Michelle at Little Swimmers in Laguna Niguel came highly recommended by a high school mom whose varsity swimmer she taught nearly 20 years ago. She has been working with my son, now 5, for the past two years. He has some sensory needs and she's consistently patient, caring, and understanding and moves at the pace that's right for him. She balances genuine care with a strong focus on safety and helps him build a real love for the water. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for private swim lessons for their child. read more

Coach Michelle is the best thing that has happened to my child. She is largely found by word of mouth and we have now run into countless families that have worked with her over the past 20 years (with nothing but amazing things to say). When my son started with her we had tried several group classes and he hated water and wouldn't even get his head wet. She warned that he would cry the first couple classes (both before booking and as the session started) but that it would get better. He screamed so bad the first class, I thought she was going to ask us not to come back. She reassured us that it was normal and sure enough by class 3, maybe 4, he was obsessed. Classes are 15 minutes/ twice a week. it's just long enough to keep their attention and learn something. Although if Michelle's next client is late or she has a free few minutes she'll extend the session, if the child is having a good time- this is truly her passion and not her job and it shows. We've been going for over 9 months and I have tried to move him to a group class setting just for maintenance because he can swim now but he won't leave coach michelle and honestly I can't blame him. Coach Michelle is kind and gentle. She explains absolutely everything to the kids so they know what is happening and they aren't scared. She's patient, kind, and understanding. She has built a personal relationship with my son and talks about life outside class and he talks about what he is going to tell her at his next class. We're beyond swim class at this point and i'm not sure how we'll ever leave her. luckily I have a 1 year old we'll be starting soon. read more

If I could give a negative star, that's what she would get. She said for 8 lessons I had to pay 225$ in full. After the 3rd lesson, which were all supposed to be 15 minutes, (she cuts it to around 10- complete waste of time) she was late and had her gate locked. I called multiple times with no answer and she came running out ten minutes late. The kid after us, she books every 15 minutes, shows up literally as we're walking in. All she did for 3 lessons each time was slam my sons head underwater repetitively. He screamed his head off the entire ten minutes. I asked if she could work on something else the third lesson that didn't include dunking his head the entire lesson (that is literally what she did for every lesson, dunk his head 3 to 5 times and then he was done, screaming). I told her I didn't wish to come back because he was making no progress and he hated pools even more now. She lied and told me she would give me a refund and demanded my address to drop it off, and then goes on to say I will have to wait over a week for that to even happen with no specific day. I asked what day and she rudely responds, "I have had enough of you!!!" This woman is rude, unprofessional, and a liar. Why should I have to pay 225$ for three, ten minute long lessons? Why LIE stating I would get a refund and then blatantly ignore me, and get annoyed when asked for a refund you claimed you would give? She is clearly broke and waiting for her new victim customer to pay her, or plans on not paying me back at all. Disgusting behavior. I guess she would rather get blasted in every South OC moms group with her true colors (I come with screen shots!!) and get dragged into small claims court. You're not stealing my money, I will bring you to court you THIEF. I highly recommend you read the only other bad review, because apparently nothing has changed with this shady thief in 4 years. I unfortunately didn't check yelp before going and was stupid enough to hand her cash. read more

OC Lil Swimmers - Lying about a refund - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Laguna Niguel, California

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Michelle is amazing!!! My baby has been seeing her for about 6 weeks now. We started him with her at 10 1/2 months. To be honest the beginning was a little tough for him and there were lots of tears as he was getting to know her and get comfortable in the water. She is consistently so sweet and so patient with him and now he loves it and gets so excited when we get there. It's so fun for me to watch his improvements every time! read more

We have tried a handful of different swim classes and businesses and honestly were drawn to Michelle and OC Lil Swimmers because the price per lesson was the best. 2 PRIVATE 15min lessons a week has been awesome. We started in Spring with her and my 4 year old went from crying with her floating to now working on all her strokes. She can roll and float and jump and dive for toys and is loving her time with Miss Michelle! I started my 2 year old a month after my daughter and he cried for the first 3-4 lessons but Michelle was so patient and kind to him and still gently encouraged him along. He is 2.5 now and almost rolling and floating independently and literally jumps in with such enthusiasm. We love the small privately owned aspect. We have built a great relationship with Michelle and she has always returned me texts and calls and accommodated schedule changes I have needed which I have had to do several times. She is literally in the pool almost all day every day with back to back lessons so I never expect a return text or call or email until later in the afternoon/evening. Swimming and learning to swim safely takes time and patience and not all kids are enthusiastic to jump right in without tears. It's never easy to see your kids cry with someone else but Michelle was always reassuring me and my children. We worked through the initial fears and now my children are learning leaps and bounds with her. Watching their progress and the joy and love they have for swimming and going to see a Michelle makes my heart so happy because I know they are going to learn to be safe, strong swimmers! read more

Michelle is the BEST! Both of my children took lesson with her for 2 years starting at age 18 months. The experience she brings to the table is top notch. The first few lessons were hard because my kids were young and of course they cried (new environment/stranger) but after 3 lessons my kids were so excited to see her. I waited in the front yard because the crying was hard to hear and see but those few times of tears lead to my kids learning to swim at a very young age! She was super fun and affirming to them as they grew to trust her and learned to swim! We all grew love her! Another thing I loved was she always gave me tips to be working on when we were swimming to continue to enforce her teachings. To this day I get compliments of what great swimmers my kids are! It's all because of Michelle!!!! read more

Michelle is awesome! Both my children have been doing summer swim lessons with OC Lil Swimmers and Michelle for probably the last six years and we've been 100% satisfied the entire time. We've tried other swim lessons before, both group and private, and the level and speed at which we've seen improvement with both children while taking lessons from Michelle far exceeds any other swim lesson experience they've had! We were referred to Michelle by two other families who's kids learned to swim with her and they had nothing but praise for her. She has so much experience with little ones that I always felt confident with my kids being in the water with her, even if they were upset and crying at first (which is very common in the beginning), she's a mom and has a great way with kids, so once they get started they quickly start to enjoy it and have fun, once they get over that hump of being scared to try something new in the beginning. (I'm referring to when they started their first lesson...the following summers they are happy and excited for their lessons from the get go.) She makes it fun, but most importantly she is a talented teacher and encourages them and pushes them in the right way to improve and get better. The pride and accomplishment they feel when they see how much better they are swimming is priceless! Michelle's schedule can get busy because that's what happens when you're one of the best swim instructors in town, she's in high demand, especially during the summer. But she has always been good at communicating with me and working with us to arrange times. She's very understanding if something comes up and we need to cancel/reschedule, even if it is sometimes short notice, which I really appreciate, and I give her the same understanding in return if something unforeseen arises for her. I like that she'll even let me know if she gets a last minute cancellation, because at times it can work out perfectly, and if not, it's no big deal. I also like to have lessons scheduled, so we plan ahead without issue as well. We feel very lucky to have been referred to her. We really trust Michelle, she knows what she's doing. It's definitely hard as a mom, especially with your first child, to hand them over for that first lesson, when they are crying and scared and reaching for you, but it's normal and it doesn't last long. It's like with any new, uncertain experience, once they get comfortable they are happy, having fun and learning so much! I would highly recommend OC Lil Swimmers, we are grateful and feel so fortunate to have our children take lessons from Michelle! read more

Way less than professional or stellar! If I could give 0 stars I would. I have honestly never met someone so unprofessional, unorganized or down right rude in my life, almost like a scam. It took me 3 weeks to get a hold of her to even get a time which she text me a time 2 hours before a lesson, so I literally dropped everything to go to this awful swim lesson. My baby (11 1/2 months) had 1, 5-10 minute session with her where he cried 4-9 of the 5-10 minutes (it was supposed to be 15 minutes). I couldn't stand watching him cry and she was not even warm and fuzzy about it!? If you are teaching children and babies to swim, you should have a much more warm, fuzzy, positive personality, don't you think?! She told me she would text me for dates and times to get him into consistent 2 day/week swim lessons on a Thursday and I didn't hear from her until Monday (4-5 days later) a few hours before a "time slot" became available. She never disclosed to me at the beginning of me speaking with her (she was a referral) that she didn't have consistent times and dates available?! HUH?! I guess I was just thrown on a cancellation list for my baby to have swim lessons? Yeah that doesn't work for my schedule. She also took my $215 and had the time to deposit my check, but never had the time to text me or call me for dates and times I literally had been begging her for, she would just ignore my calls and texts! So unprofessional! I asked for my money back since her poor communication and lack of times available wasn't going to work for us and she said, "I don't give refunds." Don't give refunds? I didn't even get the swim lessons yet! Sorry, but I don't pay for services that aren't rendered, do you?! Long story short, I ended up getting my money back because I immediately called my bank and went straight to the fraud department and they issued me the money back into my account. Shady, shady! One of my other friends who had her daughter in swim lessons with her said that she would flake and do the same type of stuff with her, she also said she would cut her lessons short like 5 min. So a 15 min lesson (which is really short to being with) ended up being 10 min for $24! CRAZY!! Not a good deal, not a good attitude, not professional. I DO NOT recommend her. And most of all the literally 5 minute swim lesson we had with her, I could tell my typically happy, sweet baby, was very unhappy. Which between the money and not seeing him have fun, that's a deal breaker for me. My husband and I want him in lessons for safety reasons and to have fun, otherwise what's the point? It shouldn't be this stressful to get a simple swim lesson on the books. We are around lots of pools and oceans in So Cal and it's important to us that he knows the safe ways to be around water and he enjoys it at the same time. Again, I would not use this service! I don't give many negative reviews, unless a business or person really earned it. And she earned it. read more

Michelle is amazing and the very best swim teacher that my family has experienced. My boys love her!! She is so kind and effective. My boys have learned so much over a short few months. She keeps us on track with our lessons and my littles look forward to swim! We highly recommend Michelle. Thank you!! read more

If you're looking for a great swim instructor, look no further than Lil Swimmers. We have worked with Michelle for years and all of our children love her. She began swimming with our kids as babies in our home. We transitioned to lessons at her pool which are run very efficiently. My kids have a chance to watch how other children swim and it's a nice motivator. Michelle is a down to earth mom with a very cool attitude, and I think that's really important when teaching kids. She doesn't get flustered by crying or tantrums and she deals really well with kids like mine who try to break the rules and push boundaries. She teaches safety, discipline, and respect for the water (and others!) Not to mention, she's just an all around awesome person who fees like a friend or family member, not someone who provides us a service. We are so grateful to have found Michelle and can't wait for our youngest to start lessons with her! read more

Does anyone know if this company is still in business? Having a hard time getting ahold of someone based on the info I found online. Reviews seem positive so I'm hoping they are in business. read more

I have had my now four and five year old with Michelle since they first were introduced to water. My daughter loved the water and took to it right away. When my son first started at around 1 he cried the entire lesson. As he cried Michelle was very kind and loving but continued with the lesson per my request. I knew he would get use to it and I preferred him crying then drowning. As an ER nurse I see many kids that have their lives cut short by not knowing how to simply survive in the water. Michelle will be teaching my new little one in a few months. read more

I have nothing but good things to say about Michelle and her ability to get my kids water safe. My 4 year old daughter is swimming so well now and I couldn't be happier with her progress. I'm so proud of her and grateful for Michelle. She's great with both of my kids, even my 1.5 year old who still cries during his lesson. Despite his crying, I feel Michelle is sweet and kind, yet she keeps the lesson moving along and I can see he's making progress. We live a bit of a distance from Michelle but she's so worth the drive for us! She can be hard to get in touch with at times but it's understandable because she spends her time with her hands full in the pool, teaching our precious children to swim. In summary, Michelle is fantastic with my kids, and I am SO grateful she was recommended to us. read more

I would have to second and third Michelle being the greatest swim instructor. After many trials and tribulations and different instructors, my daughter is finally understanding swimming!! Michelle explains the "mechanics" of swimming, is very assuring and calming. First lesson and there was a LOT of laughing! My daughter is a teen so it's even more difficult to find someone who will help and not be the "sink or swim" type. Thank you Thank you Thank you!! read more

Michelle is absolutely amazing! I've had my son who is a year and a half in lessons for a little over a month. At first he was really scared and there were a lot of tears, Michelle was great with him. She took her time and really made him feel comfortable in the water. In just 6 weeks I see such a difference with him and he's starting to swim so good. I'm at ease knowing he's in such good hands with Michelle! I highly recommend her! read more

Michelle is the greatest swim instructor we have ever seen. My three boys have taken swim lessons and continue to take at no less than six locations and she is absolutely the BEST!!! She is able to take screaming kiddos who are in fear for their lives and have them swimming with a love for the water in a couple sessions. The prices are reasonable and the instruction is always one-on-one with a personal touch. She is the mother of three wonderful kids and she truly has a mother's touch in the water with every lesson. Each student gets the personal attention they deserve and leaves each lesson feeling accomplished and proud of their effort. And, most importantly, the pool is WARM!!! read more

OC lil swimmers is amazing! My daughter is 4 and we had tried other swimming lessons with medium results and a lot of inconsistencies like switching coaches, etc. We tried OC Lil Swimmers this summer and it has been amazing. We had coach Kyland and she is great! My daughter can now swim! Freestyle, Back stroke, and breast stroke. The lady who runs it, Michelle is really accommodating with switching lessons and times if you need to. We never once did not have the same coach all summer. We signed up for classes of two students, but 60% if the time my daughter ended up with private lessons. Great swim school, great coaches! I would absolutely recommend this swim school. read more

Love OC Lil Swimmers! I have had all 3 of my kids taking swim lessons from Michelle for almost 2 years now. Having gone through a few swim lessons/instructors, Michelle is by far the BEST that we have found. She is honest, courteous, professional and EXCELLENT with children! I have a 2,4 and 6 year old - who all, I am happy to say know swim safety all because of Michelle. My 2 year old started at just over a year old and HATED the water - he would literally cry for the majority of the lesson. While it was torture to hear, Michelle handled him with such grace and professionalism, that even through tears, he would complete (successfully) each lesson. Being that he was my 3rd child, I knew, like any veteran Mom, that crying is totally NORMAL and expected. It took him a few lessons to get past it, and now he can't wait for his turn. As a result, for a 2 year old, thanks to Michelle, he is a strong swimmer. Living in OC and around pools and the ocean, water safety is so important. You cannot go wrong with this swim instructor - trust me, I've looked! Book her, and book her fast, because her time slots don't last long!!!! read more

My kids have been swimming with Ms. Michelle for over 2 years. Before Michelle, my kids have tried multiple swim schools, Mommy and Me lessons as well as private lessons...other than learning how to get out of the pool by pulling themselves out, they did not learn much. It wasn't until we started swimming with Michelle that my two children became "little fish." We started twice a week at only 15 minutes each for their lesson (which I was a bit skeptical at first because of the short time frame) however, that's all you will need. She does not sing, or do silly rhymes with the kids, but she does teach them proper strokes, safety and excellent swimming. She is so down to earth, sweet and beyond kind. She has a way with kids that keeps them engaged while they're learning and having fun. She is s a very busy lady that is in high demand because she is SO GOOD at what she does. But keep calling and/ or texting her...she is worth the wait to get on her list. You will not regret it! read more