Great place highly recommend. Very understanding about real life issue and make time to help scheduling issues. This is right down the road with a great location and great staff. read more

KIDS FIRST Swim School - Great place. Great service. Would pick this place and staff every time. - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Severna Park, Maryland

We've been taking our 14 month old to the mommy and me classes for a couple of months now and we've really enjoyed it. The classes are simple and do a good job at introducing her to the water. The facility is a bit old and outdated but it serves its purpose and the classes are reasonably priced. The staff is always warm and welcoming! read more

We came to kids first after taking a few classes at Anne arundel aquatic center. The problem there is they have kids repeat a class but then only focus on the skill they failed for a day or less. They continually fail because they don't get enough practice for that one skill. Our time at kids first started off wonderfully. We saw instant progress in their swimming ability, which was promising. It was well run by miss Mary. At some point miss Mary became seriously ill. She no longer was able to work here, which is where I think the major decline really started. Maintenance was almost nonexistent. The boys bathroom had 1 working toilet and 2 not functioning urinals. It was like this for over 6 months. More recently, the stall door was propped against a wall and a shower curtain was used for privacy. Ok for a short term solution, but they're often left in place for months at a time. Communication with teachers doesn't happen. One class comes in right after the other. You find out about their grade by a star system without any explanation. Not super helpful. They moved to a monthly payment system. If it works for them, great. Problem is, kids get stuck in one level/class. There's no incentive to have the kids move to another level because the payment will automatically renew monthly. Instructors aren't as always hands on as they need to be. My son has trouble treading water. His instructor yells at him when he can't do it. Does she offer to help with his form? No. She just yells louder. Not really helpful. Seems like they need a dedicated office manager who can oversee the day to day operations and keep up things like maintenance. Then the swimming instructors could focus on teaching and communicating more with parents. read more

I've had a very frustrating experience with this business. I paid for six classes and used three, but after missing a month, I wanted to confirm the remaining class times. However, no one ever got back to me. Every time I called, if someone answered, they told me I needed to speak with the manager, Cate. Despite months of trying, I have never been able to reach her, nor has she contacted me. I understand they have a no-refund policy, but I simply want clarification on the classes I paid for. Poor communication and customer service. read more

KIDS FIRST Swim School - Pool entrance - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Severna Park, Maryland

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Every time I try to book a birthday party they are always booked. I was calling for a date in December. I asked if they could open more times and was told no. read more

I had my daughters bday party here. They were very welcoming and accommodating. My daughter and I just began lessons here and I am impressed with the patience of the instructors. Specifically Mo, as she is who our lessons were with. Excited to continue lessons in the near future. read more

The other reviews seemed to be fairly accurate. If coming with a baby, change as much as possible at home. The locker rooms were a ridiculous mess -- overflowing toilets, kids' underwear on the floor, no trashcans, and no changing tables for babies (weird, right?). On the other hand, the pool area was decent verging on nice. The pool was very warm, so I felt comfortable taking my baby in, and the mommy and me class was ok, but not terribly helpful. I got the impression you're paying for using the facilities. I was also annoyed that they had swim lessons going on while the mommy and me class was going on, so that bigger kids would go splashing by while you were just trying to get your baby acclimated. Not cool. And not very well run either in terms of management. So, great concept, poor execution, but it does have potential to be a nice place. I'm glad to have it as an option for teaching my son to swim. read more

My son did a course here when he was 3 months old. The first time we were here, I was disgsted with the instructor. We had an overweight female who was young, maybe low 20's. She was rude, not friendly at all and not interested in teaching. I called the manager and got our class switched, we had a very nice young boy teach our class, he was enthusiastic and played with the kids well. After our class, there is immediately a disabled adult class. If you're a first time over protective mother, this will frighten you. I literally had some lady with no legs try to rip my son from my arms to try and hold him in the water. I am not against having disabled people hold my children. I am against having a lady who I don't know, who I am unaware of her swimming ability, hold my 3 month old preemie son in the water. F that in the a. I told the manager about my experience and they couldn't care less...I believe I was asked the question, "what do you want me to do about it?" GAAHHHH! Also, the water heater seems to be on the fritz here. I have had few classes cancelled because the water temp was making the baby's lips turn blue?!? WTH?!? I love the concept of this, maybe a different location will have better customer service. read more

Last year I wrote a review for the Kids First Swim School in Bowie. Let me clarify, Kids First Swim School is GREAT. If it wasn't for the Regional Director personally calling me and asking me to try out one in a different area, I would have given up on this place. The Kids First Swim School in Severna Park is GREAT. Julia, the manager is VERY easy to deal with and Abby's swim instructor, Mr. Andy is amazing. Even when Mr. Andy is out sick, the people that cover for him are great too. We've worked in the past with Miss Cara (left for school), Mr. Christopher and Miss Mo. Everyone takes their time with my daughter and knows what it takes to push her just a little bit. Abby gets upset on days that Mr. Andy is sick. She loves working with him so much and I love that she does. Kids First Swim School in S.P. really puts their customers needs first and I appreciate that. I will continue to go there. read more

To all those parents looking for a great swim school for their kids.... this is the place!!!! Kids First Swim School in Severna Park. Very clean and affordable prices!!! Staff is amazing!! I was also able to have my grand daughters birthday party here... and it was a splash of a pool party!! read more

KIDS FIRST Swim School - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Severna Park, Maryland

I love this place. The place is always clean, instructors are good with kids AND parents who need instructions repeated because they were distracted. There are newer and nicer places but they cost way more. read more

I took my two children there for several sessions. The consensus seems to be that if you find the right teacher then you will have a great class. However, finding the right teacher is quiet difficult. My children have had their instructors swapped out so many times that we decided to go elsewhere. One day our instructor would be gone, then they would have a new instructor take over that did not know my kids' skills, so they would take a week assessing them all over again. I'm not going to pay for that. Many instructors flirt with each other during the kids' lessons. We won't be back. read more

It is April 2013; maybe the owners and staff are keeping the place cleaner because it seems fine for a gym. There are cute wall murals and a fun atmosphere. Hopefully, the bad instructors are all gone. It seems like a fun thing for nannies/parents and babies up to 2 years to do something together. Be realistic about having 2, 3, and 4 year olds in swim class; I haven't seen these ages listen well in a class of any kind; how can they significantly advance their swimming? I've heard a lot of parents complain they've wasted their money at this place during these years, and I wonder what they expected... This place is SOMETHING FUN to do for toddlers. If you have your own pool OR your own boat; it is still worth trying classes here so MAYBE your kid can save themselves when they fall in. Just don't count on it. This might just be "play-time" for toddlers or they might hate it. Every kid is different. If you need to raise a swimming athelete with good form, or you need your kid to save themselves from drowning in your pool / bay, you will need to fork out more money for private lessons and make sure you get a good instructor. It still might not work out how you want until your kids turns 4 and they can listen to directions. We waited until my son turned 5 to enroll because he was fine with kiddie pools, we watched him closely in big pools, and he hated splashing and putting his face in the water. I think pushing him would have made him hate the water. Some of his friends did seem like they could start at 4 years and make progress but they had fun "playing" regularly at a place like this or in their community for at least 2 years prior. Level 1 is good for my very smart but sensitive kid: "How to Learn to Like the Water". We think we will be happy for awhile since this place seems to do what the other sporty swim clubs do not do. First the pool and place is a warm temperature, then they make kids feel comfortable and have fun in the water, then kids learn some tips to try and save themselves from drowning, after that they work on swimming techniques. There are plenty of private instructors to choose from. The group lessons seem to be for families who want to make sure their kids have fun in the water. We will let try to post again when our son 'out-grows' this place. read more

This has been a great place for my 4 y.o. He has done great with lessons. The instructor, Cory, has been fantastic with him. Weekday morning classes are ideal. It is not busy. We enrolled in a saturday morning lesson and the place was a zoo. My 3 y.o. Tried the lessons but wasn't ready. The mommy and me lessons are good for smaller kids. It is very warm in and out of the pool. That worked great for us. My oldest hates being cold and he wouldn't have enjoyed his lessons if it was cold. The biggest downside is that it needs to be cleaner. Otherwise, I would rate it higher. read more

I can't say enough amazing things about Kids First Swim! When you walk in the door you are treated like family by Ms. Mary, and then handed over to the staff that is fantastic at working with the children! They consistently communicate about my son's progress and areas of improvement. They are all extremely professional while making everyone feel a part of the family. My family has had just the best experience, we currently have been through five sessions and will continue to progress through. read more

Kids First has been great for my son. We've tried both group classes and private classes. We found a teacher who he loves and we've been able to request him for the last few sessions. Everything is really clean and the staff is friendly. Highly recommend! read more

The instructor's here have been fairly good, but not very personable. The biggest draw back is the cleanliness of the bathrooms/ facility. Its like they are rarely checked up on. It is unfortunate that this is one of the only places close by for small children :( read more

Good - indoor so you can go to courses year round. Some of the instructors worked well with my kid and the result is what was wanted - successful swimmer. Less good - a little dreary inside. Some of the instructors think they're in boot camp and should ease off the kids. All in all they'll do what you pay them for. read more

My 4 y.o. toddler was enrolled for two 6-week sessions at this swim school. The experience was horrible. The front desk staff are unprofessional and quite rude. The swim instructors are impatient and rude as well. One instructor would yell at the kids in my son's group or spray water in their faces when they did not do what he told them to. Others seemed to have attitude problems or behave as though they did not want to be at work. My son seemed anxious prior to the start of each class. When asked why, he said it was because the instructor was mean. This place also has a cleanliness problem. Toilets were often clogged and restroom supplies were lacking (toilet paper, towels, soap). The showers were dirty and caked with mold & mildew. Avoid this swim school if you can. Try the North Arundel Aquatic Center in Severn just off Crain Highway for a much better experience and learning environment for your kids. read more

I am only going to review for the party because we have never taken classes here. First, I am happy that they allowed us to extend our party an extra hour. Of course we had to pay for that hour which is fine. Every thing else about this party I am not as happy with. We were early for the party but realized we forget our beach towels. I asked them if they had any available for purchase but they said usually they do but they are out now. Which makes no sense during a day when you have parties. But we went to Five Below to purchase them which was not too far away. The "party host" helped us bring things in. My boyfriend had to do all the decorating while I went for towels. When the party starts, the "party host" sits at the front desk the entire time. I am assuming this is because it was beyond hot in the facility and he wanted to be near the door which he had open. The lifeguard sat there the entire time while the kids were playing. Not that I was expecting some engaging activities but I just wish there were more things to do. The kids had fun nonetheless. The pizza came and once again my boyfriend had to do all the set up for that as well. We had no one to help us cut cake or give it out. Our "party host" just sat at the front desk. There are no doors between the party rooms and the kids began running around. Three kids, all under the age of 3, ran outside. RIGHT PASSED THE "PARTY HOST" AT THE FRONT DESK. They ran right into the street while their parents thought they were in the other party room. While I understand that it is the parents responsibility, the "Party Host" was sitting right there and did not notify anyone that kids were in the street. I closed the front door and the kids came back in. However, the "party host" opened it back up and us thinking the door was closed, did not think the kids could run out again. We caught them before they made it into the street again but once again this guy did or said absolutely nothing. I asked him to keep the door closed. After all of this, we did all the set up, clean up, time keeping, and kid entertaining. The people there representing the school helped with nothing. Paying $125 an hour just to basically rent space was a real waste of money. I will never go back to this place not for classes or for parties. read more

Today I drove to Kids First Swim School, Severna Park. As there is standing on the website that even when the Session already startet you can join in and get pro-rated I was expecting to be Welcome. I couldnt reach someone over the phone, so thats why I just showed up. However. The woman behind the front desk (Mrs. Bee or Brie) was unfriedly and rude. She said that I cant start swimming right now. I would have to wait for the next Session that start October, 21. I asked why because on the site is standing that its possible. Her answer: "Thats the rule." I asked for the manager. Her answer: " I am the manager." After I asked her that there is really no way we could get together. Her answer: "NO". Ok, than you will never ever see me again. And this place can be sure that they not lost just one Session (90 Dollars). I am from Germany and I was really surprised about this customer service. Unbelievable!!! read more

I like it. Not expensive so you get what you pay for. I'm sure the experience will depend on what instructor you get. I've been going here for my 11 month old's swimming lessons. It's about him and he doesn't care about much other than he loves the water which is why the wife and I signed up. Water is warm and the pool room feels like it is heated. read more

My daughter started Kids First Swim in January and been taking private lessons every session since. I am very happy with her progress and she has learned to swim a lot quicker than we thought she would. Mary always greets us with a smile at the front desk and has remebered my name since the first time I told her! She is always willing to answer any questions I have and will find the answers if she does not know. My daughter has just started lessons with a different instructor named Kolby she is wonderful with my daughter and she is very good with her. our experience with Kids First has been very positive all the way around. We would definatly recommend it to others. We love the Severna Park Kids First!!! Alex and Dee Dee Severna Park read more

I have been going to Kids First Swim for over 5 years and I personally love this place! I think if you want your toddler in swimming classes this would NOT be the place for you unless you want private lessons. My daughter took private lessons and I was treated with respect and my daughter loved the instructor and he always gave me feedback when i asked about her skill level. The manager is always present and if you wanted to know about management, just ask! My son is taking classes and is doing very well. He loves the class and has made really good friends from his classes. I think it depends on the parent, what you are looking for in skill level (it takes time for children to master any level) and how much is it worth it for your child to stay on a level for a while. My son was not moved until the instructor felt like he had mastered that skill. We also went to family swimming days which a lot of parents don't take advantage of and this could also be another lesson the child could have with family members. I encourage any parents who is looking for a great place for your child to learn swimming lessons at a good price (check out other places in area and compare). I think as a parent you have to be involved and if you do have concerns let management know about them and give them a chance to correct them before blasting a negative review online. read more

Dirty, smelly, bug filled place. The workers are young and incompetent. There is one teacher, Ms. Irina, who seems to know how to teach children. They are expensive for the service you receive. I do not believe in rushing my children through the levels just so they can say they are in a higher level. They need to be taught the correct form. I have moved my children to another place for private lessons. It is too bad Ms. Irina could not come with us. I believe that owners should be involved in their companies. I have never in over five years seen the owner. I cannot recommend this place. read more

I first heard about Kids First Swim through another family and was hooked for my kids. My daughter took group and private lessons and she love d it. I decided to start my son with lessons first at Jessup which was not our style (way too many kids in the class and very chaotic for my taste) so we switched to Severna Park. I am happy that I switched and loved all the instructors until my son encountered one in particular who not only tried to put him behind in a level but was very negative towards me and him as far as his skills. The previous instructor was kind and patient with him. She took him 3 levels within a year, I was amazed at his progress but after his teacher Chris, I no longer feel comfortable with him in the class. If the instructor is to stay then we will be forced to find another place for my son. The place itself is wonderful, I just wish they would train the instructors better on how to talk to parents about their child. read more

I don't like to write poor rating to any facility but I think some parents should be aware. This facility is located near Laurel, MD and although instructors probably teaches in different locations where they're needed, my son and I only experienced it with this branch. Nice facility with some great, encouraging instructors and staff. My 5 yo son looked forward to it every week (although session is only for an half hour) but had a blast every time he went. We even had his 5th B-day party there. All was well until he was promoted to the 4th level (up to 9 levels, I think). My son started to say things like "she's not nice" and "she's not fair" after each session. He never complained about it before. So, naturally on his 3rd session, I was more attentive to see if there's anything out of ordinary. There are 2 large bay like windows for parents/guardians to see the pool but can't hear what's being said. It became clear to me that day my son will not be continuing his sessions here. Although I saw the ugly side of this instructor it also hurts me for my son to experience it. I won't elaborate in detail what went on that day (some of you probably already know). All I will say is that she was not treating her students equally. Talking with her and her "Assistant Manager" afterwards, I only received denial from both (of course, A.M. was not even there to witness it in the first place), semi apology but a full refund for the session. All in all, most of the staffs do their duties well. My only concern for this company is the fact that couple of rotten eggs may spoil into automatic assumption and ultimately their reputation. read more

The first day we were at Kids First the gentleman at the reception area was on the phone and just pointed me to the back. I had to ask another mom what I was supposed to do and where I was supposed to change my son. The facilities at this location are very disappointing. To say they are lacking is an understatement. There are not enough changing tables and the ones that are there are not clean. Since my son is 10 months old I have to lay him on the floor in order to change him. The locker room is not clean and quite frankly, disgusting. As we waited to get into the pool, my son wiggled out of my arms to crawl on the floor. He immediately found a piece of food, I believe some sort of nut (!!), and tried to pick it up. I have kept him tight in my arms ever since. When I contacted the location to discuss the possibility of a refund I was flat out told "there are are no refunds". They did however say they would discuss the cleanliness issues with the staff and try to do a better job of keeping the location clean. Once our session is over I WILL NOT be returning. I would not recommend this location to anyone. read more

If I could give this place 0 stars, I would. My 4 year old & my friend's 3 year old recently took semi-private lessons in Severna Park. The overweight female instructor took them into the deep end and while holding on to them, repeatedly submerged herself and them underwater. They were crying & screaming (the kind of cry where they deeply inhale) and that's when the instructor decided to dunk them, over and over again. When my friend and I came rushing in to see what she was doing, the overweight female instructor freaked out that the parents shouldn't be intervening. She also was very rudely yelling at our children to stop crying. Now, these children are terrified of the water. They never were before attending these "swim lessons". I am absolutely livid. To make matters worse, the management is non-existent. No one there cares that I've filed a complaint. Fortunately, the Columbia location is appalled by this and is helping me to escalate this to the correct manager. read more

I LOVE Kids First Swim! We started going there several years ago when my son Alexander was 5. We purchased a package of 10 lessons which was a great deal. After 6 lessons my son decided he didnt want to go anymore, but we were able to transfer the package over to our younger daughter. Since she was still an infant we used 2 of the lessons for mommy and me classes, which I loved. I asked how long the remaining classes were good for and I was told as long as they were open. We waited until Bridgette was old enough to take actual classes and then signed her up. Unlike her brother she is a little fish. She loves the classes and her teachers so much that by age 3 1/2 she was swimming by herself, and not just the doggy paddle either, I mean really swimming. When we go to the local pool people are always surprised that a child her age can swim so well, so I always tell them about Kids First. I highly recommend them, they are safe, affordable and the staff clearly cares about what they are doing. The new managment team that has taken over this year has also done a great job with making sure that classes run on time and that parents are happy with their childrens progress. At the end of every session I am now receiving a detailed report of what Bridgettes strengths and weaknesses are, which helps when I take her to the pool for playtime. I am able to use what the instructors tell me and use it do help Bridgette practice between lessons. Thanks so much to Matt and his team, I feel safe taking my daughter out on the boat this summer! read more

My friend and I signed our 3 and 4 year old children up for semi-private lessons at the Severna Park location. The first few weeks our teacher, Ms. Irina, was great. At a later session, we had a substitute teacher. She was horrible. They played ring around the rosie and unexpectedly dunked our children under the water in the 5ft area. The kids were very scared and did not like it at all. I understood they may do that to get them used to going under. However, our children were very scared. As our kids were crying, the teacher then dunked them under TWO more times. I was livid. I walked in to tell the teacher to stop as she has now made them terrified to even TRY going under. The teacher, Julia, did not even acknowledge me and in fact had a very bad attitude. The manager on duty had to tell her to stop dunking our kids. From then on, they did not want to continue the lesson and we couldn't return to any more lessons because they were so scared. Would not recommend. read more