattle families. This pool, complete with two diving boards and a water temperature of 85 degrees, offers a variety of classes for kids ages 6 months to 4 years old as well as parent/tot lessons, kinder, beginner youth and advanced youth lessons as well as private and semi-private lessons and synchronized swimming.
Cost: Varies with level and number of sessions. 5-10 week sessions available. View the current swim lesson brochure online.
1920 1st Ave. W.
Seattle, WA 98119
206-386-4282
Online: seattle.gov/parks/find/pools/queen-anne-pool
Southwest Pool
If you live near West Seattle, Southwest Pool is great option for swimming lessons. In addition to two diving boards, 85 degree pool temps, a large hot tub next to the pool and fab swim instructors, this pool offers a variety of tot lessons for kids ages 6 months to 4 years old as well as kinder lessons, parent and child lessons, beginning and advanced youth lessons for ages 6-16 and summer swim team.
Cost: Varies with level and number of sessions. 9-10 week sessions available. View their current swim lesson brochure online.
2801 S.W. Thistle St.
Seattle, WA 98126
206-684-7440
Online: seattle.gov/parks/find/pools/southwest-pool
Rainier Beach Pool
If you’re in South Seattle, the Rainier Beach Pool offers swim lessons for tots ages 6 months to 4 years old as well parent and child lessons, kinder lessons and beginning and advanced youth lessons for ages 6-16. This pool also includes a fun water slide, baby pool, lazy river and spray and play park which makes the time before or after lessons even more awesome.
Cost: Varies with level and number of sessions. 8-10 week sessions available. View their current swim lesson brochure online.
8825 Rainier Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98118
206-386-1925
Online: seattle.gov/parks/find/pools/rainier-beach-pool
photo: Kristina Moy
Seattle Outdoor Public Pools
Lowery C. “Pop” Mounger Pool
If you want to be outdoors, Seattle’s two outdoor public pools offer swim lessons during the summer months (the pools opens May 11, 2019). Mounger Pool has age-based lessons for tots ages six months to four years old as well as lessons for three-year-olds, kinder kids (ages 4-5) and beginning and advanced youth. Mounger also has the Little Pool, which is a great place to introduce your little tadpoles to the water, and a fun water slide for older swimmers.
Cost: Varies with level and number of sessions. 5-10 week sessions available. View their summer swim lesson brochure online.
2535 32nd Ave. W.
Seattle, WA 98199
206-684-4708
Online: seattle.gov/parks/find/pools/mounger-pool
Colman Pool
Located at Lincoln Park in West Seattle, this is Seattle’s only outdoor saltwater pool. Colman offers a variety of swim lessons for kids ages 6 months to 4 years old as well as kinder lessons, three-year-old lessons, parent and child lessons and beginning and youth lessons for ages 6-16. Colman Pool also offers its visitors fab views of Puget Sound, a diving board and a super-fun tube slide. Psst…be sure to bring your sand bucket and shovel, so you can explore the beach before or after your lesson.
Good to Know: This is a seasonal outdoor pool. 4-10 week swim sessions start in mid-June and go through the end of August.
Cost: View their summer swim lesson brochure online
Colman Pool
8603 Fauntleroy Way S.W.
Seattle, WA 98136
206-684-7494
Online: seattle.gov/parks/find/pools/colman-pool
photo: Colman Pool via Yelp
Public Pools North of Seattle
Mountlake Terrace Pool
If you are out in the suburbs or are willing to drive, there are great inexpensive group lesson options outside Seattle. Many parents are willing to take the trip up north to take part in the award-winning aquatics program at the Mountlake Terrace Pool. The pool offers classes for kids ages 9 months to 12 years old as well as lessons for teens and adults. Plus, it’s more than a swimming pool—it’s a warm, family-friendly facility with lots of bells and whistles including slides, a splash area with water toys and a lazy river. Psst…if you decide to continue lessons into the fall and winter, consider adding a Playtime Passport, so your little star fish can stay and play in the Leisure Pool 15 minutes following his or her lesson.
Cost: $65-$91. Mountlake residents receive a discounted rate. View their current swim lesson schedule online
5303 228th St. S.W.
Mountlake Terrace, Wa 98043
425-776-9173
Online: cityofmlt.com/526/Aquatics
photo: Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion & Pool via Yelp
Lynnwood Recreation Center & Pool
Also north of Seattle, the Lynnwood Recreation Center Pool offers swim lessons for all ages and swimming abilities. To ensure swimmers are placed in the proper class, a swim placement test is required before registration. In addition to lessons, this super-popular pool includes two big water slides, sprayers, a lazy river, inner tubes, diving boards, water playground, spray fountains and a family hot tub, plus a lap pool and warm-water therapy pool. Little ones will especially love “Beach Swim” when the shallow play area is open with a water depth up to two feet.
Cost: Varies with level and number of sessions. 9-10 week sessions available. View their current swim schedule online.
18900 44th Ave. W.
Lynnwood, WA 98046
425-670-5732
Online: lynnwoodwa.gov
photo: Pexels
Snohomish Aquatic Center
Editor’s note: The Snohomish Aquatic Center is offering private and semi-private swim lessons for students age 5 and up.
If you’re looking for an indoor pool with lots of bells and whistles to go with your swim lessons, the Snohomish Aquatic Center is your one stop destination for family fun. This ginormous indoor facility boasts a giant corkscrew water slide, lazy river, spray area and FlowRider surf machine, so your kids can hang ten year-round. The facility also has a recreation pool with lap lanes and basketball hoops, an open area for kids to play or tots to get their toes wet and a Wibit floating obstacle course. The best part? The water here is kept at a toasty 84-86 degrees which means the littlest of water bugs won’t get cold. The pool offers parent and child swim lessons, preschool lessons for ages 3-5, youth lessons for ages 6-12 as well as pre-competitive and diving lessons. During the summer months, choose between daily morning sessions, evening sessions (twice per week) or Saturday morning sessions.
Cost: Varies depending on the number of sessions and swim level. General registration for classes and the swim lesson schedule can be found online.
Snohomish Aquatic Center
516 Maple Ave.
Snohomish, WA 98290
360-568-8030
Online: sno.wednet.edu/Domain/24
McMenamins Anderson School Pool
Editor’s note: McMenamins Anderson School Pool is open for private swim lessons for kids ages 3 & up, as well as Parent & Tot classes.
Families living in the Bothell or Woodinville area can take their little fish for a dip in the The North Shore Lagoon, McMenamins Anderson School’s on-site pool, that’s open to the public every day from 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Swim sessions are broken up into two-hour time slots (for ages 3-5 and 6-12) where families can splish and splash around the tiki-themed pool before changing into street gear to grab some delish eats at the restaurant upstairs. Private lessons are also available for ages three and older. The best part? The pool has plenty of shallow play areas where even the most timid toddlers can test the waters with ease. And the deepest point is only 4’6”, which means you won’t be treading water as you make the Marco-Polo rounds with your big kid sidekick.
Cost: Varies depending on the number of sessions per week and if lessons are taken in a group or one-on-one. View their swim schedule online.
McMenamins Anderson School
18603 N.E. Bothell Way
Bothell, WA 98011
425-398-0122
Online: mcmenamins.com/anderson-school/north-shore-lagoon-swimming-pool
photo: Henry Moses Aquatic Center
Public Pools East of Seattle
Henry Moses Aquatic Center
We think the City of Renton’s Henry Moses Aquatic Center is definitely worth the drive. With two pools, 26-foot high water slides, a lazy river and a wave machine, it’s safe to say that the kiddos will want to stay well after their lesson is over. The pool is scheduled to open on June 22 and will stay open through Labor Day. Lessons are offered for kids ages 9 months to 12 years old and are taught in group, semi-private, or private sessions.
Good to Know: This is a seasonal outdoor pool. Weekly swim sessions start June 24 and go through the middle of August.
Cost: Varies from $52-$76 and whether you’re a resident of Renton. Registration begins May 23, 2019. View their summer swim lesson schedule online.
Henry Moses Aquatic Center
1719 S.E. Maple Valley Highway
Renton, WA 98057
425-430-6780
Online: rentonwa.gov/cms/one.aspx?pageId=8838960
Bellevue Aquatic Center
For families living in and around Bellevue, the Bellevue Aquatic Center is another fabulous facility that offers group, private and semi-private swim lessons along with two pools. The Blue Lagoon Pool has six lap lanes, a diving tank, a 10-foot slide and a 5-foot slide for tiny tots. The Warm Springs Pool has a wheelchair ramp, average waters temps of 91 degrees, and was built for therapy and rehabilitation, but is available for public open swim and is a great place to warm up after lessons. Classes meet Mondays/Wednesdays, Tuesdays/Thursdays, Saturdays and Sunday mornings and afternoons.
Cost: Varies depending on the number of sessions per week. Register through Connections.
601 143rd Ave. N.E.
Bellevue, WA 98007
425-452-4444
Online: bellevuewa.gov/aquatic_center.htm
photo: Safe N Sound Swimming
Public Pools South of Seattle
Federal Way Community Center Pool
The Federal Way Community Center Pool offers group, private and semi-private lessons for a variety of ages, including parent and toddlers, preschoolers and youth (ages 5 1/2-12). Group morning and evening classes are offered during the summer months Monday-Friday. The pool also boasts an impressive two-story water slide, complete with three twists and turns (riders must be at least 48 inches to ride and they do have someone at the top to check), two smaller slides and plenty of inner tubes and noodles to ride along in the lazy river. For those who want a real workout after their lesson, they can jump into their whirlpool and try to run against the current or hit the six-lane, 25-yard lap pool with one-meter diving board.
Cost: Varies for group lessons (often depends on the number of students in the class). Private lessons are $25 for 30 minutes; semi-private lessons are $35 for 30 minutes. View their swim lesson schedule online.
Federal Way Community Center Pool
876 S. 333rd St.
Federal Way, WA 98003
253-835-6900
Online: itallhappenshere.org/recreation/aquatics-pools
People’s Pool
Little water bugs looking for a place to splash around can find tons of fun at Tacoma’s newest indoor pool. After undergoing a major reconstruction project that was eight years in the making, the facility reopened in the fall of 2016 and quickly became the go-to indoor pool for South Sound families. Large floor-to-ceiling windows fill the room with tons of natural light, giving it a nice outdoorsy feel compared to the basement-like atmosphere you get with some indoor pools. And the unique L-shaped design that divides the pool into three distinct sections: a shallow area, a current channel and a lap lane area, that transforms into two basketball courts and a water-walk play area during open swim sessions, are a hit among parents and kids alike.
Swim lessons are 30 minutes long and held Mondays/Wednesdays, Tuesdays/Thursdays and Saturdays. Choose between parent/tot lessons, classes for three-year-olds and beginner and advanced classes for ages three and older. Adult, private and special-needs lessons are also available.
Cost: $22-$48. Prices are based on resident and non-resident rates and the number of lessons per week. View their current swim lesson schedule online.
People’s Community Center and Pool
1602 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Tacoma, WA 98405
253-591-5321
Online: metroparkstacoma.org/peoples-pool
photo: Safe N Sound Swimming
Private Options
Safe N Sound
Editor’s note: Safe N Sound is now offering Parent Assisted swimming lessons.
If you’re looking for one-on-one lessons, Safe N Sound offers 15 and 30-minute private lessons for swimmers ages two and older. Loyal parents say this intense, individualized approach makes a big difference. In addition to the cost of lessons, families who chose the pay-as-you-go membership pay a $16.50 per swimmer fee per month.
Cost: Ongoing lesson fees range from $152/month for the first swim lesson spot to $140/month for the second swim lesson spot or sibling. Single pay-as-you-go lessons range from $38 for a single lesson to $125 for four lessons and $248 for eight lessons. Adult private lessons are $54 for a 30 minute session. View the membership prices online.
2040 Westlake Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98109
206-285-9279
Online: snsswim.com
Angelfish Swimming
Editor’s note: Angelfish Swimming’s lessons are now open to current students at Level 4 & 5. They will open to all others in Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan.
Located in a cozy backyard pool in the Kirkland Highlands neighborhood, Angelfish Swimming offers lessons to children of all ages, including adults. Children from 6 months and up are taught how to love the water and how to be safe as they learn to swim. Class sizes are limited to four children per half-hour and follow the swim school’s philosophy of taking the fear out of the water and giving swimmers the tools they need to be safe and to have fun. Classes are offered every 30 minutes on weekdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and all instructors are all trained by Connie Chapin who is an American Red Cross Certified water safety instructor. Bonus: Pool parties are available to registered families and can accommodate up to 10 children.
Cost: $30 per group lesson; private lessons available for special circumstances. An annual $25 family registration fee is required when signing up for classes. For registration info, email littleswimmers@angelfishswimming.com.
10203 116th Ave. N.E.
Kirkland, WA 98033
425-890-5769
Online: angelfishswimming.com
photo: Pixabay
Additional Programs to Consider
Water Babies
Editor’s note: Water Babies’ Renton location is now open for Safer Swim Lessons. Lessons are still on hold at the other locations.
Water Babies is a swim program committed to providing quality family centered aquatic education, focusing on family bonding, touch-communication, water safety and the latest in Learn-to-Swim techniques. One of the largest programs in our area, Water Babies offers infant, preschool and youth classes and has Eastside locations in Renton, Bellevue, Kirkland and Sammamish as well as Mill Creek. Cost is $24.72 per 30 minute class with a ratio of 6-9 students per class, depending on pool. For more information call 425-643-3533.
Online: waterbabiesusa.com
Stroum Jewish Community Center
Editor’s note: Stroum JCC is now offering private and semi-private swim lessons, for kids ages 3 & up. Open to current members only.
The Stroum Jewish Community Center (SJCC) is another great option on the Eastside for group, private or semi-private lessons. SJCC offers preschool and youth swim lessons for kids ages six months to 12 years old. For additional information, contact the SJCC Aquatics Manager at 206-388-0821. View their current class schedule online.
3801 E. Mercer Way
Mercer Island WA 98040
206-232-7115
Online: sjcc.org/fitness-aquatics/aquatics/kids-group-lessons
YMCA
The YMCA is another great option for swim lessons for infants, toddlers and teens. Instructors use a child-centered approach which offers more active involvement and a better understanding of swimming. Swim lessons are available in group, private and semi-private formats and classes are available for children with special needs.
Check the YMCA website for the facility nearest you.
photo: Kristina Moy
Good to Know for the Summer Months
There are a handful of private clubs that open their doors to non-members during the summer for swim lessons, including Wedgwood Swim Club (206-523-8211) in the Wedgwood neighborhood, View Ridge Swim & Tennis Club (206-524-3500) in North Seattle and Arbor Heights Swim and Tennis Club (206-244-6557) in West Seattle.
Editor’s Note: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you don’t start formal swimming lessons until kids are 4 years old. This is the age children are thought to be developmentally ready for swim lessons. Starting kids very young, though, can be a fun activity as the weather warms up.
—Kristina Moy
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