Stay away from this swim school!!!! All they want is your money. They used to be awesome but as of late some of the amazing people have left and they have gone down hill drastically. On top of the service getting worse and the facility not being kept up the prices are getting higher. Lastly, they don't mind cancelling on you last minute but if you cancel on them last min that's not allowed or you lose a class. Literally they called me last week to cancel my class on that same call I asked if I can cancel a makeup class so I would have to wearing an almost an hour in between classes and I was told no I would lose that class. "Hold on you literally just cancelled mine but I can't cancel the makeup?" and " I have to wait around for an almost an hour for the next one?" Complete disregard for your time again as long as they get paid. It doesn't matter. We cancelled our membership immediately and are starting somewhere else next month. read more

Our child has thrived here. I honestly don't understand some of the hateful reviews. We haven't experienced anything close to what the 1-star reviews are saying. Yes, it can get messy. There are a ton of kids coming in and out throughout the day. I've seen staff cleaning. We started sending my daughter two days a week since she started late in life because of covid. I have enough trust in the teachers to drop her off where she needs to go, and I sit in the lobby. All she has done is thrive. It's hard for a teacher to work with kids if they are turning to find their parents all the time. She will be six this month, and she will be in level six. read more

Awesome school they are very Hands-On, very attentive, friendly, and kind. It is a clean establishment they also have treats for before and after classes available to patrons for zero cost. They're very professional, pays attention to wants and needs. Its worth every penny you will not be disappointed they understood the assignment. read more

I don't understand the negative reviews at all- far from my experience. My kids 3 and 4 learned to swim here and the progress was (continues to be) outstanding. The teachers move the kids to the next skill as they are ready which accelerates their abilities quickly. The teachers are positive and so energetic and the facilities are clean and warm. The friend who recommended this place to me said "it's not just experiencing water and kicking with a kick board or blowing bubbles. Bear paddle will actually teach your kids to swim." And they have! read more

My son is a student here but I am currently looking for other swim schools at the moment. This location is not maintained. The waiting area is filthy and not stocked (Table, floors, seats, counter). The showers are dirty and smell like urine. With what families pay to come here it should always be clean and stocked. There are usually at least 3 employees sitting at the front desk. It doesn't take long to take a clorox wipe and wipe down. And it takes minutes to restock. read more

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Came here for a birthday party and I was so impressed! I've heard about Bear Paddle from various parents and they always had such rave reviews. It wasn't until my kids received a birthday invitation that I actually decided to step inside the place to see what it's all about. First off, staff is so friendly and were amazing with all the kids. Even though my kids don't have much exposure to swimming, they had one of the best times at the birthday. They were really nervous and scared at first, but the instructors were so patient and encouraging that they got over their fear little by little and ended up participating in all the birthday games! This is definitely a great way to spend a birthday with an hour of swimming plus a good-sized party room right next to the pool. Everyone had such a great time and everything ran so smoothly. Very impressed by the place! Only reason I'm knocking off a star is that swimming lessons are pretty expensive! Oh my goodness... $22.50 for a 30 minute lesson?! Eeeeeek. read more

We have been taking our daughter, Giuliana 6 yo, and son, Nello 3 yo, here for the past 3 years! Nello enjoyed their parent-tot/baby classes and will start the "big kid" classes next month. Giuliana has participated in group classes the entire time and has loved them. From a child's perspective my children have bought into the leveled system with patch incentives. We've even bought the sweatshirt to see the patches on to track the progress. From my perspective, i am thankful to watch and observe how water safety is in the forefront of the teachers and deck manager's priority list. I appreciate the routine the instructors establish with the students to develop a secure atmosphere where my children feel comfortable and confident to try new things, even if they are nervous about them. The professionalism of staff is reassuring to me that this investment in my children is worth the cost-I appreciate the candid nature of my children's progress and plan to push them to the next level. read more

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I do not recommend this swimming school at all, they are scammers! They took my bank card information to later steal my money, they don't care about your children's swimming, they only care about taking your money read more

If I could give 0 stars I would. Be prepared for your child not to get attention if they listen and follow instructions. I went to one session and immediately withdrew the same day. It has been over 2 weeks and I am still waiting to hear back from the swim school manager for a refund. I've been told it's "on her list". The associates at the desk are not friendly or helpful. The turnover with teachers is why we left two years ago. This recent experience confirms exactly why we will never recommend this business. read more

We have been at Bear Paddle for just about a year now and I cannot rave enough about how great this swim school really is!! We have tried lessons through the park district previously and have been stuck on "level1" for 3 swimming sessions. That equals about 12 weeks, maybe more. My kids have learned more in probably 3 lessons here than they did in all of the time at the park district. The first perk for the kids is that the water is warm. Seems like a small thing but the kids hate to have to get into cold water, especially in the winter. They also love the kiddie car wash. The facilities are always clean and they have everything you need. One time we forgot towels and we were able to rent one for $1 I think it was. That is just awesome!! It does get loud, but it is a pool. Indoor pools are always loud. There are plenty of places to sit outside of the pool area where you can see your child and not be in the noise. There is a great kids tv room to occupy children that are not swimming. I saved the instructors/staff for last because this to me is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of this facility. The instructors are great and beyond patient (Coach Maria has been a favorite so far followed by Coach Kelly). My daughter went through a period where she didn't even want to get in the water--pure stubbornness and they were able to handle it even when I was completely fed up!! The instructor helped her and guided her as well as the deck manager. They really worked hard to help my stubborn daughter. I have seen this with other students as well of many different ages. My son is now at a level 5 and my daughter a level 4. I feel completely comfortable with them in the water now. As for missed lessons-they have the bonus lessons if you have to miss due to illness. Plus the schedule is flexible. You can change it pretty much at any time. So, if Monday's work for you this month but next month you need Saturday's you can change that. I am not sure what others were saying in their reviews about scheduling problems! Great place!! I have recommended it to my friends who are also all very pleased. We have referred now 6 children in 3 different families and will continue to talk about how great Bear Paddle is. read more

Don't waste your time. Teachers don't even look like they want to be here. They closed a few months ago, I called to cancel my lessons, but haven't heard back. I canceled my credit card so I don't get charged again due to the lack of communication. Even saw a teacher push my kid on his back while he was swimming to get him underwater and now he's regressed to holding his nose again. read more

Excellent place to learn swimming. They have six levels and batches for each level. It's clean (occasionally there are accidents when facility is locked down) overall, facility is well maintained. 90F water is a plus, MAX 4 in a class. Staff is accommodating. Instructor attrition sometimes is a concern, staff is keeping up.. Fees are creeping up... read more

Today was my baby's last mommy and me swim lesson. We arrived but couldn't find her instructor. When asked about her class, I found out it had been cancelled but I hadn't checked my email. Jessica was wonderful and before I could even say anything, she said she would do a one on one swim lesson since my baby was the only one there. Jessica was cheerful and my child enjoyed playing with her. I was very impressed that Jessica was willing to teach a lesson during her break. Thank you! read more

Can't say enough good things about this place! I started with signing up my daughter in the youngest class, and she is now swimming without me in the pool with her, with minimal help from the instructors. Keep in mind she is a new 3 year old. My son signed up shortly after, at 5 years old, and being in the classes for only about 4 months he is swimming independently the breast stroke and back stroke. The kids learn to "Humpty Dumpty" (sit on edge of pool and just fall in, then turn around and make their way to the edge where they climb out) to ensure that if they ever fall in a pool they will know what to do. The class size never exceeds 4, usually with only 3 kids in a lane being watched closely. When they complete a skill set, they earn badges which definitely helps them stay motivated to continue learning and working towards the next badge, and eventually the next level. There is the option for your child to wear goggles, but being salt water neither of my children have any problems with their eyes getting irritated. We have had to schedule a few make up classes, and it's easily done. All of the instructors are good with kids. We love the bear paddle team :) read more

My hair dresser told me about Bear Paddle in Orland Park and how much she loved sending her 3 children there. I work and live closer to the Woodridge location so I gave it a try a few couple years ago and we love it. The staff is as nice as I heard they are. They are all really great with the kids. I would definitely recommend this swim school to everyone. I would also recommend the Summer swim camps they are a great opportunity for your child to master skills faster. read more

My daughter is almost 8 and is determined to be a great swimmer next summer. We have done 3 lessons and so far so good. The only complaint I have is I feel like the coaches are not 100% focused on the kids in the pool. They do a lot of looking around at what is going on. It's extremely busy and their attention is not where it should be at all times. As long as my daughter learns and becomes a strong swimmer I will be happy. read more

Lesson 3 down and he is SO close to swimming on his own now. Yeh! My 3-year old started classes this month. He has learned more in 3 swim lessons at Bear Paddle than he has learned in 4 months at Park District swimming lessons! I was becoming doubtful he would be swimming before summer...but now I know he will be. Smaller class sizes are essential for kids to get as much time with the instructor as possible. Bear Paddle has a maximum of 4 kids per class. I've found that at the Park District's classes, since they have larger class sizes, the kids spent 25 minutes out of the 30 minute class sitting on the wall doing nothing. Bear Paddle is worth the extra money. It is an investment in safety (from drowning). read more

We love Bear Paddle. My daughter has been taking lessons for over 3 yrs now and loves them. The staff is a joy to work with both in the water and out. I have never had a concern that could not resolved promptly by the staff. The staff took the time to do a private lesson with my daughter to help her overcome her fear of the deeper water and since then she has had no fear of the water and we can't seem to get her out. We often here... is today a swim day because she can't get enough. I strongly recommend the Woodridge location, however we also have experienced the Orland Park and Bloomingdales locations which are just a wonderful. read more

Pro: it's a nice facility Con: -they don't teach any kind of treading water or survival floating at the beginning. -The "lanes" are very short and don't allow much space to practice any swim strokes. Especially with 3-4 kids and instructor in the area. -my kid, although not an Olympic swimmer, got some badges but has trouble doing any of the strokes/activities in a normal size pool. -I think they try to keep kids on certain levels so you'll buy more lessons. I was told a multitude of reasons why he/she wasn't being moved up by the person in charge. I'd ask the instructor if these items were fixed and was told they are fine, but there would always be a new reason. I'm under no impression that my kid would come out of this place and be an excellent swimmer. But I had hoped that 3 months of lessons would allow basic function in a normal pool. I suppose if I wanted to find a 6'x10' pool, with a platform in the middle, I'd probably see some splashing and "swimming". Bear Paddle packs them in, charges you a bundle, and doesn't teach them basic skills like treading water or floating. I could've gotten a book at the library and taught my kid in a pool less crowded. read more

Our kids love Jamie. She is the most friendly and happy swin instructor. We feel the cost is reasonable and the faculty is clean and safe. We had an issue with the parking one day but other than that we can't recxomend her high enough. Our kids love goingntonsac here and are tired when they come home. Lol read more

Great program for our 1 year old baby to start out with. Daniella was an excellent instructor. We purchased a Groupon for 8 total sessions at 50% normal rate for the month. I'll definitely purchase again if I see it. My son loved the familiar routine each week and did put some of his newly learned water skills to practice. We still sing some of the swim songs he learned and look forward to lots of pool time this summer. Cannot say enough good things about the program they offer. The only negative is that the full rate is pricey! read more

I am updating this review because I had a great customer service experience recently. I received a phone call from Bear Paddle a few weeks ago. They knew my bonus lessons were expiring for my little girl and also knew how hard it was for our family to schedule bonus lessons (no I never brought it up to anyone that worked there) so they credited me an extra month to use them. This is an awesome thing! So fear not, maybe they will work with you on the bonus lesson thing so you can get your full money's worth! read more

I am glad my son is attending Bear Paddle swimming class in Bloomingdale, Illinois. Staff are great. Instructors are very professional and caring. Overall , a good decision on our part and a great place to learn. read more

This place has great facilities and a great approach. My 5 year old son was signed up for the 2 week swim camp and by class 4 he was swimming underwater. The locker room area and shower is well thought out and very clean. My son loved the kid car wash shower. My only frustration (and I understand it's a building with concrete and aluminum ceilings) but it was VERY loud. It didn't help that they kept music on and some teachers shouted. My son has sensory issues and it was difficult for him to concentrate by the middle of his class. Even I would get a headache sitting waiting for him. Maybe this is just an issue during the camps because of all the kids. Regular lessons might be different. read more

Hmmm. I heard great things about this place. While the swim instructor was nice to my son and actually got him in the water.... I was made to feel they didn't want to deal with teaching him to swim because he is terrified of water. I was hoping this would have been an answer to my prayers. Nope. I was totally pushed aside when I wanted to discuss options regarding lessons. Very disappointing! read more

I heard very good things about Bear Paddle so my husband and I decided to check it out for our 7 month old. Needless to say I was very disappointed when we walked in and not a single person greeted us. I wasn't looking for the red carpet treatment but a "hello" or "may I help you" would have been nice. The young lady behind the desk did not say a single word to us. We proceeded to give ourselves a tour to the locker room then walked on to the pool deck. I decided to head back to the front desk to inquire about the lessons and no one was to be found. We left and drove straight to Gold Fish! read more

I took my 16 month old son there.  Despite him doing his own things in the water, he had a blast. The instructor was great and very supportive of my son doing other activities.  I would love to bring him back, but the timing was difficult since I had baby #2. read more

Bear Paddle hosted a birthday party for our 8 year old son and 13 friends.  They did an amazing job providing instructors to lead really fun games in the pool during pool time!!!  They boys had such a blast! The instructors were all super friendly, and very patient with our group of boys.  The staff had the party room set-up before we arrived, and cleaned up after we left.  We highly recommend this place for a kids party!  We also attend for swim lessons and they have done such a great job teaching our son how to swim. He's excelled and is learning different strokes and techniques, and looks forward to going every time! read more

Both of my children are learning to swim here, and we absolutely love it. The teachers have taught my young children not to be scare of water and to want to swim independently. The style of teaching worked very well for my children, and they look forward to their weekly swim lessons. Thank you Bear Paddle! read more

5 lessons and my once reluctant 8 year old is swimming with his head in the water and Eben on his back! His teacher, Beau, is JUST EXCELLENT. We couldn't be happier. And he has 2 weeks of classes to go! I'm so happy we came here to get our son started. read more

This place is wonderful!!! My niece has been going there for two years and it makes her so happy and she is so confident thanks to her sessions! Not to mention Josh is really amazing with the kids. He is very patient and encouraging. My niece does not take easily to people but she really enjoys seeing Josh. We will continue to come here for a long time as it is always clean, reasonably priced and the staff is excellent! read more

So far we've had nothing but great experiences. In a little over six months my daughter has gone from being very much a beginning level 1 to level 4. I love that the program is designed so kids are able to stay at a level for as long or as short as is needed and then they move to the next level at their own speed once they have passed the needed skills. There are lots of class sessions to choose from so scheduling has never been an issue for us. We'll definitely be continuing lessons at Bear Paddle. read more

Very bad experience at Bear Paddle- don't take your eyes off of your child during swim lessons. There are no lifeguards here (the teachers act as lifeguards, but are too distracted teaching 3 toddlers at once for this to be safe)- During my 3 year old's lesson, I had to jump into the water fully clothed, gym shoes and all, and pull him out from under the water after he went under while the teacher had her back completely turned. No one who worked there even noticed until I was waist-deep in the water. 20 more seconds or had I been distracted, this could have ended tragically. You cannot take your eyes off of your child for a second if you let them swim here. read more

My 18 month old son seems to enjoy it. He's been to four 30 minute classes, and he's comfortable with being underwater. His instructor is great. The facilities are clean and well maintained. Just wish they had more changing ing rooms with diaper stations. Two doesn't make sense for the amount of kids that are there. We came through a groupon deal which was basically half price for 8 sessions. Still considering wether to continue when that's over since regular rates are a bit pricey. read more

We just finished our free trial lesson and I was less than impressed. Before moving, we were going to Big Blue in Niles for the past six months or so. I guess sometimes you don't realize how good you have it until it's gone. Bear Paddle is no Big Blue. The instructor could not have seemed less interested in being there. My daughter was straight up ignored for almost half the lesson. I was ready to pull her from the pool after about five minutes, but decided to get a manager instead. He talked to the teacher, but it was just more of the same. At the end of the lesson he offered to give us another free trial with a different teacher, but I'm hesitant to take him up on it. The ceiling is rusty, the lighting was dark with several bulbs out, and the changing rooms were small, stark, and frankly depressing. I'm going to miss Big Blue until we find a replacement. At this point, I'd be willing to drive 30-40 min to go back there rather than come back to Bear Paddle. read more

Great staff and extremely accommodating, even when I messed up the lesson time and they pulled in another instructor so I didn't have to come back. My two daughters learned more in one Bear Paddle class than they did in a six-week YMCA class. I highly recommend this school. read more

I am thoroughly impressed with Bear Paddle of Woodridge. Before her first lesson, my daughter didn't like putting her face in the water. My the 2nd Lesson, her face was in the water and she was swimming freestyle without floaties. By the 3rd Lesson, she was diving for rings with her instructors assistance. She absolutely loves it and has improved tremendously. The reward system is great. She has received a bear patch for swimming well one day and also for mastering her breast stroke. She cannot wait to collect more. I highly recommend this place to all. read more

My daughter just loves this place. Clean facility, does not have too much smell and vapour of chlorine in water more than that great coaches...we are very happy with Paige and Lindsey...my daughter looks forward the whole week for their classes! read more

My daughter has been a student at the Woodridge location since they opened in March 2013, at which time she would not even put water in her face. She has at this point learned to swim the length of the pool using various different strokes she can freestyle, dolphin, backstroke and breaststroke and she is currently only 5 years old. The program may seem to Ken as not teaching as he would like however, if he gave the program and the instructor a chance to teach by their structure I can guarantee you that he would see progress in any pool or amount of water. My daughter went thru 1-2 classes a week and she went to the 8 weeks of camp I am telling you from experience that the program works. I have recommend people to take their children there and they have and are also very satisfied with the program and instructors. The instructors their are very caring and take great pride in the instructions they are teaching their students. They are not going to move a student to another level if they are not completely comfortable with them having the skills from the level they are in, for Bear Paddle staff it is not all about them learning to swim it is about safety that your child would know what to do or how to survive if they fell into the water and couldn't get out but had to wait for help. If I have ever had any problems or concerns I have always been able to go to the front desk or the deck manager and get the problem or concern resolved. I could go on and on, I would never be able to say enough good things about the staff and program at Bear Paddle. Kuddos to the staff for all their efforts!!! read more

Great instructors for the most part however the front desk staff can improve on their communications skills. They seem very put upon when calling and not very customer service oriented. Phone skills need to be reviewed. When walking in the doors they lack a welcoming environment. Also the fact that the class schedules can only be adjust 2weeks out can be a challenge. Good thing we go for the instructors they make it all worth it. read more