Adaptive Swim

Adaptive swim lessons for children of all abilities

Adaptive swim lessons are offered at select Big Blue Swim School locations to teach swim skills and impart water safety principles to children of all abilities, including those with autism or other special needs. Adaptive lessons are taught by a caring, dedicated Big Blue instructor certified in the Swim Whisperers® method, created by Swim Angelfish®.

Adaptive Swim Lessons at Big Blue 

Empowering a child with the ability to enjoy water safely opens a world of possibilities for exercise, social interaction, and enjoyment. 

  • Specialized Expertise: Caring, professional Big Blue swim instructors have been certified in The Swim Whisperers® method, created by experts at Swim Angelfish®, to gain critical skills and adaptations to help tailor our Big Blue curriculum to the needs of each individual child.

  • Inclusive Learning: Having instructors trained in this method ensures that children of all abilities, including those with severe to mild sensory issues, problems with motor skills, difficulty processing information, attention issues, or any other condition that might physically or psychologically impede the process of learning to swim, can safely and confidently engage in swimming. 

  • Water Safety: Our adaptive swim lessons thoughtfully address various sensory and physical needs, ensuring that they are as inclusive and effective as possible. Each lesson is a building block, tailored to each child’s unique pace and abilities, which enables them to experience the joy of swimming while, most importantly, cultivating critical water safety skills and gaining a sense of achievement.  

  • Lifelong Skills: Ultimately, these lessons help children develop a strong understanding of water safety principles that will continue to be important, and potentially lifesaving, throughout their life.

What are adaptive swim lessons?  

Adaptive swim lessons are designed to make swim lessons accessible to children of all abilities. These lessons aim to provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals to learn how to swim, improve their swimming skills, and gain water safety awareness.

Adaptive swim lessons, such as those taught by instructors certified in the Swim Whisperers® method at Big Blue, tailor lessons to meet the specific needs of each individual and include modifications, compared to the traditional swimming curriculum, so that they can learn in a way that is comfortable and safe for them.

Many Big Blue locations have certified instructors in the Swim Whisperers® method, which include an individualized lesson plan that identifies underlying issues preventing progress to implement strategies and modifications necessary for success. 

Adaptive swim lessons help your swimmer acquire critical swim skills such as kicking, floating, submerging, and strokes with the use of visual aids, tactile cues, and specific movement strategies to encourage progress by using teaching equipment such as flotation devices for those who struggle with buoyancy in the water.

Who are adaptive swim lessons for?

Adaptive swim lessons, such as those taught by instructors certified in the Swim Whisperers® method, can be appropriate for individuals of all abilities, including those with physical, cognitive, and sensory needs.  

Pools That Offer Adaptive Swim Lessons:

FAQ About Adaptive Swim Lessons 

What are adaptive swim lessons, and how are they different from regular swim lessons? These swim lessons emphasize critical water safety skills, helping children of all abilities, including those who have physical, cognitive and sensory needs, to develop a strong understanding of water safety principles. 

Do you have instructors trained to work with children of all abilities? Yes, instructors who teach our adaptive swim lessons are certified in the Swim Whisperers® method, which was created by Swim Angelfish®. 

What age can children start adaptive swim lessons? While we don’t offer any lessons to children younger than 3 months, it’s best to reach out to your local school to understand the best age for your swimmer to begin adaptive swim lessons. 

How much do adaptive swim lessons cost? The lesson price varies by pool, please reach out to your local school to learn more about cost. 

How frequent adaptive swim lessons? These lessons are held weekly for optimal growth and learning, but we recommend that you reach out to your local school if there are concerns regarding frequency. 

Do you offer private or group adaptive swim lessons? We offer both private and group lessons and which you enroll in is based on your child’s needs. Please reach out to your local to talk with the team and learn what would be the best fit for your child. 

Can my child participate in swim lessons if they have sensory sensitivities? Yes. Our instructors certified in the Swim Whisperers® method are trained specifically on how various sensory needs and outputs can be adapted into the Big Blue curriculum. 

How do you assess my child’s swimming ability and comfort level in the water? Adaptive swim lessons rely heavily on parent/instructor feedback. We look at things like swim history, sensory input, and cognitive abilities to assess where children are starting at. From there, our instructors  build a structural foundation with our adaptive measures to progress them through our Big Blue skills sets! 

Safety & Accessibility 

Is your pool wheelchair accessible? Please contact your local school for more information on accessibility tools. 

Do you provide flotation devices or other adaptive swim equipment? Yes, depending on the needs of the swimmer,  there are several tools our instructors may use, including flotation devices, in order to teach adaptive swim lessons. 

How do you handle children who have difficulty following instructions? Our instructors work with caregivers to understand the easiest and most beneficial methods of motivating their child and focus on the child's safety during the class. Redirecting and providing break time is critical for most children at preventing disruptions. 

What safety measures do you have in place for children with mobility challenges or seizures? All of our instructors are first aid certified, and we would recommend that children with mobility challenges or seizures enroll into private, 1:1 lessons.  

Can parents or caregivers be in the water during lessons? We encourage swimmers to start out on their own, as it allows our instructors to build a bond with the swimmers  and provides an easier transition to  swim skills. However, if there are any specific needs, we encourage you to talk to your local team to determine the best method for your child. 

Instructors & Teaching Methods 

Do instructors have experience working with children with autism, Down syndrome, or other developmental delays? Yes, our instructors have been certified in the Swim Whisperers® method to teach children of all abilities. 

How do you adapt lessons for children with sensory processing disorders? Every sensory processing disorder is different, therefor there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to adapting. We work with caregivers to better understand their child's strengths, and focus. on areas we know will benefit based on Big Blue curriculum! 

What strategies do you use for children who are afraid of water? Most children with a fear of the water need a gentle touch! Going slow, explaining with the the process of the skills, focusing on skills in sections, and praise helps children who might have fear coming into classes. 

Can you customize the lessons based on my child’s specific needs? Yes, as each child and their needs may vary, our instructors use their knowledge and training to cater to the individual needs of each child. 

Progress & Outcomes 

How long does it typically take for a child who takes adaptive swim lessons to learn how to swim? For any child, learning to swim is an ongoing process and making progress can vary from child to child depending on a number of factors including age, needs, frequency of lessons and more. Our team will be able to better assess quickness of progress once lessons begin, and continue to update each family throughout lessons. 

What are the main benefits of adaptive swim lessons? Adaptive swim lessons are perfect for children of all abilities, including those who have physical, cognitive and sensory needs, who have anxiety disorders, who have had previous traumatic experiences with the water, or might just need extra time focusing on their water skills. In these lessons, children learn critical safety skills and basic propulsion through the water. At Big Blue specifically, our instructors are specially trained, scheduling is flexible and easy, and our facilities are comfortable and clean! 

Do you provide progress reports or feedback after each lesson? Yes, these can also be tracked within the Big Blue app or parent portal. 

How do you help build confidence in children who struggle with water activities? Building a relationship with our swimmers is key with any nervous child, which is why our instructors are all dedicated and caring, and why we focus on and celebrate progress and offer consistent and regular classes to help ensure your child's growth! 

Other Considerations 

Can siblings or neurotypical peers join the lessons? We recommend against placing siblings and friends together in the adaptive lessons to ensure a distraction-free environment. However, we would be happy to discuss scheduling options to accommodate all family members in different lessons simultaneously, making it convenient for you.

What happens if my child becomes overwhelmed? Overstimulation is common, but our instructors certified in the Swim Whisperers® method are trained on sensory input and output to help prevent sensory overload. Big Blue does have a flexible lesson makeup policy, however, so please talk to your local school if there are times where your swimmer just needs a day off! 

Are there any medical or behavioral conditions that would prevent my child from participating? We would recommend consulting with your pediatrician regarding medical or behavioral conditions that may restrict a child’s participation in adaptive swim lessons. If you have specific concerns or questions on what our team is able to offer, please reach out to your local school. 

How do I know if my child is ready for swim lessons? Unless otherwise directed by a medical professional, it is always a smart idea to consider and enroll into  swim lessons. Whether they have little experience to none, Big Blue can help them on their journey! 

What should my child bring to their first lesson? This will vary depending on the age and needs of each swimmer. All children who are not potty trained are required to wear a snug fitting reusable swim diaper over a disposable swim diaper under their swimsuits. All children should have a swimsuit, and we recommend bringing a towel and change of clothes for after lessons. Children may wear goggles and/or a swim cap if preferred, however these are not required. For more information on what to expect and what to bring, click here. 

Interested in Learning More

Big Blue Swim School is a welcoming, supportive, kid-focused environment. We offer no-risk free trial lessons, so you can try us and see for yourself!