At Goldfish Swim School, our curriculum and every aspect of what we do is rooted in the goals of helping kids learn how to swim and be safer in and around the water. We celebrate friendship and rely on those around us to help make it a GOLDEN experience – because not only does it take a village, but it’s more fun with a village!

Swim Buddies Matter

That’s why we created our mascot, Bubbles, and his relatable friends: To let kids know they’re not alone, and they always have a friend to help them through their challenges.

If your child is a little nervous about being in the water, that’s OK. Bubbles was scared, too – and he’s a GOLDFISH! But, with the help of his new friends, he learned how to be more confident in the water. Be sure to check out Bubbles’ story in our great story time book, “The Fish Who Wouldn’t Swim”

Friends are SO important! We strive to be inclusive to all children and help kids learn lessons through Bubbles and his friends:

  • Like the puffer fish who has a little anxiety and gets jittery in new situations but learns how to self-manage those feelings and to lean on parents and friends for help.
  • Or the dolphin who is a social butterfly and just loves meeting new teachers and friends.
  • And the octopus who loves repetition and understands the importance of doing something many times in order to master skills.
  • And of course the sea turtle, who is methodical and focused, but prefers to do small intervals of practice to build big skills over time.

At Goldfish Swim School, we encourage children to find a “swim buddy” to not only share swimming experiences with, but to be there for each other. (They can even write notes to each other and pin them up on our school’s community board for each other to see!)

Just ask our Goldfish Swim School ambassador, three-time Olympic Gold medalist Ryan Murphy. He’s had swim buddies who helped move him along in his swim career – and now, he’s got a new swim buddy: Bubbles! (Watch their meeting!)

Buddies Learn from Each Other

Group lessons remain a stellar way to help kids learn to swim because of the socialization benefits. Sometimes it’s easier to learn certain things by watching others. Sure, our instructors use integrity, compassion and trust to teach kids swim skills – and are right in the water with the kids every step of the way – but things can become clearer by seeing someone else learning at the same level.

Watching a swim buddy getting instruction on how to get more impactful kicks can sink in even more than if your child was getting that same specific direction – because the focus is elsewhere.

Kids even help each other, too. Perhaps your child notices that their swim buddy is struggling with mastering a skill, and can offer tips and tricks on how he or she was able to do so. Or, maybe she is needing comfort because of a little apprehension about going to the other side of the pool solo. It’s all about learning and picking up on social cues and getting through new situations more easily – because that’s what friends are for!

Learning Through Play

When more kids are learning how to swim during a group lesson, it feels less like an actual “class” and more like a fun time to be with friends – and time to bond with their swim buddy.

Part of our philosophy of teaching kids how to swim through the Science of SwimPlay is that we know the foundation of a child’s cognitive growth is rooted in learning through guided play.

Kids – and parents – may be surprised by the extraordinary results they see while they think they’re not learning…but we’re not! When kids are having fun, they want to do more of whatever they’re doing. So, if they’re having fun with friends while they’re swimming, chances are they’ll persist and accomplish their goals.

Swim with Friends at Goldfish Swim School

We have friends across the country, so find a Goldfish Swim School location near you and stop in to sign your kids up for swim lessons today! Our WOW! customer service and 90-degree pool water are just some of the reasons you’ll want to dive right in.