I can't speak too much to the degree of the effectiveness and quality of the program and instructors 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. read more

Splash Swim School - The menu of their swim school online profile where you have to sign the photo waiver - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - San Ramon, California

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I spoke with an associate less than 24 hours ago, she sent the information needed via email and confirmed 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. read more

We've been taking swim lessons here for over two years, starting from the Aquababy program, and it's been a wonderful journey. Thanks to the kind and experienced instructors, our child has overcome her fear of water and gained so much confidence. Each class is well-structured and age-appropriate, and the curriculum builds gradually, which really helps with steady progress. The teachers are always encouraging and patient, and they know how to make learning fun while still focusing on technique and safety. It's clear that the program is thoughtfully designed and consistently delivered. We're very happy with the quality of instruction and the overall environment--it's both professional and welcoming. Highly recommend this place for families looking for a reliable and supportive swim program!!!! read more

Splash Swim School - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - San Ramon, California

Well trained and caring instructors. Our kids enjoy lessons. Greatly recommend for people in San Ramon, Danville, Castro valley. read more

I should've done this earlier but didn't get a chance. I've had terrible experience with them. I've been with them for 3 years just because my kids love to swim and it's the closest to our house. My little one had brain surgeries last year. The doctor obviously told him he needs to stay off the pool for 3 months. I called them up. They first said bring a doctors note and we will refund. I asked his neurosurgeon who is extremely busy to write an explanation for two year old why he can't swim with his life threatening surgeries. I submitted that immediately. The administration eventually said sorry they cannot refund anything or hold his space for 3 months. I understand it's their policy but why did they make me get a doctors note and all when they didn't do anything for the little kid. That's huge miscommunication giving me hope and making me pay one extra month. I had to take him out eventually . They are extremely money minded and have no empathy at all. They do not care about the kids they work with. I think that's a huge no for me. Also they could've been upfront about it. The only reason they are in business is because it's close by and American swim academy doesn't have space. As soon as a new place opens up no one would want to come here. I will never recommend splash swim school to anyone. read more

Avoid this place if you can. My son was in this swim school for 3 yrs since he was 5 yrs old and he still couldn't swim. He will drown if we put him in the pool. We took him out and put him in the city's rec swim for the summer and he's now in swim team. This place is there to make money and not interest in teaching kids to swim. I'm leaving a review so hopefully someone will not waste their money and time like I did. read more

My guy Tyler Jewell single handedly made my day. He handled the crowds of the In-n-Out picnic like a pro being kind to all. He kept a smile on his face an an encouraging word to all ages at the park. I will always remember how good of a worker Tyler J is. read more

My 6 year old has been going here for a couple years with some breaks here and there, and has become a great swimmer! As she's moved up levels, all of her teachers have been great. They have been patient and have taught her new skills in a way that clicks for her. She was water safe within a few months after starting lessons here. They help her with her form, side breathing and diving now. My 3 year old goes here too and she used to hate getting her face wet and even the first couple lessons would tell the teacher that she didn't want to go underwater but the teachers found a way to keep her engaged and convinced her to go under without tears. She has improved significantly in only a few months and now can push off the wall and swim 6 seconds or so under water with big kicks. We love Splash Swim School! read more

My son has been taking swim lessons at the San Ramon Splash Swim School for almost a year. He has progressed a lot. The instructors are great and gentle with the kids. My kid loves going to his classes. We are very happy with the facility. read more

My son started swim lessons here when he was just 10 months old. Like many babies, he cried during the first few classes--but the instructors were so patient and gentle, and before long, he began to love it. It quickly became something he looked forward to each week! As he grew more confident, the instructors recognized that he was ready for more of a challenge. Right around 2.5 years old, they recommended moving him into a semi-private lesson, and it was the perfect next step. He's since moved to a regular group lesson when he turned 3 in March and has truly thrived ever since. Watching his progress has been amazing. I've been consistently impressed with the structure of the lessons and the quality of the instructors. Every teacher we've worked with has been very engaging. Huge shout out to Miss Erin who really pushes him but is also very encouraging. Highly recommend this swim school to any parent! read more

We've been with them for a few months and we love it. Our child is in a class where there's usually 2 teacher, for every 2 kids. I notice more progress than where we were before. Highly recommend! read more

Teachers and staff are very kind and professional. The bathrooms and changing rooms are spacious and clean! I have 2 kids in private classes. My 4 year old had 0 experience swimming and was really nervous at first but after just a few times in the water he was fine. His teacher bonded with him quickly and he has excelled very quickly in my opinion. My 10 year old has special needs and can be difficult at times. His teacher also bonded with him quickly and he is also excelling. They both love coming to Splash every week. I would recommend Splash to anyone who wants their kiddo to learn to swim especially if you have a kiddo with special needs. read more

Nope, not at all. Although this location is remodeled they have a horrible system to select your child for lessons. You're not given a number or any idea for how long your child will wait for enrollment. Class options are limited. *Plenty of other places in the area to have lessons read more

A professionally managed great swim school. My daughter was enrolled here from 2015-19 . She loved her sessions with Ms. Carlie. She is an excellent instructor, and will take extra efforts to enhance their swimming abilities. She not only taught my daughter how to be a better swimmer but also worked building a postive attitude towards life. The swim facility is clean and the pool is heated throughout the year. There are open stalls for shower. As far as the front desk is concerned they are helpful & polite. They don't offer make up classes, but they would re schedule the session if you let them in advance. The membership for the swim school is annual and 30 day notice is required for cancellation. They send out the students progress periodically via report cards. This helps us to set goals for students based on their progress. It's a great swim school and a would certainly recommend it . read more

our Daughter was enrolled here for one year. Even after the waitlist it was well worth it. Her Gam Gam would take her while we were working and she was always so happy after her lessons. Ms Carlie was the best and we are so grateful for our time there. Since then our daughter has been to one more swim school which was closer to home and although she learned new things, she seemed to have more fun times at Splash. There were more games mix with lessons than just lessons. we are looking forward to hopefully enrolling our son! read more

Come here if you want your kid to be learning how to swim for the rest of their childhood. My son was enrolled in Splash swim school for almost an entire year and had barely made any progress. I finally moved him to another swim school and he was swimming independently after 2 only lessons. The teachers are nice but they don't push the kids to actually learn to swim. It seems like it's their business model to not teach kids how to swim so you have to keep going and paying for their services for as long as possible. It's a nice place with good viewing area, showers and changing rooms, but I'm overall dissatisfied with the instruction. Also, your kid will often have a different teacher every lesson which is confusing for them, and harder for the teacher since they don't know what level your child is at. read more

Worst service and slow learning. They do not care if kids don't progress. A bunch of young people running the 'school'. Come here if you want to learn the basics for 3 years! read more

Beware of this place. They have decent facilities and teachers but horrible billing practices and customer service. Unlike other swim schools, they will not give you any make up classes, so if your child is sick or is on a vacation, that money is lost. The worst is that we canceled recently and my invoice said my billing period covered through July 1st. So my child attended the July 1st class because it was supposed to be her last class and they then later charged us for that class. I explained that the earlier invoice covered through July and they still refused to reimburse us for the July 1st class. I have emails with the invoices etc and they just said oh ignore the info on the invoice that's just how we do our billing. That's breaking accounting rules and I wonder how many poor customers have been scammed by them as a result. Even on my additional charge for the last class, it says I was charged on June 30th but the class she attended was on July 1st. read more

They say safety is their first priority but it isn't. They have gates in the waiting area that never stays closed. I was told these gates are not required to be closed but they take safety first so they have the gates. The worker told me they go beyond the regular safety requirements. You are not going beyond if the gates are never closed. They have toys for little kids in the waiting area. If this area is not required to be safe then why are there toys in this area. They do not put safety first. The working that is supposedly watching over the pool is walking around doing other things and is not watching over the pool. read more

Splash Swim School - Working sitting near the gate. She is supposed to be the safety working, watching over the pool area. - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - San Ramon, California

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Professionally run swim school, great swim instructors. Can't believe the progress our girls are making on their swim strokes!

They have an extremely long waitlist so they don't care if you cancel or not. Ground can be a bit dirty sometimes. My son loved coming here but recently his wonderful, high energy, passionate teacher left due to continuing education (wonderful for her). All the follow up teachers have been changing consistently, barely watching my son swim and don't fix his technique when he swims...just lets him struggle. Really disappointing. read more

Avoid at all costs. They require a 30-day cancellation yet claim their classes are all full. The old instructor left and the new one is absolutely ineffective and awful. Babies just cry throughout the class, the instructor is slow, so we got maybe 5 minutes of instruction in a 30-minute class. Very repetitive and children can't advance as they just teach the same thing over and over since they add new kids each week. Unbending policy for canceling - if you have full classes and waitlists, why make people give 30 days?? Girls working the front desk are snotty and dismissive. Terrible business. read more

Such an excellent program, I've been so impressed with the professionalism of the instructors and all the staff. I have a 6 year old and a 3 year old and they've both made great progress in a few months. The kids looove their sessions. The instructors are great with kids and manage their coaching well with each age. I was surprised to see the lower ratings. This place is pretty thriving so it may just be a little screwed with less parents with positive experiences writing in or more dated reviews. I can only speak for our family but overall it's been just a wonderful part of our weekly routine. Very satisfied too for the price. read more

Christy has been such an excellent teacher for all of my kids. She is so sweet yet pushes them to the next level of swimming! The office staff has been amazing to work with too! Highly recommend read more

The worst customer service! I'm all for a business making money and having a company policy, but its not ok for a business to think only about themselves and not it's customers. If you want to bring in your child here for the first time and try out, they will charge you the entire month plus annual fee. The fee for the month and membership will be $94 . I called around and many places will do a first time test just for $17 The membership fees will be taken out once you decide to enroll. I just signed up my kid , as i was signing up i told the front desk person next week is a holiday , can i adjust the schedule right before holiday , only for that week. I was infomed several times by Gabby, that will not be an issue at all as long as i provided at least 24 hours notice. Once i got in and told the front desk that i needed to a change the schedule for that week, she informed me that i will lose my original spot. This is something i was never told about, if i knew i would have waited and signed up after the holidays. Im frustrated and unhappy with a company who is not flexible AT All!!!! There is no make up classes. Many school's offer 3 to 4 make up classes a year. I have just canceled my memership after only one class I perfer to do business with a company that cares about their customers and can be a little flexible. read more

Despite the mixed reviews I received from a couple of other parents I know (they preferred All Star to Splash), I decided to go with Splash mostly because of the location. I have been taking my daughter for a month now and do not regret my decision. My daughter has an ongoing phobia about males. We had to pull her out of summer swim lessons at Monte Vista last year because her teacher changed from a girl to a boy. I told them about this and they were able to assure me that her teachers would be female for her age group and swim level. There are male teachers at Splash, but they seem to be teaching the older kids/more advanced swim levels. Hopefully by that point. we won't have to deal with this issue anymore. The facility itself is very nice. Very warm. Maybe too warm for those who have to wait through a lesson, but it certainly feels good when it is cold outside. I often find myself nodding off. My daughter is very comfortable with her teachers and because of that responds well to the lessons. I have not had issues with her being afraid of putting her face under water or jumping in (with help). They have a nice system where they receive ribbons for completing certain levels and a sticker for every lesson completed. That's pretty typical I think but the sticker is something she looks forward to every week. Front desk has always been friendly and courteous. My one complaint is the sparse changing/bathroom facilities. But most of these kids are young and everybody seems pretty accepting of little bodies being bared in common areas. read more

My child likes going here, but they keep changing teacher on us :( She was doing great with Mr. Sam, I have to give him a big Thanks for all the progress my daughter made. Unfortunately they don't offer one on one lessons. Also, the changing area is always dirty and tons of water on the floor. I wish they would clean it more often. read more

Splash Swim School - Not so busy Saturday afternoon - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - San Ramon, California

They have called one year after I was on the waitlist. Hilarious. They only reach out when they are desperate to fill a spot during the holidays and flu season read more

I was very hesitant in enrolling my son here because of the mixed reviews on yelp. I really feel that I can't trust yelp for this area yet as there are not many yelpers out here and/or some of the reviews are not reliable. The reason why we enrolled our son here is because of the recommendation of our neighbors. They had nothing but positive things to say about this school. My son's swim teacher's name is Miss Jessica and she is a great teacher. My son has been always feeling very comfortable in water and he is not afraid of jumping in and diving but by taking swim lessons I can see him being more confident and learning basic skills of swimming. His teacher makes sure that every child has fun and is challenged. The ratio is 1:4 and so far I am very happy with the class. Each class is 30 min and it costs 80$ a month. Enrollment is easy if you fill out the application and waiver online. And setting up everything is really easy. As they immediately call you back once you fill out the online application. One deduction is the front desk. Depending on who you talk to, you might notice the difference in the tone of voice they talk to you. It's not easy to deal with parents who are very competitive and focused on skills than children having fun and learning how to swim. read more

Splash Swim School - Kiddie play area for younger sibling in the view area for parents - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - San Ramon, California

My daughter has been exposed to the water for a few years now, (she's 4) and she has never been more excited about swimming until she started her weekly classes here! I've seen her skills improve so much every week and going to swim class (and seeing her wonderful coaches) has been the highlight of her summer! read more

Splash Swim School - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - San Ramon, California

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My son is on his 5th lesson or so here, and I love it. He attends once a week for 30 minutes, and it's amazing how much he can learn and that small time frame. Over the weeks, his class has had anywhere from 1 to 3 other kids (4 is the maximum size for his age/level - he's 3.5 years old and can't swim on his own yet). I personally prefer a maximum of 3 kids. However, the teacher, Carly is really efficient and safe. At every opportunity the kids are learning something - whether to kick properly or how to climb up them self from inside the pool to sitting on the edge of the pool to wait for their next turn. Despite having 4 young ones in the pool, Carly is very, very active in teaching AND keeping an eye on all the kids. My son really likes her, and he just walks right onto the steps of the pool every week now, ready to do his thing. The facilities are decent. It's nothing spectacular, but there is plenty of parking in the parking lot, showers for the kids, and half wall where parents can sit behind to watch the lessons, and the water (and air temperature) is nice and warm. It's a small thing, but they offer stickers to kids, and after his lesson that is one thing my son MUST do before we leave. From other local moms who I know, or moms who I spoke to randomly while my son was taking private swim lessons through the City of Danville this past summer, children love Splash. All of the moms I spoke to also said their kids learned how to swim because of Splash. If things progress as they have, my son will continue at Splash well past the point when he CAN swim so that he can learn as much technique as possible. read more

This swim school is not very good. My daughter used to go here years ago before we moved her to American Swim Academy (ASA) for similar reasons. Now my daughter does gymnastics in the complex and I was killing two birds with one stone by having my son do lessons here. Issues: - The one on one time is limited. My son is in the toddler class with 3 other students. With putting on swim fins and googles and dealing with toddler issues, my son receives about 6-7 min of instruction. At ASA, they also had 4 student classes but often two instructors. - When my son isn't swimming he's waiting. At ASA while you were waiting you were practicing kicks or strokes on the steps. - There is no personalization. For the entire summer he's been doing the exact same three exercises which consists of arms up water kick over a five meter distance, a short floating exercise and safety jump in the water kick back to wall. That's it. At ACA your progress is tracked and you learn new skills as you advance. A more advanced child at ACA will do more rigorous swim techniques relative to classmate. - There is absolutely no feedback to the parents. What should I be doing with my son? When will he advance? When is going to do a single stroke? Are you tracking any of his progress? - My son is bored. 5 months of the same thing is boring. There is no sense of accomplishment because there are no goals to reach. You just do the same thing. - Terrible value: $90/mo. 6 min of individual instruction per 30 min lesson. That converts to a rate of $225/hr hour of actual one on one instruction. I'm still at the school for no other reason than it gives my son something to do while my daughter is doing gymnastics next door. However, my son is losing interest in swimming because of this school and is becoming more of an impediment to swimming. Will probably give my 30 day notice and be done with it. There just doesn't seem like there is any real interest in meaningful instruction here. I hate leaving 1 star reviews but I'm not alone here. This school is failing in its mission to teach kids to swim. - read more

I love this place so much have a great time swimming and I loved it very much I enjoyed it it makes me super happy

I arrived hoping to be inspired that this school might meet my needs and left disappointed and unimpressed with desk clerk. The cavalier, take it or leave it, attitude did nothing to generate interest or provide a trust relationship as it pertained to my three year old. There was no tour of the facility offered and she seemed to exhibit a bored and unengaged demeanor. If I didn't ask, she didn't volunteer information except when she advised that if I discontinued, I would still be billed for an additional month. Where do businesses get these people? read more

The swim classes might be 30 minutes but you kid really gets about 6 minutes of "real" instruction. Just do the math (5-6 kids are in every class). You'll find that your kid is holding on to the wall more than they are swimming. THIS IS FACT, AND READ OTHER POSTS AND YOU WILL FIND THE SAME. My daughter spent a whole summer taking swimming lessons at this facility and barley learned a thing. She transitioned through a few colors and when she left last summer she received her purple ribbon. Honestly, the ribbon program is a joke. You have to remember, that this is a business. And the only way businesses stay afloat is if they make money. You can tell that this place is about making money, not teaching kids how to swim. When my daughter was enrolled last year, I noticed she learned very little skills primarily because of the system they have in place. It's not really an individualized program (although they tell you it is). For instance, if your kid is an all-star, you kid will not be moved into the next level until the entire class is ready. The only time my kid was moved up in levels is because I asked why it is she's still in the same level. Miraculously, she then gets moved. Meanwhile, this allows the owner (Liz) to continue collecting a paycheck. Another thing about this place is it's always stuffy and hot. Notice, they do not use air conditioning. During the summer, it's extremely uncomfortable to wait and your child. Just another observation made. I find many parents complaining about the heat in lack of airflow and you'll see many parents waiting in their car with the AC on. These conditions only help solidify the shadiness of this business. This summer, I decided to give this place another try. I tried it for one lesson, and they immediately want to move my daughter down a level. But... I get it. She might be a little rusty, but it upset me because I knew how slow it is to move in skill/level. So, I asked to cancel nicely, and didn't get the answer I wanted. I pretty much got the "contract" answer saying I have to give 30 days notice... blah, blah, blahh... It turned into a bit of a verbal altercation, and after 2 weeks and a credit card dispute filed, I finally received my money back. I did not understand why it was so difficult getting my money back for services that I did not want anymore. It's one thing if she's been enrolled all summer long, but ONE LESSON!!!! Gimme a Break! I am open discussion about this business, even with the owner. We can even make it on an open forum like this. Also, if anyone has any questions, please contact me and I'll be happy to fill you in on my thoughts of this business and their service or lack of... read more

Positives: Big nice heated pool. Location. My son went here for 3 years. He kept on advancing but he wasn't able to swim in the hotel pools. This was going on for a while. They didn't have a spot for summer and that was a blessing in disguise. I enrolled him at American Swim Academy(ASA) at Dublin. They evaluated him and put him as intermediate beginner.When I asked the teachers since he was at an advanced level at Splash, they gave an explanation which made sense. That also explains why he wasn't able to swim at resort pools. ASA is keeping a close eye on students' performance and progress. I am pleased with my son's progress now. One of my friends recently shared a similar experience about Splash with his son and he moved him to ASA as well. I live in San Ramon and I wish I could say nicer things about Splash, but I am afraid to recommend this to other parents. read more

I heard that Splash was nicknamed "The McDonald's of Swimming." It isn't for everyone. My daughter had a very unfavorable experience at Splash, but I did appreciate the follow up from their staff when we severed ties with the school. They genuinely wanted our feedback and listened. However, I was not motivated to return; it was not an ideal environment for my daughter, but many children do just fine there. Specifically, I was shocked when they threw my daughter in the pool, literally to sink or swim (she was 3 at the time). I think that was their idea of immersing her to develop no fear for water. I was stunned by this style of teaching because my daughter broke out in tears, and when I went running in the pool area because she seemed so upset, the "manager" scolded me. The instructors seemed immature and inexperienced. At the end of the lesson, my daughter was ordered to get out of the pool and while she was crying, the instructor pointed at me and yelled at her to "Go home! Go home!" No sympathy at all. She was frozen in fear and was clearly upset by her experience, she didn't know how to respond, and was crying profusely. And all they could do was yell at her to go home. There isn't enough room in the changing area(s). It's dirty, gross and the families get very impolite and territorial so that you are squeezed out and have no room to change. Since we proceeded with 1:1 instruction elsewhere with kinder and more experienced teachers after Splash, I think we were able to prevent any trauma that my daughter would have otherwise experienced if she continued to go to Splash. read more

Obviously there are some high maintenance, Type A people running this establishment. Recently I was chastised by one of the pool monitors and told I should NOT wait IN the pool, at the edge, for our class to start and that I need to be outside of the pool waiting. First of all, the first time I came here, they TOLD me to wait IN the pool near where the class would be held. The reason the pool monitor gave is that it "isn't fair to other students".... so weird. There is plenty of room in the area, I really don't understand what the big deal is. Starting to realize that they have "rules" simply for the sake of having rules, no real reason, just control-freak mentality. read more

We brought our daughter to Splash when she was a baby (around 18 months). I would describe the Water Babies Program as a water version of Gymboree ... a bit of water familiarity with fun slides and bouncing around. However, they incorporate elements that are NOT water safe ... such as allowing a child to pop their heads out of the water before reaching the edge of the pool (because lifting her head up automatically drops her legs under the water, and she looses her ability to kick safely to the edge and she wouldn't be strong enough to pull with her arms to the edge yet). In addition, as I watched the older (toddlers on up) take the "real" swim lessons at the other end of the pool - I was mortified to see them being "taught" how to swim with their heads out of the water, arms flailing about, and legs thrashing every which way. These are incredibly bad swimming habits that these children will have to work hard later in life to un-learn, having had to do so myself after I elected to swim competitively in my youth. In summary, I would recommend Splash as a fun activity (particularly during the winter) for babies, as the pool is indoors. But once other, more water safe, options open up in the summer - I'd recommend taking your child elsewhere. read more

I used to teach swim lessons to kids and even certified lifeguards as a Water Safety Instructor, but when it came to teaching my own kids how to swim, I was pretty helpless. The first place I took them was a waste of time and money, but then a friend suggested Splash Swim School. What a great find. Contrary to what another reviewer said, I'm impressed at the methodology they employ to teach the kids. They could be a bit more flexible in some areas, but overall, it's a good program. They even noticed when our daughter wasn't really connecting with one of her instructors, and gave us the option to switch to another. Having two kids there, they've also been great about us keeping them scheduled on the same day and time, even when they advanced at different speeds and ended up with different instructors, each at their own level. Having year-round availability is also a huge plus. Although, dress in layers because it gets hot in there. Overall, we are comfortable there, and so are our kids. And the end result is that they are strong, confident swimmers. Isn't that what you really want out of a swim school? read more