British Swim School, Skokie

Wading through indoor heated pools, the instructors at British Swim School teach independent swimming skills to learners aged 3 months and older, adhering to a curriculum devised by British national swimmer Rita Goldberg. Rita has been using this tried-and-true curriculum to teach swimmers of all levels for more than 30 years, incorporating small class sizes and a variety of locations to tailor the program to each swimmer's needs. The 30-minute small-group lessons, containing six or fewer swimmers, elucidate essential techniques for water safety and the importance of speaking fluent manatee. Minnows (ages 3+ without parents) teach wee swimmers basic water-survival skills, such as the back float. Turtle One and Turtle Two classes focus on freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke maneuvers, honing more structured swimming skills in older kiddos. British Swim School's Shark courses enhance stamina and speed and teach even more demanding strokes, such as the butterfly and little-known mountain-goat flail. Certain British Swim School classes require parents to supervise from the pool deck, and adults-only lessons allow grown-ups to refine their own abilities without the supervision of a toddler. Tadpole, swimboree and Seahorse courses are a mommy and me or parent assisted course geared toward water acclamation for the littlest members of your family.