The manager and staff are great! As a mom, there's nothing more comforting than seeing your child feel safe, supported, and celebrated--and that's exactly what we've found here. When we first started swim lessons, my kiddo was terrified of the water. I honestly wasn't sure how it would go. But thanks to the incredibly patient, kind, and skilled instructors, not only is my child no longer scared--they are absolutely thriving. What makes this place truly special is the family atmosphere. Everyone knows my kiddo by name, cheers them on, and makes them feel like they belong. It's not just swim lessons--it's a community that genuinely cares. We've gone from tears at the pool's edge to being asked daily if it's "swimming day" yet. I can't thank this team enough for helping my child grow in confidence and fall in love with swimming! read more

Bear Paddle has small group classes for kids based on their proficiency and age. Lessons are fun and non competitive. Instructors, called coaches, provide instruction and correction when needed to meet specific goals for each class level. When goals are met, the kids get patches and graduate to the next level. Bear Paddle also offers special clinics and camps during breaks from school. Pool is filled with warm salt water. Locker room has stalls for changing and showers are available. The Kid Wash also allows kids to rinse off before and after class in a fun way. There's an adjacent room with tables, and chairs, snack machines (I don't think they are working at this time), and kids' movies. Kids seem to like it. read more

Bear Paddle Swim School - Swim class - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Orland Park, Illinois

We had been bringing our sons here for about 5 years, since our oldest was 6 months. I feel like in the last year or two, it has started to go downhill from when we first started. Staff turnover seems much higher and the facility is in general disrepair. Things have been broken and aren't being fixed at all (lockers, lights, benches, swimsuit dryers, etc.). The staff and teachers have always been very friendly and great with our kids, but we are just not as happy as this place as we used to be. Ultimately we are trying somewhere else closer to home. read more

We just came back to bear paddle with our second child. The first swim lesson, he gave the teacher a really hard time and was scared to do anything, but now he is four swim lessons in and is already floating by himself and can swim a short distance with his head under the water! His instructor is incredible! He is firm with him, but uses positive reinforcement and is always praising him. We are so happy that we made the choice to return when our youngest was ready to learn. read more

it is completely disheartening to watch my child get skipped over during her group sessions week after week for not following along. When i asked for 1:1 swimming lessons I was advised they were "short staffed." if my child isn't following along, then i would have expected them to propose an alternative solution instead they punished her for not following along by excluding her from the exercises. Reported the incident and was advised I would get a call from a manager. Lauren called once and left a message and hasn't reached out since. nor does their location pick up the phone. It's been 2 weeks. read more

They have cancelled my daughters class, and put her on a time that does not work for me. They only gave me 6 day notice, and when I mentioned about withdrawing from the program they stated they need 30 day notice or I would be charged a fee. Funny how they want 30 days but only gave me 6 days. Coaches don't want to start classes a minute earlier but they do end classes 3 minutes earlier. read more

The place is dirty and when we came for our first lesson, the unisex locker room was chaotic and smelled like urine. The pool was warm, but the teacher was talking to another teacher in the next lane and even stopped watching the kids in class swim. This seemed a little dangerous just in case something happened. The front desk was also chatting and no one came to us to talk about the lesson. We walked out the front door and most likely won't be back. read more

I like this school. I have been going for a year and now have my 2 children enrolled. I gave 4 stars because the facility is not consistently warm nor is the pool always at 90 degrees, especially during the winter months. As a working parent, the evening and weekend classes are great. But recently if you need to make up a class they now have limited the times that you are able to do this. At $22 per lesson for each child, I would think there would be more flexibility. But for now I will stay since I do feel like my child is learning to swim. As a parent, we do know that during the winter months children do get quite a few viral illnesses so you may have difficulty making up your lessons. read more

Would not attend this place of business. They have missed logging the appointments for my grandson thus missing swim time as I have to argue with the person at the front desk. They don't seem to be teaching much new. Same lessons over and over. Also the manager Casey showed complete lack of business skills and disrespect as he attempted to reprimand me over not have my mask completely over my nose even though it covered the nostrils. When I told him to call the police , he threatened to end my grandsons' lesson. So that things didn't escalate I raised the mask slightly. He seemed to be on a power trip because I voiced my displeasure at them being unorganized on setting appointments. read more

There are some great things about this school. The school uses salt water which is less irritating. It is always warm which makes classes a possibility even when the weather is chilly. They have small classes, which is nice. The badge system is nice. My daughter is substantially more comfortable in the water than she was a year ago. The bad. The changing rooms get dirty toward the end of the day. Downright nasty. There have been times when they've smelled of urine and when I've complained the front desk was aware but did nothing about it. Not even put up a sign to say out of order. In order to advance between levels a floor monitor must observe a child meeting the goals for their level. This is great in theory. It's not so great when there are no floor monitors. My daughter finally advanced out of level 1 which I took video to the front desk and asked them to explain why she hadn't graduated yet. The ability within levels, particularly the lower levels vary greatly, which can hinder progress for the class as a whole. I've been on both sides of this, both with a child who was more advanced as a level 1 and with the same child who is terrified of the backstroke as a level 2. read more

I absolutely Love this place!!! My daughter took a swim class at a park district before and didn't like it. She was terrified to put her face in the water. The instructors at bear paddle work with your child to make them feel comfortable. My daughter has been a student for 3 months now and has graduated 3 times. I'm so proud of her but I'm more grateful for the instructors at Bear Paddle. I do like that the school is strictly for children also. read more

My child just started about a month ago and her teacher Brie is excellent! She's so attentive to each student. She pushes her students and she makes learning fun. I would definitely recommend Bear Paddle for every child at any level. read more

My 5-year-old has been taking lessons at Bear Paddle for 6 months. During that time, he has progressed through two entire levels. The instructors have been excellent-- they make it fun but really work to move the children forward so they progress. I also have done several of the week-long swim camps offered during school breaks and having the consistency of lessons everyday really helped my son master the skills necessary to get a patch in each area. The Bear Paddle team is very friendly, encouraging, and communicative. I highly recommend Bear Paddle to anyone with young children. read more

Disorganized classes. Rude staff. Always cold the winter. I only sign up when classes are 50% off. Mediocre swim lessons.

This swimming school is the best choice we've made for our 2 year old daughter. It seems to be helping her self-confidence & discipline. Now when we first started she was terrible, what I mean by terrible is that she literally did NOT want to participate in the class at all or listen to either the instructor or myself. With only a few lessons she has shown major improvement and as parents we are so delighted and proud not only of her but also ourselves for listening to everyone who told us that she would get better with time. Thank you to all the parents for all the kind words of encouragement. read more

The classes were pretty standard. The low rating is due to their cancellation policy. My son became terrified with the portion of the class where he was put under water. We tried to negotiate with him to go back but typical 4 year old fashion, he is adamant he will not go back. When I tried to pause & keep classes that we paid for and stop auto renewal for the future, I was informed that it requires an in person visit to sign physical forms to do so. First, I live far enough away for this to be an inconvenience. Second, it was very easy to sign up and hand over my credit card to begin lessons through their website, without having to pay a visit to the school. Also, I was told that because I was canceling after the 7th of the month (today is 3/18) that I would be billed for classes through the month of April - that I clearly will not be using because my son won't go near the school. read more

Would not recommend. It was so busy and chaotic, had a hard time hearing the instructor. The lessons also felt very very rushed. For example I wanted to let my 2 year old know what was going to be going on before just dunking him in the water and instructor just wanted to take and dunk him. That is how phobias start, people. Really Awful experience. Went for 1 month and never again! Much better experience with Aqua Tots now. read more

Ummm...no. After having a swim assessment at this place for our daughter and touring the facility, it's a big no for us. The place has a common changing area for boys, girls, and adults together. It's not really on the clean side, and the pool was cloudy/ a little dirty. The instructors were babying the kids rather than teaching swimming (most likely so they can keep you there as long as possible so you will pay $$$ for longer). The classes are $80/ month and be prepared to sign a contract for automatic billing with at least 30 days notice if you want to leave. Has a very corporate gym membership feel to it. The staff was friendly though. However, we'll pass. read more

When I was a kid, I took lessons at the YMCA. I remember quite a few kids being in the class at a time. We don't have that option in Orland, so when Bear Paddle opened, I was thrilled. I'm really happy with the instruction that my children are receiving. My 5 year old is now swimming without a floatie and my 3 year old will be any time now. They spend time on each student due to their small class sizes. The teachers are enthusiastic and patient and you can tell that the kids really respond well to that. They've been really flexible if we've had to reschedule a makeup for any reason (being out of town, illness, etc). The only downfall if I had to find one on the rescheduled classes I've noticed is if you don't get an instructor that knows your child, the instructor for the makeup class has to spend about 10 minutes of learning time figuring out what level your child is at. Still, the fact that makeups are an option is great! They're also very flexible in finding classes that mesh with any schedule. Overall, I think they're doing a fantastic job and I'm telling anyone who asks me to not hesitate signing your kids up. I'm a really happy parent! read more

Omg, this place is ridiculous. Like taking swim lessons on the playground during recess. Pool is divided into 7 sections and all of them had a class going. The instructor rushed through a 30 minute class and scolded me because my 1.5 yr old nephew wasn't following instructions. Super frustrating and distracting read more

I have attended here with my children on and off for the past three years. I have noticed in the past two months that the locker room floor has been dirty. I inquired about this two weeks ago and the woman at the front desk said that their power washer is broken, but that they do spray it down twice a day. Today I was there again and it still looked dirty. I know that there is a lot of traffic this time of year, but come on, they could rent a power washer to make the floors clean. With all the warm water and kids running around, they really need to make this place look clean. The instructors have been great, and many times my child is the only one in the class during the day. The front office staff is just okay with answering questions, not all that friendly. read more

LOVE Bear Paddle! Everyone that works here has been great! We started our son in swim lessons at 18months, he is now 3.5 years old. We started our daughter at 12months and she is now 2. Both of my kids love swimming lessons! However, my son moved up a level and has been giving us trouble with getting in the water these past few week...we have stuck with it because he truly loves the water and swimming! The staff, especially the AMAZING Coach Pam, have been so patient and wonderful working with us to get him back swimming. Today, he got back in! I highly recommend swim lessons here! read more

Over priced for swim classes. I was disappointed with their service. I had 4 kids enrolled and one of them missed a class for being sick. When I showed up with 3 of my kids and asked to schedule a makeup class for my son, they said I needed a doctors note which I have no time to go to a doctors office to pick up with my busy work schedule. Not worth the money, I don't plan on coming back! read more

We have been coming here about 1.5 years with both kids. The have both learned safety skills and how to swim. They like the reward patches. Sometimes it gets crowded during peak hours and the pool lanes are small. One plus is the warm water and salt water base is less irritating. Great program for kids under 10. read more

We take our 20 month old to Bear Paddle and he absolutely loves it! The staff are energetic, encouraging, and fun! We love singing songs and getting used to the water. Highly recommend! read more

Best place ever! It's so professional and clean. The instructors are awesome!! They are silly with the kids and super patient. The water is salt water so it doesn't hurt your skin or hair. My kids love it and look forward to swimming every week!! Highly recommend!!! read more

I absolutely love this swim school for my son! All the staff are really attentive to the children and there needs. My son was so scared at first and now is so at ease and confident. He is doing an amazing job and it's simply because of the coaches and all their dedication. I really love Lexi!!! She is simply amazing!! I would highly recommend this school! read more

We only did the trial swim class after 4:30pm. It was loud, crowed, & locker room was ok. I was afraid to step into a changing room. My son liked the class and his teacher. I went up to the front desk after to get some pricing info because $22/lesson is not cheap compared to other lessons. The front desk people were kinda snobby & said it's all on the website. I don't know if we will be back. I was looking for a deal but all I got was gimics. read more

Wonderful. I'm a bit confused at other negative reviews-they do have a common "locker room", but very nice changing rooms that are mandatory for changing. Very clean, very friendly, and my daughter loves it. She was absolutely terrified of the water before bear paddle and we've tried several other options. She's 7 so we knew we had to make her learn and this place has gotten her loving the pool and she's making quick progress in learning to swim. The price tag is appropriate for what you get, and I'm as cheap as they come. read more

I like their concept-start the little ones early with water acclimation and I've signed my LO up on and off for teddy bear lessons since he was 6mon. Nevertheless, some instructors are not as enthusiastic and it shows. Some just go through the motions so more improved training is needed. read more

I've been taking my son here since he was 6 months old and he loves the water! He's going on 3 years old now and he's progressing quite well. The water is always warm and the staff always has a smile on their face. My son loves swim class and I'm thrilled with results we're getting. read more

We love the entire bear paddle team. From the front desk to the lessons each person we have encountered has been super friendly and helpful. It is obvious that everyone genuinely cares about the students and their skill development. A specIal thanks to coach Lucia who has made floating not so scary. read more