We have been coming here since 2023 and I learned how to swim here in the late 80s and 90s…read more Pros: * Outdoor pool is heated and El Sobrante is rarely above 85 degrees in the summer. * No snobby, cliquey vibes. People are here to learn to swim only, not swim team competition. * This place does swim lessons only. They don't have to share the pool with recreational swimmers or club members. * Deep end training and intro to diving. * Offer makeups. We had to use them when we had Covid. * As of 2026, rates have not risen since 2024. They continue to be among the more affordable group lessons. Small discount for siblings. Cons: * Not open year-round. Open only during weekdays in the summer. * Small, cramped parking lot and San Pablo Dam Road traffic makes it not particularly safe to park a few blocks away and walk. * Hard to get into time slots that fit your schedule, especially if you have more than one child. * Private lessons not offered.

My wife did all the internetz. When I watched the first session, I was skeptical. After a few…read moresessions, I started see the method to their madness. It's like a well-oiled machine. It goes smooth and by the numbers. Kids advance in skill and comfort in the water. Before lessons here, our daughter... searching for the words... dreaded water in her face. A single drop of water from the bathtub--clean bath water--prompted shrieks of pain, fear, anger, and betrayal. Now she's underwater so much during lessons that they occasionally sit her up on the side of the pool to ensure that she hears instruction. It's very goals oriented. And they aren't afraid to not pass a kid. My daughter didn't pass the level one test: float motionless, face down on the surface of the water for 10 seconds. She was disappointed, yet determined and asked me to help her practice before the next lesson. She re-tested and passed. Then she didn't pass the level 2 test: swim on her own halfway across the pool. I think she would have passed if she has spent more time listening and less time sitting on the bottom of the pool waving at the other students. The instructors are attentive and encouraging. They remember the kids names and make it fun for them. Clean bathroom. Outdoor changing booths. Chairs, bleachers, shade. Orderly and organized. Don't be late. Parking is limited. If you choose to give a thumbs-up or not, I hope you found my review helpful!

I signed up with Jon Prins for the beginning freediving course and highly recommend it. First, we…read moredid a remote lesson over Google Video Call where Jon led a group of ~8 students through basic safety, equalization, and breathing exercises. Then we did a morning and afternoon dive at Breakwater cove in Monterey, where we met Brandon, our instructor. I was impressed and pleased that John brought three or four instructors out so each instructor only had ~3 students. Brandon was an excellent teacher and helped me feel comfortable in the cold water and was patient and conservative while we practiced new techniques. On top of that, he really drove home the risks and dangers of freediving, more so than any of the books or videos I've seen so far. Overall, I highly recommend Fins and Foam for freediving and will be joining them in future dives. Their focus on safety and contagious passion for diving provide a responsible and fun environment. Pro tip: I learned you can get seasick just by being in the water. Dramamine could be a good idea, my buddy and I both ended up nauseous after many hours in the sea.

Wow! John and team were not only easy to work with but insanely knowledgable. If you want to get…read moreinto free diving they have everything you would need to get started and if you're already certified they have a rich community to join with consistent dives weekly. If you're even thinking about it - just do it!

Since most of these reviews are old, I'll jump in to say this school and the director, Ella, have…read morebeen a blessing to our family. Our daughter's pre-school shut down due to the COVID pandemic. After 6 months at home with us and way too much television, we enrolled her at Muffinville which was the best decision we could have made. It feels safe and warm. Ella is nurturing and passionate about what she does. The meals and food are homemade and healthy- our daughter is even trying new foods and vegetables at home now. While the school is all about play, there is a bit of academic time for our 4 year old who will be fully prepared for Kindergarten in the Fall. I have no hesitations in recommending Muffinville Preschool.

Our little muffin has been attending Muffinville for the past two years and we love it! Teacher…read moreElla and her team are loving, nurturing and have a deep respect for each child as an individual. Activities are well thought out but nothing is too rigid. We also love that they serve healthy, yummy, homemade food! I love that it's small and home-based. I feel like our child is going to be in big, industrial feeling classrooms for so many years, why put her in one now? Ella spends time talking to each parent about their child and truly cares about their well-being and development. Go Muffinville!

Karen was the best!! She took time out to explain everything to me in regards to how to use the…read moreportal system. She is very professional, and she has excellent customer service!!

Fifty Million Years Without Slouching: Yoga and Trekking in Nepal…read more  In April 2025, I went on a trek to Nepal with Suzanne. Over 8 days we climbed to Anapurna Base Camp and practiced yoga at 13,500 feet, practically the foothills of peaks rising another 13,000 feet above us. That ultimate Tadasana has been there since India hit Asia. There's more vertical than you can wrap your head around. Amid the flitting prayer flags, I recalled a Nepali saying: A mountain is meditation standing. Whoa.   In October 2026, there is another trip planned, this time to the Gokyo lakes region with sweeping views of Sagarmatha (Everest).   The last trip was perfectly planned with a Nepali family-owned company Nature Explore. They became our fast friends and supported us completely. I expect the encore to be excellent. Then there's Suzanne, leading her third trip. She is a highly perceptive, highly trained, adept,fun yogini who has quite a curriculum in store. She will happily train you in restorative yoga or teach you to kick into handstands, whichever you prefer.   The Nepali people are wonderful. Although it's a secular state, there are 10 major religions. One hundred and twenty-three languages are spoken. There's a lot of harmony there that you don't expect to find in the U.S, They are kind, generous hosts. One of the trekkers put it well: "Here the Nepali heart, broad as the valleys, unfolds in gestures simple yet profound, a cup of chai extended in the dawn, eyes that gleam with unassuming grace"   I was happy that the other trekkers (aged 15-70) were so companionable and complementary. Living in Berkeley for 40 years, I was worried I might end up with a group that was highly astrally aligned, but everyone was very easy-going and genuine (and we keep in touch).   I don't know if you will be transformed by a trek in Nepal (and seriously, who needs that kind of pressure) but I certainly saw beautiful things that I will never forget, felt strong, and regained some faith in humanity. I'm looking forward to this next trip.

Suzanne puts the Om in OMG…read more I've been working with Suzanne at my club for 2 years. She is someone who will make your life better. I recently completed her 12 week Root to Rise Program. I made more progress than in 2 years of studio yoga. I am mostly interested in movement, but Suzanne provides meditation, breath-work and all sorts of support. I've had about 12 yoga instructors, what she offers is qualitatively different. She really is an anatomical expert (trust me, I'm a doctor) and she's extremely experienced. You will not find a smarter, funnier and more engaged teacher anywhere. She will encourage and push your athleticism in a steady direction. Among my accomplishments: 1) I saw a picture of myself with a very forward head, looked like I was photo-bombing my own body. That has now resolved. 2) More practically and remarkably, I've learned to really engage my core with kidney and pelvic loops and have better endurance and recovery in Masters Swimming. 3) I've really become a devotee of the Steel Mace too. So invest in yourself, get some personalized attention. You'll feel healthy faster. Predictions for the top emerging diseases to affect adults in 2026 include: 1) Subacute Rebar-Rhomboid Myopathy 2) Frozen Baguette Syndrome 3) Osteo-Churrosis Multiplex. Stay ahead of the curves.

My son took private lessons here. The teachers changed often and the one teacher he had most often…read moredid barely anything with him during the lesson. She apparently drank too much on July 4th and our July 5th lesson was cancelled last minute. The instructor we had last was too aggressive with my son to the point where he didn't want to go anymore. It is also wildly overpriced and they are very aggressive with their billing practices. We quit in early September and they wouldn't let the drop take effect until three more bills went through.

Both my kids learned how to swim here before they learn how to talk. Absolutely fantastic guidance…read more Grateful for what you all do.

I can't speak too much to the degree of the effectiveness and quality of the program and…read moreinstructors because when I signed up I was forced to accept these terms, after my first lesson I went to ask them about revoking this because I'm not comfortable with my child's identity being irrevocably given to them to be used at their leisure, in perpetuity, and however they like. They told me there's literally nothing they will do or can do about this. They refunded me for the class and canceled my membership because I'm just not gonna go ahead and sign this stuff over just so my kid can get swim classes. This was back in July. I've signed back into my account and as you can see here nothing has changed and this still exists. No parent should have to give up the identity of their child in order to use a product or service that they're already willing to pay for.

I spoke with an associate less than 24 hours ago, she sent the information needed via email and…read moreconfirmed a spot would be held for my son to attend class tonight at 6. I call to make payment and of course she didn't hold a spot for him and now there is no availability. Ridiculous. My 5 year old is extremely excited to go to lessons tonight and i now have to tell him he can't go because THEY messed up. Terrible customer service.

Highly recommended!…read more Debankur turned what could have been just another certification course into a genuinely learning experience. He has that rare mix of deep product-management expertise and a natural gift for teaching. He constantly tied frameworks back to situations he's navigated at high-growth companies. Those anecdotes made the lessons feel immediately actionable for my own work. If you're considering the Product School PMC program, choosing a cohort with Debankur will give you both the knowledge and the momentum to level-up in Product Landscape.

I have written a review several times and several times it has been deleted. Apparently they don't…read morelike viewpoints that go to the heart of the matter. This company was started by people in the tech industry, and since they have launched the median income for a product manager has plummeted when taking into account inflation especially. It is basically operating under the format, similar to massage schools. Before the massage schools massage therapy was a well earning specialty. Same here with product management. You will also find that they work directly with networks that supply avalanches of people with H1B visa that get into the large tech companies claiming that national US talent cannot be found somehow and place them at tremendously cut rates inside the mega corporations and successfully bypass national talent. Especially from one specific large country that has the vast majority of their applicants fill out their documents, falsely claiming that national talent cannot be found and perpetrate massive fraud on the US citizenry. It's like a giant infestation spreading. I know because I have worked for many of those firms and I have worked with hundreds of them. I've also participated at product school myself so I know exactly what this is.