FAQ- Emler Swim School: what to expect, what to bring, what you'll learn

We started Jett at Emler when he was just 6 weeks old! I still can see his little face at that age when we got in the pool once a week to kick around. He was super serious about swimming, and had a look of concentration and intrigue while we floated him around the pool.

Jett is now 15 months old and can now hold his breath for 7 seconds underwater and is learning the skills to set him up to be a great swimmer. We have looked forward to going to Emler once a week and will continue to go back as he “makes his way up the ranks” (Classes range from 2 months to 5 years!) If you follow my Instagram stories, we post little snippets of our sessions with Emler, and have collected a few of the top questions I receive and will answer them now in hopes that you also give Emler Swim School a try!

How often do you go?

Classes are once a week and are separated into semesters - the semesters are similar to a traditional school semester and there is a Fall, Spring, Summer term.

How long are the classes?

Classes are 30 minutes long.

What do you learn?

Curriculum - at Jett’s age, is the same every week. We work on the same skills, and make it routine, so hopefully they come to know what to expect and can strengthen and become more confident in the skills they learn.

{this is a summary of what we have learned in the waterbabies class which is for children 6-35 months - note that curriculum for other age groups vary!}

-We use a “motor boat” to work on kicking (the motor boat looks like a traditional pool “noodle” that is bent and secured into a horseshoe shape but is more sturdy and stable - your baby/toddler can use this motor boat to learn what its like to kick in the water on their own! (I know this description isn’t super clear so if you can’t picture it - I have a highlight on my Instagram @megcusick about Emler - you will see a motor boat in my highlight!)

-We go through a station rotation where the little ones work on skills like pulling themselves up out of the pool (parents of course guide and lead this, since they probably don’t have the strength to do it on their own, but as they get older the hope is that they will know what to do to pull themselves out), monkey crawling along the edge, and sitting on the edge jumping into the water to a parent. When your child first starts what Emler calls “a swim turn” (jumping into the pool) they won’t go underwater, but as they become more comfortable, Emler teachers help guide you on how to teach them to go underwater and increase the amount of seconds that they are under - typically increasing one second per week. (Jett is up to 7 seconds!)

-We sing lots of cute songs!

-At the end of class we have an option to go down a little slide into the water! (Jett’s favorite!)

Where is Emler?

There are two Emler' locations in Kansas City - One is at 47th and Rainbow in Westwood, and the other is 135th and Mission in Leawood. Emler also has several locations in Texas! (click here to browse locations)

When can my baby/ toddler start?

Jett started at 6 weeks, but its never too late to start! We actually took a big break after his first semester -about 6 months- and as soon as the Westwood location opened (it’s brand new!) we decided to get him back into it since the school was much closer to our house. The instructors are so helpful and welcoming - when we joined the class late our instructor was great about bringing us up to speed on the curriculum and how to do the different activities in the pool. We actually started him mid semester, and we were able to get our tuition prorated.

How much does it cost?

If your child is 2-5 months old, you can enroll them in Bathtime Babies for FREE - you just have to pay the enrollment fee.

Classes for children older than 5 months you can try your first class free - by enrolling in an orientation class - that way you can decide if the class is something you want to continue in!

Emler has lots of pricing options so its best to contact them directly for more information.

I broke down our semester (which we prepaid for) but each class ends up being around 20$ / session

{We have found it very worth the money}

Just a few thoughts on what to expect on your first class:

-We bring Jett in his normal clothes and change him into his swim pants when we get there. There is plenty of changing table space that is meant for this purpose! We also bring him a change of clothes/ clean diaper for afterwards.

-I typically wear my swimsuit to class with a tee and shorts/joggers over it, and also bring a change of clothes for myself as well.

-Your little one should get a couple of reusable swim diapers (we have these!) (and these are so cute for girls!) and are preferred over the disposable ones.

Want a FREE swim diaper?? If you mention my blog when you sign up you can get a FREE pair! {or you can also choose a FREE pair of goggles}

-If your little one is unsure about swimming or seems nervous the first session or two - that’s totally normal. Jett cried almost the entire first lesson (not a wailing cry to the point where we thought we needed to get out -just a unsure/whiny type cry) and he has also had his off days where he just seems to not enjoy as much as other days. MOST times now as soon as we open the doors to Emler, he squeals with excitement.

Ready to try it?

Visit the Emler website for more information, and give them a call! Or if you have any further questions for me, feel free to reach out to me via email or Direct Message on Instagram!