Some links in this post may or may not be affiliate links. If you click on an affiliate link I will earn a commission which supports this site.
This post is sponsored by Big Blue Swim School and The Motherhood. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
In my family, the mere mention of going swimming brings HUGE smiles to our faces. In our past life, I am pretty sure we were a family of mer-people. We will take it anyway, anywhere. The benefits of swimming are endless. It helps balance you, strengthens your core and in my opinion, swimming helps you achieve a sense of calmness that can’t be found in any other activity.
I have noticed in my own family that my kids get sick less, breathe better and sleep better when they are swimming regularly. It’s a full body work out!
While I have always embraced my kids’ love of water, being a person who has worked with children since she was 13 years old, safety is always the foremost in my mind. Because of that, my kids have taken many, many swim lessons at a few different places that we have lived. It has always been super important to me that they learn the correct way to swim, don’t fear the water and feel confident when they are participating in any water activity.
Big Blue Swim School has been building up a lot of positive buzz in my little area of Chicagoland. After visiting the Buffalo Grove, IL location and chatting with Founder/President Chris DeJong, I quickly saw why.
The positive energy you get as soon as you walk into the building is amazing. Before the staff even knew why I was there, I was greeted with huge smiles and a very accommodating attitude. I bring this up because if you are like me, a first impression sets the tone for all my future interactions with a company.
The first thing out of my 11-year-old’s mouth was, “Cool Mom, this place is way better than the other place I was swimming at before”.
Big Blue Swim School just has a great vibe. It’s airy, has two separate pools (one large with full lanes and a smaller pool area), has bold, bright colors and a cute little play area for the kids. Big Blue is super family friendly. The water is 90 degrees so it’s gentle on kids’ skin. Plus, nothing takes away from learning more than kids freezing!
I was also impressed at the carpeted floors in the lobby and the changing area. Your kids stay safe from scrapes and bruises plus the carpet is antimicrobial. The pool’s saline system and ultra-violet filtration provide a state of the art defense system against waterborne illnesses and harsh chemicals. The germaphobe in me was very happy to hear that.
Liv’s Thoughts On Big Blue Swim School
My daughter had a few main points of why she liked the facility that she wanted me to pass along.
You have two choices of showers. One in the pool area and another in the changing room. Quick vs long. She loved that if we had somewhere to go after her lesson that she could shower and even dry her hair in the hair drying station.
Everything was separate. One of her biggest pet peeves in her old swim place was that there were no real designated areas. Everything basically blended together, was really loud and she was always getting banged around when the facility got crowded.
She also loved that the cubbies were huge!
The teachers know what they are doing and make sure you do too. She LOVED her instructor and was really happy with how well she taught.
If she didn’t understand or have a mastery of the skill they were learning, her instructor didn’t just move on. She visually demonstrated the skill herself and would correct Liv’s body so she could feel the correct way.
Liv is a visual learner so this was so exciting to see. I could literally see the knowledge clicking in her brain and she never got flustered. (That is a huge deal with her.)
Liv also was impressed that they sell towels and other supplies. 11-year-old priorities. She said, “Mom, sometimes you just forget!”
You get organic lollipops as a prize. It impressed her greatly that Big Blue gives organic lollipops as prizes. Again, 11-year-old priorities. (I have to say though, it’s just another part of the amazing customer service you get at Big Blue Swim School. They put so much thought into pretty much everything.)
Why Choose Big Blue Swim School?
Putting all that I have said above aside, there are many more reasons why Big Blue Swim School would be a fantastic choice for your family.
Big Blue Swim School is mindful of parents’ schedules, budget and time in every way.
Budget-friendly: You will never pay a registration fee for swim lessons. This is HUGE for me! Sometimes that registration fee would be the factor of whether or not my child could take swim lessons that session. Currently Big Blue is offering 6 swim lessons for $60 when you sign up for weekly lessons. That’s only $10 a lesson!! This is a discount of more than 50% off of standard prices.
Big Blue Invests In Their Employees: This benefits parents in a huge way. Big Blue Swim School is the only swim-lesson provider that exclusively hires and trains full-time teachers. They also earn benefits. Because Big Blue Swim School is not a franchise, they are able to provide a better experience for parents by investing in people. A more consistent and better-trained teacher will always give a better experience. Another part of attracting better and committed talent for your children, Big Blue also provides health insurance and free memberships to fitness facilities.
They Value Parents’ Time: Big Blue offers more lesson times than any other provider. They have built their own proprietary software platform that allows families to choose a lesson time that works for ALL their kids in one click. This means fewer trips to the pool because of scheduling conflicts!
You are not charged for missing a class either! Things happen and Big Blue understands that they are parents themselves!
A feature I LOVE is the software also allows families to log into their account from any device and track their kid’s progress, move their lesson times, schedule FREE make-up lessons, add additional lessons, and update personal information in just a few easy clicks.
We were so impressed that we signed up for lessons. The first thing out of my daughter’s mouth when she got out of the pool was “please??” along with puppy dog eyes. I highly recommend if you live in the Chicagoland area that you check Big Blue Swim School out and see for yourself.