Silver Bear Swim School has existed as a valuable part of this community for over 5 years now. Their reputation for exceptional swim lessons, courteous and professional customer service, small class sizes and daily lessons on water safety and awareness is what keeps them so popular with existing and new clients seeking their services. I have many friends in this community who's children attend Silver Bear Swim Schools classes and they are most definitely water SAFER and better trained swimmers than most other children I've seen swimming in the pools in this community. I would highly recommend their classes to anyone seeking swim classes in Reno/Sparks and to those who are committed to seeing their child learn to swim and love and respect the water. read more

Really couldn't be has happier with silver best. My 4 year old is on his 3rd lesson and almost swimming already.

The school itself was fantastic and the teacher's great. Our son really learned how to love how to swim. We would have rated this 5-stars except for a bad experience at the very end. We were assured a prorated refund because we told them in advance we would be possibly moving out of Reno early. Upon moving, we were told to expect the prorated refund. It never came, even after several calls. Disappointing. read more

Silver Bear Swim School is the only place where I would bring my children to learn how to swim. My experience has been nothing short of wonderful. My kids can swim and they wouldn't even step in the water before starting at Silver Bear! The curriculum and philosophy of Silver Bear are perfectly suited to any child - a strong swimmer, a timid toddler, and everything in between. Kids not only learn how to swim but learn self-confidence and safety skills. The instructors offer personalized instruction in a group environment, encouraging students to push each other and to learn from each other. I appreciate that children can have FUN at the same time that they learn important swimming and safety skills. The kids can't wait for their swim lessons (one recently asked if he could have swim lessons every single day) and I don't doubt that has to do with the positive environment at Silver Bear. I have never had a problem with any of the instructors and always look forward to their instructive feed-back and tips. The white plastic structures in the pool are incredibly helpful for children who are not yet capable of swimming the length of the pool, but want to experience the deep end. The structures create perfect intermediate goals for little swimmers. Not only that, but the pool deck is always pristinely clean - as are the changing rooms. A huge plus in any mom's book. There is a large viewing area for parents and room for my kids who aren't in lessons to play while I watch. I love that Silver Bear has someone on the deck of the pool who is watching all the lessons - for extra safety. My kids love the fact that the pool is ALWAYS warm. I have never heard a single complaint from the little ones about being too cold to swim - a big problem at all of our previous swim lessons. The pool temperature at Silver Bear is perfect. I have nothing but glowing things about Silver Bear Swim School and its staff. Absolutely 5 stars. Thank you for creating the perfect swim school in Reno. read more

We started our boys ages 1.5 and 3.5 about 9 months ago. It took me a while to commit because the price of the lessons was more than I anticipated. Once we started lessons though, I totally understood why-- it's worth every penny. The facility couldn't be better. The water and room temp is a balmy 90 degrees so the kids are always comfortable. The viewing area is perfect too. But the best part is the instructors/ratio of instructors. They have a great curriculum that has resulted in our 1.5 year old already swimming (underwater!) for 10 seconds and our 3.5 year old doing everything from back-floats to diving to the bottom of the pool for rings. Added to this, the class size is small. They commit to 4 students per teacher but so far for our 3.5 year old it's consistently been 2:1 which is great. By the end of the lesson he's pooped from having so much one on one time. The baby class has a bit higher numbers but I'm okay with that given I'm in the pool with him. Added to this, I'm amazed at the TLC I see the "deck staff," (those not in the water but supervising for safety) give the kids. They give real time coaching to the instructors if they have an idea of something that'll work better and do small things like adjust bathing suits/wipe noses through out the lessons. The director is present a lot too and has on more than one occassion struck up conversation with my husband or I just to see how things were going. It doesn't get better than this place! read more

I am a big fan of Silver Bear Swim School. I've had my two girls (now ages 8 and 10) enrolled off and on for a few years and they've both made remarkable progress. They really teach more than just swimming. Kids learn how to be safe and responsible around water. The lessons aren't about packing in as many laps as possible. The curriculum seems to be focused on developing well-rounded swimmers. I'm a fan of this approach. It really worked for my kids, one of which was pretty intimidated at first and very much a beginner. It's not the cheapest option. But the cost was well worth it to me thanks to the facility, professional staff and the fact that my girls made progress much more quickly than they had in other lessons. The bathrooms nice, but can get crowded with parents and little swimmers between classes when things are busy. My kids are now at an age where they change themselves, so they're no longer a problem for me personally. (If it weren't for this, I would have given 5 starts). My kids aren't advanced swimmers and I haven't seen any advanced classes in action. If your kids are beginner through intermediate level swimmers, I can definitely recommend Silver Bear Swim School. read more

I would love to say that our daughter had a chance to go to this school that we have heard such good things about, but these people don't have the common decency to return a phone call...several at that. In a small community reputation is everything, and Silver Bear is getting one as a snobby and poorly ran establishment. If they ever do call us back (which I doubt) we will tell them just that. read more

My children have thrived at swimming here. We have been coming seasonally for 3 years now. The water is warm and I love that it is a saline pool and not chlorine. I would give it a 5 star except that it can be a little pricey especially with more than one child. it would be great if there was some type of sibling price incentive. read more

Great Place don't know why all these mr c and mrs c reviews are talking about everyone is super friendly and dedicated to making you happy take a look on Facebook first that's what me and my family did read more

All of the staff used to be super friendly. Not sure what happened to this place. The growth of the school and turnover on teachers and front desk employees has resulted in less friendly staff. This swim facility is the only place in south Reno. It's kind of sad how this place is changing... My kids have been going to this facility for over 3 years and they can't even remember their names let alone give a greeting. read more

My kid swims about five minutes per 30 minute session. Good people. My kid responded to private lessons much better and at 1/30 the cost.

Decent school My kids are definitely getting better. However for the cost and the amount of quality training time my kids receive, this way overpriced and likely can find private lessons or another option for much cheaper thats just as good read more

Silver bear is awesome. Good viewing area for parents to watch their little ones. The swim staff is awesome. The instructors are great and very friendly. The techniques the instructors use work and the owners a present frequently. The front counter employees are nice and attentive. The only drawbacks are small locker rooms, only the front row of parents can really get a good look into the pool. Great place overall though. read more

Both of my children attend Silver Bear and they love it here. The instructors are wonderful, and take time to reassure the kids, to build up their confidence in the water. The class sizes are kept small, around 3 to 4 children per instructor, allowing the instructors to have a good amount of time with each child during the 30 minute class. It is also very nice that at the end of the class, we get to speak with the instructor and get a demonstration of what was being worked on that week. read more

Simply the best place for your child to learn to swim.

Silver Bear is not about teaching children how to swim. It's about getting your money and leaving you to find a real swim school where they do have a passion for teaching your child how to swim. I would definitely avoid this money pit before signing any documents. read more

If you want your kids to have a blast and learn to swim. This is the best you'll find

I take my 8 month old daughter here and we absolutely love it! We both have a great time. The instructors are great with the babies, very patient and kind. I would definitely recommend silver bear to anyone looking for swim lessons for their children. read more

My experience at Silver Bear Swim School has been nothing but positive. I am a grandmother and take my two grandchildren to swim lessons at the school. From the moment I walk in the door, the staff is friendly and helpful. The boys have passed through three swim levels, learning specific tasks before they move on to a higher level. They love going and the money I pay is worth the results. Personally, I think the group setting motivates the swimmers. They see that the other children are both having fun and learning to be comfortable in the water. Safety is never a question. The deck manager is always watchful and the instructors never take their eyes off the children. I absolutely recommend the school to anyone who wants their children to become water safe, learn to swim, and have fun at the same time. Barbara H. read more

We love, love, love this place!!! Silver Bear swim school has been instrumental in allowing my 5 year old twins to be good swimmers, and more importantly safe around the water. As an old lifeguard that taught swim lessons I can definitely attest that each and every instructor knows their stuff and are great with the kids. The owners of the school are fantastic and take pride in the school and are always around teaching, helping, and taking an overall interest in each and every family. I highly suggest this place and definitely agree that you get what you pay for. I have two good swimmers on my hands that swim laps of freestyle, backstroke, and are learning the butterfly at 5 years old. I truly is a great place!!! read more

Silver Bear is the most efficient swim school there is in Reno. They specialize in young kids who have NO water experience. In a matter of a few weeks kids will be putting their eyes in by themselves and actually learning the proper way to swim. Silver Bear has a wonderful team of teachers who follow a well-fitted curriculum based on the childs age. Way to go Silver Bear! read more

My grandkids both take lessons here. The staff is nice, professional and focused on safety. The instructor Amanda is especially caring to our granddaughter who sometimes does not want to swim. read more

Best place to learn to swim! The teachare are so nice and professional. My daughter has been swimming there for a couple of years now and she loves it! The management is great too, tuition is pro-rated during holidays when the pool is closed and they always give us make-up classes when we miss a class. Great swim school! read more

Five stars for Miss Shavonn. She is an excellent teacher, makes the swimming so fun for the kids, teaches the babies life saving techniques. She always has a big smile on, even when she's dealing with a screaming infant. I recommend her to anyone looking to help their infant take the beginning steps to learning to swim. read more

My son loves silver bear swim school. He loves the heated pool and the fact that he gets to swim with other kids. He was in a private swim class for a while and unfortunately, he did not have a good teacher, and he ended up being traumatized. But after a month at silver bear, he started swimming and progressing quite nicely. I didn't think that he could learn that much in a half hour class with 3 other kids, but he learned more in a month there that he did in his private swim class. The school is geared towards teaching young kids the basics for swimming. Teaching pool safety is a priority. When the kids get older, then they teach them the proper technique for swimming. I would recommend this school to anyone. read more

I would love to leave a positive review! However the bears must be too busy to return 2 of my phone messages. Rather disappointed to say the least! Especially when my kids friends are swimming there and she wants to join them! Negative publicity on sites like this ultimately affect longevity of small businesses. I won't be calling a third time! If they can't return a call, I question if they can perform more important tasks. Ie CPR! read more

My daughter has gone to swim lessons at silver bear for two years and I wouldn't have her anywhere else. The teachers are well trained and friendly. read more

I love this swim school. I have had my kids enrolled here for 2 1/2 years, toddlers through teens. They understand not only the technique, but also the psychology of teaching kids to swim safely and have a proven program of success. It is a warm and inviting environment and worth every penny. People marvel when we're on vacation and they see my 3 year old swim. I would HIGHLY recommend this swim school and it's excellent staff. read more

I've been taking my autistic son here for a couple of years now and we love it. Such a fun and friendly environment. Love the small class size and all of the instructers are soo enthusiastic and patient. My son has definitly learned alot here and looks forward to going to class every week. The only downside is the small changing room but other than that I wouldn't change a thing. read more

This place is wonderful! I can't say enough amazing things about the staff and facilities. My daughter has been swimming here since she was 8 months old (she's 4 now) and is doing incredibly well. When we go to the pool in our neighborhood, she's able to keep up with kids 2x her age. The teachers are so kind, understanding and caring, they really go the extra step to connect with the children. The facilities are nice (we've swam at both the Sparks and Reno location) and the pools are super clean. We love this place so much, we just signed our 5 month old up for lessons! read more

My son loves swimming at silver bear! The teachers are great and his swimming is really improving!

My two girls ages 6 and 9 have been swimming at Silver Bear for 3 years. They LOVE to swim and have loved every minute of their time at SBSS. We've had numerous instructors over the years and have never had a bad one. The owners are amazing too! Thank You! read more

After one class, we aren't super impressed at the cost/value ratio, as to the amount of "learning" for our toddler. They seemed more focused on water comfort than skills. Add to that that someone took our daughter's swim diaper, and we might stay only because it's a heated pool so we can continue classes in the winter. read more

Best place in Reno ans Sparks for kids swimming lessons. Tons of personal attention and they really spend time teaching kids to swim technically correct read more

My kids have been going here for almost 3 years. They have learned so much and always love going to swim lessons. It is super easy to book make up lessons when we go out of town. The staff is also very accommodating when I have to change my schedule. They take extra time to find me a time that works for me and two children! read more

We've been taking our daughter here for about 7 months. She's almost 2 and I'm surprised with how much she has learned already. The class size is nice and small and the teachers have so much patience and skill with the babies. We've had three teachers so far and all but one have been outstanding. Our last teacher was just mediocre; probably better suited for older kids. The weekly family swim is a great benefit too; we get some more water time in with her and we get to bring our son who isn't enrolled. The only downside to the facility are the locker rooms, hence the four star rating. Way too small for the volume of kids and parents coming through. Since my daughter is still in the baby class, I have to swim with her and getting us both dressed after class is time consuming - mostly because of the cramped quarters, I have to keep moving out of the way as people come and go. I sure hope they created better space in their new Sparks facility, read more

We have been going to Silver Bear since my 3 year old was 4 months old. And absolutly love it! We love the staff and Tim and Katie (the owners) are some of the nicest people. They are very knowledgeable in what they are teaching and take extreme pride in their business. It is a little pricy especially when you have more than one child enrolled, but to me knowing your child is safe and comfortable around the water is priceless. I love that they don't only teach technique but also safety, and that if my 20 month old and 3 year old falls into ours or any pool they knows how to grab on the wall and pull themselves out, or at least be able to yell for help. I recommend this swim school to anyone who asks. Our family and friends have been quite impressed at what my kids are able to do at such a young age. I hope everyone disregards the negative comments that were made because they are unbelievably false (especially the on that says that the owners are rude and they don't watch the kids) You should absolutly take your kids here for lessons! read more