Many parents know the importance of swimming lessons for their children. I remember my own parents taking me and my sister to the pool twice a week. It was a commitment that paid off, as now I am a strong, confident swimmer. There are many reasons to consider enrolling your child in Kelowna swimming lessons. They include:
- Water safety, both in and around water. Knowing how to swim could save your child’s life, especially since we live in an area full of pools and lakes.
- Confidence & self esteem. Learning a new skill builds confidence that helps your child feel good about themselves.
- Improves coordination, tones muscles, betters stamina, and improves cardiovascular health.
- Being in sport builds healthy habits that can last into adulthood.
- Having fun! It’s fun to learn to swim and to play in the water.
That being said, it can be difficult to even find swimming lessons that have space in Kelowna. That is why I have created this article to help you consider all of the options for Kelowna swimming lessons for your child. Consider them all, and the reasons why they could be good options for you and your family!
Kelowna Swimming Lessons
H20 & Family YMCA
H20 is a popular choice for Kelowna swimming lessons and water fun. The large center features a surf simulator, shallow play area, wave pool, lazy river, family hot tub, large lane swimming pool, diving boards and water slides. It offers swimming lessons in Kelowna for a variety of different levels. Parent participation is required for lessons for parents with their babies/ toddlers (3 months to 3 years old). Preschool lessons are for children 3-5 years old, and depending on your child’s skill and confidence level, may require you to be in the pool as well. The ‘Learn to Swim’ program helps youths aged 6-13 develop their swimming skills. Then, swimmers can progress to the ‘Star Levels & Leadership Program’, ‘Youth Swimfit’, and ‘Junior Lifeguard Club’ which teach advanced swimming and lifesaving skills. Private lessons are also available.
https://www.ymcasibc.ca/Programs/Swimming/Lessons
4075 Gordon Drive
Kelowna, BC V1W 5J2
250-491-9622
Family YMCA
Kelowna Family YMCA offers 2 pools, steam room, sauna and more. You can register for many of the same programs that H20 has. To see what programs are offered, head to their website and view programs available by this location.
https://www.ymcasibc.ca/Locations/Kelowna-Family-Y
Photo by Parsons Photography | Inquire To Book!
WETS- We Teach Swimming
WETS is a great option for Kelowna swimming lessons because of the small class sizes and great instructors. The classes are kept very small at a 2:1 student to instructor ratio. This helps children to get the attention that they need and advance more quickly than in bigger group lessons. Another great thing about WETS is that they can do multi level classes so that siblings and/or friends can be in the same class. There are also options for backyard pool lesson programs and SQUADS, a club that is all about exploring water sports and pre-competition. Your child can learn about synchronized swimming, triathlons, water polo and snorkeling in this fun program. The levels are Red Cross based, with the addition of three sub levels of the Whale level to help transition children into the Swim Kids lesson program. There are also parent-tot lessons available. Locations include the Okanagan Seasons Resort, Microtel Inn & Suites, Lindon House, and Townplace Suits by Mariot in West Kelowna.
250-470-7496
City of Kelowna- Parks Recreation Center
The swimming lessons at Parks Recreation Center follow the Swim for Life swimming lessons levels. The benefits of these swimming lessons is that they are very budget friendly, though you do have to register as soon as the registration is opening or it will be quickly filled up. There are lessons for parents & tots, preschoolers, school aged children, and then life saving courses that take place in their lane swimming pool. View the recreation schedule and register by visiting their website:
https://www.kelowna.ca/parks-recreation/recreation-sport/recreation-programs-registration
1800 Parkinson Way, Kelowna, BC V1Y 4P9
250-469-8800
TakeGuard Aquatics Services
TakeGurad Aquatics Services offer private Kelowna swimming lessons for those that have a private pool. Take advantage of your pool and provide your children with an opportunity to learn how to swim. Feel free to gather a group of children including friends and siblings. Preschool lessons for children 1-2 years of age, junior lessons for ages 3-6, novice lessons for ages 7-10, and intermediate lesson for children ages 11-15 are available. Skills covered include water safety, kicking, rhythm, treading water and swim strokes such as front crawl and backcrawl. The pricing structure is tiered based on the number of participants. So, call up that friend that you know with a pool and make your own custom group for Kelowna swimming lessons! How fun! These lessons are available from Summerland through Lake Country.
https://www.takeguardaquatics.com/
+1 (250) 444-0418
Photo by Parsons Photography | Inquire to Book!
Kelowna Water Polo Club
Is your child bored by the thought of endless laps? Then they might just love water polo! Water polo takes aspects from basketball, swimming and even wrestling to make a fast paced game. Your child will learn teamwork while having so much fun playing this exciting game. They won’t even realize that they are improving their hand-eye coordination, developing strong swimming skills, and learning team skills that will last a lifetime. Water polo is played at locations including H2O, Parkinson Recreation Center, and the Kelowna Family YMCA. Your child can join the team 1-3 times per week in the Junior program (for kids born in 2010-2013), Senior program (for kids born 2006-2009) or ‘Splashball’ which is twice a week for 30 minutes for 6-8 year olds. You can also just try it out for 2 weeks for free to see if it’s right for your child.
4075 Gordon Drive
Kelowna , BC V1W 4Z1
West Kelowna Swimming Lessons
Johnson Bentley Memorial Aquatic Centre
The City of West Kelowna offers swimming lessons at the Johnson Bentley Memorial Aquatic Centre run by Active Living Enterprises Ltd. They offer a variety of West Kelowna swimming lessons. One that might interest parents is Baby & Me Fitness. It will give parents some great exercise while having fun with their baby in the pool. The lesson program follows the Swim for Life lesson program by the Lifesaving Society. There are classes for parents with their baby/toddler, preschoolers, and school age children. There are also classes offered for teens & adults including lifesaving courses.
https://www.westkelownacity.ca/en/parks-recreation-and-culture/johnson-bentley-aquatic-centre.aspx
778-797-7665
3737 Old Okanagan Highway
West Kelowna, B.C. V4T 2H6
Summerland Swimming Lessons
Summerland Aquatic Centre
Swimming lessons are available in Summerland at the Summerland Aquatics Centre. The pool offers lanes with a deep and shallow end. It follows the Swim for Life program by the Lifesaving Society. There are lessons available for parents & babies/ toddlers, preschoolers, and school aged children. These lessons are very affordable, making it a great option for families of all incomes.
https://www.summerland.ca/parks-recreation/schedules/swimming-pool
13205 Kelly Ave, Summerland, BC V0H 1Z0
(250) 494-0447
Penticton Swimming Lessons
Penticton Community Centre
The Penticton pool is a great place for your children to learn how to swim. There is a leisure pool that includes a splash pool, lazy river, shallow area, and deeper area. There is also a lane pool, hot tub, sauna, steam room, slide and diving boards. The Penticton Community Centre uses the Lifesaving Society’s Swim for Life program. There are classes for parents and babies/ toddlers, preschoolers, and school aged children.
https://www.penticton.ca/parks-recreation/programs-registration
325 Power St, Penticton, BC V2A 7K9
250-490-2426
Water Waves
Water Waves is a privately owned business that offers swimming lessons at the Penticton Community Center as well as at various beaches in the summertime. They use the Lifesaving Society’s Swim for Life program in their pool swimming lessons. They offer lessons for parents and babies/ toddlers, preschoolers and school aged children. They have their own level system for lake swimming lessons and will help your children to develop water safety skills for those days at the beach. Water waves has a lot more availability and is a great option if you can’t get your children into lessons from the Penticton Community Centre or if you value smaller class sizes. My children are in lessons with Waver Waves at the Penticton pool and absolutely love them!
(778) 622-0515
My Personal Advice
I hope that this article has helped give you some options for Kelowna swimming lessons, and swimming lessons in the surrounding areas. My last words of advice are to make an alarm in your phone to remind you of the exact time that registration for community centre lessons opens, and at 6:00 am that morning that it opens, try to register right away! These less expensive swimming lessons get booked up very quickly. You do have a good chance of getting in if you go on a waiting list, so don’t be afraid to give that a shot. Learning to swim is important. Consider signing up for private swimming lessons to ensure that your kids learn this vital skill. Happy swimming!
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