★ 4

I would like to kindly ask the administration on this school to monitor the instrucaters adherence to training start times (start on time and finish on), Plus they should care and knows all the kids the pay same amount of money thats mean they should be take and desirve the same attention for all kids at the sametime. and same fun time in the end of the training. We did address the issue with the manager and i hope they take care of it. Cos nobody like seeing his kids crying for One hour after his lesson. I believe the most important thing is the keep the kids happy and love the swimming.

Thank you, Anya! I really appreciate your reply. The good news is that my son still wants to continue training with his teacher after his vacation.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Great swim school for little kids. They teachers and knowledgeable and caring. It's a highlight of the week for my kids.

Source: Google

★ 5

Great staff and school

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★ 1

Be careful in your dealings with this school. They "automatically" enroll you in the next months classes unless you fill out a form and request cancelling before the next month starts even though you sign up for one month at a time. They don't explicitly communicate this when you ask how the program works but put it in their T&C's which I consider a bit shady. I was also very disappointed by the response received from the school when we were caught by surprise by this. Would expect a kinder more understanding response from a local business who serves families with young children and are probably already at their capacities limits.

Source: Google

★ 5

We love it here! Emily was excellent with my daughter who just started a year ago, she helped her learn swim safety skills, fun songs and how to listen and helped her swim by herself and move to the next level. She worked with her, knowing her level and helped build confidence. Thank you!

Source: Google

★ 5

Such a fantastic swim school and business. My boys have been attending weekly swim classes for a year and a half and all the instructors are so fantastic. True, they do seem to change schedules or rotate instructors somewhat frequently, but they’re really consistent with their expectations and great attitudes. Even when my older son has been fearful, they are so calm and prepared to help him feel comfortable. Start your kids as young as possible! Getting enrolled and scheduled is not easy, but once you’re in, they take great care of customers. Our baby’s current instructor is River, who is really wonderful.

Source: Google

★ 5

Awesome place! Love to bring my little one here. Feels like a second home. Ms Hailey is an amazing teacher. My little one now swims like a pro :)

Source: Google

★ 5

This is a great swim school. Cooper has been going here for over a year now. Bella is an amazing swim teacher. Her patience, kind and caring attitude with the children is great especially for baby and toddlers who are nervous in the water. You can tell she loves her job. I really hope she will be teaching classes at the new Broadway location next year!

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★ 5

Ms. Haley is the best. We absolutely love this place! It’s fun and we’ve seen improvement.

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★ 5

LWSS is so wonderful! We have been with them for over 6 years, multiple children. They all are learning amazing safety skills, how to swim, different strokes. The price, environment, knowledge, fun is great! The staff are smart, sweet, fun, welcoming. Recommend to anyone! Recommend teacher Christian, he is fun, supportive, kind & great at his job, our fav! Thank you! -MA

Source: Google

★ 5

I wanted to leave a message about the teacher Miss Emma to acknowledge her patience and kindness with the children today during class. Thank you for your care!

Source: Google

★ 5

Teacher Gabby has been my daughter’s swim teacher for nearly 3 years. She is the absolute best teacher - she is patient, encouraging, and supportive. She makes my daughter feel comfortable and confident in the water and pushes her to try new skills. We joined Little Whale in 2021 when we knew our daughter wasn’t getting the attention she needed at other swim programs and have never looked back. The best swim program in the greater Sacramento area!

Source: Google

★ 5

Our daughter’s toddler teacher, Alexis, is so patient and fun she makes learning swimming a blast.

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★ 5

Awesome school🐳! We’ve been taking their classes for over two years now🏊‍♂️Our teacher Sandi is absolutely BEST! Great profesional teacher, accommodates every student’s unique needs. She helped my son, who has additional needs, to succeed in so many ways 💪 We are so grateful ❤️ Also, her knowledge of sign language was really helpful 👍
Their stuff is amazing. Big shoutout to Alexis👏 She’s been so supportive all the way! We always feel seen and heard! Thank you guys, you are THE BEST👏

Source: Google

★ 5

Sandi is extraordinary and so patient. Our child has some mild sensory challenges and she knows how to pace the classes so he makes progress each week. Can't recommend her enough!!

Source: Google

★ 5

Teacher Emilee is great with our 1 year old. She absolutely loves swimming and is always so excited to go to the pool. Teacher Ali is great with our 5 year old. She was afraid to get in the pool without Mom or Dad, but teacher Ali made it fun and she got over her fear in just a few minutes! The whole family also enjoys “family swim” free time in the heated pool every Saturday, and we are glad that swim class has helped both our daughters be comfortable in the water.

Source: Google

★ 5

Little Whale Swim School has been amazing for my son, who started when he was just 5 months old and is now two. The facility is clean, well-organized, and provides a safe and fun environment for learning. Sarah, his swim teacher, has been fantastic. She’s always patient and kind, and my son has learned so much with her guidance. I highly recommend Little Whale Swim School for anyone looking for a place where their child can not only learn to swim but also gain confidence in the water, all while prioritizing safety!

Source: Google

★ 5

We LOVE little whales!! I started taking my now 8 month old when she was 3 months old, because I was on maternity leave and thought it would be fun and heard little whale took babies as early as 2 months. Little did I know that our once a week swim lesson would quickly become an obsession. My daughter absolutely loves the water, I love taking her in any swimming pool, and it’s been such an amazing bonding activity for the both of us. Even if she is fussy getting her swim diaper on, the second she sees the pool and her swim teachers she takes it all in and enjoys every second of her lesson. S/O teachers David and Alyssa!! They are amazing with the babies and my daughter loves them and feels calm with them in the water. The songs are super cute for the pool and a great trick if she’s fussy at home, I sing a swim song and immediately she calms down 😂 swim has become such a happy place for her and I am so grateful little whale takes babies so young! I am excited for the Broadway location to open soon and for her to become a strong and confident swimmer!

Source: Google

★ 5

Teacher Gabby is the best swim teacher. She is kind, patient and truly cares about the safety of the kids! She is consistent and wants every kid to learn and advance.

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★ 5

We love it here, been going since our little was about 14 months old and she is now a level 4 with teacher Zeo. She is awesome, she is great with our 4 year old and has a good balance between fun and learning.

Source: Google

★ 5

Kayla is an amazing teacher, patient but persistent. Our son has been scared to learn but he’s been making real progress with Kayla. She’s given him a safe space to learn but won’t let him give up. Thank you Kayla!

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★ 5

We love Little Whale and especially Teacher David! He is so patient and encouraging!

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★ 5

Teacher Alexis makes swim days the most fun!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Little Whales has been wonderful for our family! When it was time for our boys to learn how to swim, we tried our local pool first and it just didn’t work for us. There was one teacher for 10-12 rambunctious kiddos and every session resulted in our boys either screaming and refusing to go into the pool, or being bored if they went in.
Then we tried Little Whales and were blown away by the contrast… very small class sizes, personalized swim instruction, feedback on where the child is, incentives to keep the kids interested, the boys actually look forward to our weekly swim class now AND there’s a donut store next door!! If the boys have done well for a particular lesson, after swim, we’ll go there. :)
Based on what they’ve learned so far, we are super comfortable with our boys around any pool and we’re confident that they will swim just fine.
We HIGHLY recommend Little Whales to any family who’s kiddo(s) need any sort of swimming skills.

Source: Google

★ 5

Teacher Paula is amazing. She always has a lovely smile whenever she is teaching. She is very patient with my hyperactive child. Thank you teacher Paula.

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★ 5

We’ve had a great experience at Little Whale. Teacher David is the best! Our kiddo was apprehensive but feels much more comfortable in the water now, largely owing to him!

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★ 5

Mrs. Kayla is the best, she's patient with my son and the rest of her class. She's always smiling and making her students and parents welcomed.

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★ 5

We’ve been coming to Little Whale for six years and this review is long overdue! This is an amazing year round swim school with warm water! It is so kid friendly and truly designed for young babies tots and kids to master swim skills. We ALWAYS get compliments on how safe and strong our little swimmers are.

We recently got a new teacher, Teacher Ali! He is wonderful!!! He meets kids on their level, celebrates their wins, explains things to them in a way they can understand. We’ve had several amazing teachers during our time here including gabby and Kayla and I’m always skeptical about someone new, but definitely surpassed my expectation and was GREAT!

Source: Google

★ 5

Miss Bella has been amazing with two of my girls. Both were initially apprehensive around the water, one significantly so, and she demonstrated a great ability to be supportive and recognize each achievement without ever slowing down or letting my swimmers not try new skills due to fears and tears.

Miss Gabby is also a fantastic teacher who taught my oldest her strokes to earn her gold medal after Miss Bella got her swimming.

I greatly appreciate the approach at Little Whale that forges ahead despite tears and provides positive reinforcement to the kids for pushing through. Other places we have had lessons have let my kids call the shots and did not have a method for progressing my protesting kids. I am grateful that Miss Bella and Miss Gabby returned my kids to me as little swimmers.

Source: Google

★ 5

The little whale school is great! Our kids teachers, Sarah and Brenda, really go above and beyond to not only teach them to be stronger swimmers, but make the classes fun and safe.

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★ 5

We love Ali, Brenda, and Alexis. They have seen our three year old through the most basic swim lessons to learning laps. When she struggles with technique, they always respond(ed) patiently and encouraging with a smile. It was important to us that the class kept swimming approachable and fun rather than feeling too serious or daunting. She looks forward to classes and tells everyone at school that she’s a swimmer now. She also has improved dramatically in our community pool and gained the confidence to swim independently. What a relief as a parent.

Source: Google

★ 5

Teacher Mason has been exceptional. My son is wiley and spry and will test your patience. Mason has done great being patent and working with him. I haven’t been able to get my son to float, paddle or practice kicking and in the first lesson Mason had him doing all 3! Apparently anything for teacher Mason. Way to go coarch, keep it up.

Source: Google

★ 5

Going to swim class at Little Whale is one of my kiddo's favorite things to do. Sandi is the best teacher and truly cares about her students. So grateful for her and the entire Little Whale team!

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

David is such a great swim teacher to our two year old. He’s clear in his instruction, he pushes her just enough to encourage and motivate and does fun activities with them!

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★ 5

Teacher Sandi has been working well with my daughter - she gives us homework that can help

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★ 5

Teacher Gabby is awesome!! My little one loves going to their classes. Teacher Gabby’s passion and energy really keep my child engaged and excelling. Would definitely recommend.

Source: Google

★ 5

Great place for your kids to learn to swim! Our oldest learned here from teacher Gabby, who was awesome, and our youngest just graduated to level 2 from teacher Bella's class, who is also fantastic. Recommend both teachers and the school.

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★ 5

Teacher Brenda is amazing!! Our son has learned a lot, progressing quickly and really enjoys swimming in her class. Thank you, Brenda!!

Source: Google

★ 5

Great experience and a warm pool.

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★ 5

Wonderful place to swim! Have tried many different swim schools and always come back! Was a nanny and brought three different children here and now bring my own. Ali is fantastic! He is so patient with the littles while teaching. My son instantly loved coming to class and learning from him.

Source: Google

★ 5

We absolutely love instructor Sandy! Since being in Sandy’s class, our daughter has so much confidence in the water and her skills have improved significantly. Sandy makes sure her class is geared towards learning swim skills while having fun which is a bonus

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★ 5

Sandi is awesome!!! My daughter has made so much progress! Thank you! Iris earned her Purple Ribbon 🦋 & Gold Medal!! 🏅 Thank you again Sandi & the rest of the Little Whale team! We are whaley 🐋 proud of Iris!!💕

Source: Google

★ 5

Alexis is my 3-year-old daughter’s teacher and she’s amazing! My daughter looks forward to seeing her every week. She challenges her to improve, which has led to her excel quickly through the ribbon levels, and she only started swim lessons in December!

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★ 5

My nephew’s teacher, Alshaban, is a great teacher. He’s patient and supportive as he provides excellent instruction! Thank you for a great experience!

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Greenlee Estrada’s grandfather. Kayla is very patient and does a great job of building confidence in the students. Really enjoy her teaching style.

Source: Google

★ 5

We love little whale! My daughter has been going now for about 6 months and she is getting so good! All of the teachers are so nice and friendly. We are in a toddler class so it’s nice for myself to also get in the pool with her and we meet so many other parents there. We love our weekly class!

Source: Google

★ 5

We have been coming to little whale for nearly three years with our daughter. We love the life skill of swimming she has developed as she continues to gain confidence in the water. She has been ride or die w/ teacher Gavin whose fun attitude combined with kind and firm guiding hand have been great for her development. Highly recommend both Little Whale and Teacher Gavin!

Source: Google

★ 5

Sara is a wonderful swim instructor. she is patient, kind and definitely has a knack for working with kids. Our daughter has learned so much from Sara and at the Little Whale Swim School! I highly recommend this swim schoo!

Source: Google

★ 5

Issac is very patient and very kind. He had pushed our baby when needed and we could not be more grateful. Thank you!

Source: Google

★ 5

Teacher Lilly is great teacher, super sweet and attentive

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★ 5

Teacher Kayla and Haley M have been my grandkids Teachers and they have really thrived with them they are both very encouraging and positive. Both kids are moving classes because of school and I will really miss both of them. Hopefully we circle back around to them.

Source: Google

★ 5

My boys have had 3 teachers at Little Whale School in the 6 months we’ve been there and I have been impressed with each of them.

Cali taught my youngest in Level 1. I was most impressed when my kid was screaming in her face (because he was nervous in the water) and she responded with patience and calmness. She can handle those first time swimmers like a champ. She is so sweet to them and helped my little one gain his initial confidence in the water.

Mason now teaches my youngest in level 2. He is also calm and helps my son feel comfortable as he increases his swimming skills. My favorite thing to watch is Mason correcting my son when he is jumping off the step into the water by himself. Mason is firm but patient. I think he’s a champ at handling the kids who have some confidence in the water, but aren’t skilled enough to know their limits.

Gavin teaches my older boy. He taught him level 3 and now teaches him level 4. My older son knows how to get himself across a pool but has a hard time understanding the form on his strokes. What I appreciate most about Gavin is that he takes the time to stop my son mid swim and physically show him how he should be moving his arms and legs. This has made such a difference in my son’s ability to learn the strokes.

Overall we’ve had a great experience with Little Whale School and I highly recommend them for teaching your littles!

Source: Google

★ 5

My son Carter is about to be 4 and has been swimming here on and off since he was 2. My daughter Nova just turned 2 and has been swimming for 6 months now. Both of their teachers Emily & Hailey are caring and patient they have been instrumental in my children’s development. Emily works more with Carter because he is level 1 but all of the staff have been helpful and I do feel that they care about carters development. Carter had a couple of lessons where he didn’t want to get in to the water and they had an additional teacher hop in the water with him and even though he was being difficult at first he calmed down and quickly started engaging with Emily and the class. There are swim schools closer to Natomas but we drive to Little Whale for a whale of a time with instructors who care.

Source: Google

★ 5

Very baby friendly! We started at 3mo old and the temperature and facilities were great. We love our teacher Zsophia. She is experienced, knowledgeable, and patient at working with the moms and babies. I've learned a lot about baby's reflexes and how to teach babies good swim habits from the start, which is why I've stayed!

Source: Google

★ 5

Love little whales. My son worked with Gavin and had so much growth swimming it’s incredible

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★ 5

We have been coming here for years. We have had a wonderful experience and our older son is much safer in the water. Emma is our favorite instructor. She has a positive attitude and does a great job at inspiring her students.

Source: Google

★ 5

We have been at Little Whales for the past 3 years and 2 of those years Ms. Bella has been our daughters teacher. Both of my children now have Ms. Bella as their teacher and are thriving! It has been great to have such a consistent teacher for swim. I can’t express how grateful I am for Ms. Bella and her love for teaching and children. She definitely goes above and beyond to provide excellent swim lessons!

Source: Google

★ 5

We have had a great experience at Little Whale. Our teacher, Rachel, has been so patient and kind! She’s great with all the kids in class and she’s helped our daughter become more confident in the pool.

Source: Google

★ 5

My daughter and son attend this school since June, 2024. I see my daughter's progress with Miranda. My son has much energy so lessons are really helpful for him. Thank you his teacher, Kayla! She is patient and experienced! The school has all equipment you needed.

Source: Google

★ 5

So happy to have found this place. My daughter is making so much progress and we love our teacher Kayla.

Source: Google

★ 5

My son has been going to Little Whale for almost 2 years since he was 6 months and he loves it. Teacher Emma is amazing!

Source: Google

★ 5

We came from a different swim school and were completely blown away by the Little Whale Swim School difference. Our daughter's first class there was with Sarah, and she was fantastic! My daughter would "play Sarah" in the bath. Now she is in Christian's class and adores him just as much. Our younger daughter is in Hailey's class, and we appreciate how calm and patient Hailey is with all the littles. You can tell this swim school actually cares about the students here--from the "cirriculum" to the way they engage with silliness and songs, it's really a intentional and fun experience. Not only do the staff seem to know all the students there (we ran into Isaac in Disneyland and he even knew who we were!), they have excellent customer service. We really love this swim school, and can't wait until their Land Park location opens up so we don't have such a far drive (...though the drive is completely worth it because I don't think there's a better school in the Sacramento area)! :)

Source: Google

★ 5

Teacher Gavin is wonderful. He has a connection with my 2 year old grandson, and I am impressed how much my grandson has learned with him.

Source: Google

★ 5

My 2 children have been coming her for over a year and love it! Teacher Brenda is amazing. She's patient and encourages our son to go outside his comfort zone. She always has a smile on her face and you can tell she enjoys what she does.

Source: Google

★ 5

We have been coming to Little Whale since 2020 when my son was 3. We have had an amazing experience with Teacher David who was my sons first swim teacher. We recently came back thid past March and worked with Teacher Alexis. She is amazing. Teacher Alexis was very welcoming, encouraging and had a great approach with her kiddos. My son really thrived in her class and quickly earned both his red and orange ribbons. He is excited to come to his lessons every Sunday and he is finally confident enough to jump into our pool at home, swim in the deep end and show off his back floating skills. I highly recommend Little Whale for swim lessons.

Source: Google

★ 5

My daughter has been coming since she was a little Narwhal now she is almost an Orca. Everyone is great and you can see how the skills build in one another as the swimmers progress through the different ribbon levels. She has gone through 6 teachers but teacher Brenda is the best! You can tell she loves the kids and they really connect with her as well. She literally carries 4 kids wrapped around her from one end to the other end of the pool.

Source: Google

★ 5

We love Little Whale! The curriculum is thoughtful and it is a great benefit to my children that we can practice swimming year round. Both my boys LOVE Ms. Cali! My 3 year old in particular talks about her all week. She is gentle and kind and makes him feel heard. He wants nothing more than to make her proud of him. <3

Source: Google

★ 5

We love Little Whale Swim school! Teacher Bella has been amazing!!

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★ 5

Gabby is the best with my son. She can help him focus really well to the task. My son has progressed so much with her coaching!

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★ 5

Teacher Kayla received my child as she was being weaned off naps and already had difficulty focusing but she was so patient with her and teaches her like the pro she is! She is so awesome with my daughter and she looks forward to class every Thursday evening!

Source: Google

★ 5

My daughter love little whale swimming school and her teacher Zoe. Recommend this school and Zoe for all little kids who want to learn swimming.

Source: Google

★ 5

We love little whale! Last summer, my 6 and 3 year old daughters were not swimming. At all. They didn’t even like to get their faces wet. Fast forward a year later…my now 7 year old is a completely independent, confident swimmer. The 4 year old is almost there too! She can swim short distances by herself, and is getting better every week.
Their first teacher, the wonderful Gracie, graduated college and moved pon, but for the last few months, they have been working with Teacher Alexis…we love her! She knows exactly how hard to push them, but still keeps it fun! (We’ve also had Gavin, David, and Kayla as subs… They have all been awesome too. Which leads me to believe you can’t go wrong in any class!)

Source: Google

★ 5

We LOVE Little Whale Swim School! So far we’ve had Teachers Zsofi, Christian, and Alexis. They’re all fabulous people and awesome teachers. My sons ability and confidence around water has skyrocketed! You should absolutely enroll here, these guys know what they’re doing and do it well!

Source: Google

★ 5

I’ve always heard great things about Little Whale Swim School from my students and their families so when it was time to take my son I knew exactly where to go! We’ve been going since my son was 3 months (he is now 8 months)!! We love Teacher Haley!! She creates a bond with her students and is an all around great teacher. The facility is so clean and welcoming.

Source: Google

★ 5

Little whale is an excellent swim school starting at infant stage with mommy and me classes and progressing throughout stroke techniques. We’ve been taking our daughter since she was 1 year and we have been fortunate enough to have Ms Kayla and she is SO great with our little one

Source: Google

★ 5

We love teacher Brenda!!!!

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★ 5

We started at Little Whale since my boy was 2months old. He went through stages where he was swimming perfect to feeling insecure to swim. But the teachers here are all very loving and caring and accommodated all our special needs. Sandi is our current teacher, she is very patient to our Autistic boy. He was once insecure about swimming, screaming in the pool, now he slowly enjoys swimming and heard him laugh in the pool. thanks to Sandi

Source: Google

★ 5

We have been taking our toddler here for over 7 months and he loves it! He has made tremendous improvements to his swimming skills all thanks to his teacher, Brenda! Brenda is so patient and always supports her students with kindness.

Source: Google

★ 5

We LOVE Little Whale! The staff are incredible (We love you Teacher Haley!), the facilities are clean and great, the kids learn quickly, it is all around incredible!

Source: Google

★ 5

I didn’t, see bad customer service. Perhaps it was BAD CUSTOMER

Source: Google

★ 5

We've been with little Whale Swim School for almost 2 years now. It is an excellent facility with great staff! They are patient and caring with each child and meet them where they are at skills wise while encouraging growth. They show an emphasis on the life saving skills that swim lessons teach, but do so in a fun and engaging manner. My 3 year old recently graduated to the "big kid" class (no parent in pool) and the staff had been so accommodating during the hard moments of the transition. I would definitely recommend Little Whale Swim School to every parent!

Source: Google

★ 5

Love little whale. All of the teachers and staff are nice and work so well with the kids. My son is learning a lot more than he would have at home. Just wish the class times were a little bit longer.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Little Whale approaches water safety with so much fun! The teachers really take the time to make your children feel comfortable in the water while also teaching them basic swim skills for their age and experience. My family has been taking our 2 kids for about 4.5 years!! They also offer times for family swim so you can practice new skills or just play with your family- such a great additional perk!

Source: Google

★ 5

Great swim school that focuses on child development. They make swim class fun & educational! My two year old started at 2 months & he absolutely loves swimming. He can swim a short distance all on his own! Every teacher we’ve had has been fantastic.

Source: Google

★ 5

Great management and staff! Clean! Fun! My kiddo has been coming here for 5 years

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★ 5

Teachers are great, kids absolutely love this place

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★ 1

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★ 2

Same as other bad reviews. Management thinks they're better than you and after 10 calls that don't get answered they will just tell you too bad. If you need any flexibility at all or could have an issue go elsewhere. Teachers are nice and the pool seemed comfortable though.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

My daughter was Nervous/ overwhelmed about a new time and teacher. The staff/teachers were AMAZING with her they helped encourage her to be brave and try it, even sat with her till she was ready to join the class. We walked out with her smiling and excited for next week. Thank you ladies. 🤗

Source: Google

★ 1

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★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Best swim school for toddlers and babies in all of Sacramento. Their group classes are so much better than the multiple private lessons we tried elsewhere. Their instructors are amazing at helping kids feel comfortable and the “curriculum” is perfect to help parents know what to do outside of class. Your child directly improves in every single class. And it’s a well run small business I’m proud to support. (Worth the drive from east sac.)

Source: Google

★ 3

I'm not usually one to leave a mostly negative review, but unfortunately Little Whale has earned it. We have enrolled our son here for over a year, and finally are looking elsewhere for his swim lessons.

Before you choose Little Whale, I think you should be aware of what you are getting into.

Let's start with the positives. There are 3 main ones:
1. Some of the teachers
2. The curriculum
3. The facility

The pool and facility is very nice, warm, and always well-maintained. The curriculum is intentionally very repetitive, but pretty effective as well. Our son has definitely improved (albeit very slowly) over the past year. We've experienced quite a few teachers now, and while all of them are very nice, some are much better at teaching than others. Fortunately after a few months, our son landed in Miss Haley's class. She is an excellent teacher, and she is the primary reason we haven't left sooner.

Now onto the negatives:
1. Fees
2. Policies
3. Customer service

This is a very expensive swim school. When we started a year ago, there were 3 kids per class. Then they changed it to 4 kids per class, citing staffing issues. It's 30 minutes per class, but once teachers and students transition classes, it's more like 25 minutes per class. So each kid gets about 6 minutes of instruction per week. With about 4 classes per month, it works out to under 30 minutes total of instruction per month, for $100.

So yes, very expensive. BUT that assumes that you actually can go every week. They basically have no makeup policy. You lose whatever classes you miss. They do give you one "free" makeup per quarter, but that actually just makes up for the fact that they are closed 4 weeks of the year anyway. They did give 2 bonus sessions during the holidays, which was nice. But ultimately you never feel like you're fully getting what you paid for.

On top of that, when we enrolled, there was a random $25 annual membership fee. Now they've changed it to a $100 family fee, apparently just to make more money.

In theory family swim is a great benefit, but it was constantly closed, and we kind of stopped trying to go. They used to charge $5 for siblings, but they've now increased it to $15. Simply put, we're not going to pay $15 to bring our 2yo daughter to "family" swim.

And then there's customer service. For at least the first 6 months of attending Little Whale, the front desk was almost always vacant. On many occasions I tried calling, and almost never did someone pickup the phone. Once I tried emailing them, and it took them over a week to respond. I do feel like they've done better recently at having someone at the front desk.

A few weeks ago, my mom (who often takes our son to his lessons) said she was shocked because the person at the front desk actually greeted her when she walked in. She notices things like that.

Finally, most recently, I had a bad encounter with management. I knew that we had "6 months" to use the holiday bonus lessons, but when I tried booking one in early June, was surprised to find that they actually expired at the end of May (they were "issued" at the beginning of December, hence the 6 months). I said oops I didn't realize that, and would they be able to honor the bonus lesson a week late. I really didn't think it would be a big deal, but they said no. I politely responded and said "We've been a customer for over a year now, and despite the many changes in policies and fees, we've never complained or asked for anything. Could you make this one-time exception?" They could have easily made the exception, or said sorry and that they understood why I was confused, or at least have thanked us for being a loyal customer. But they didn't do any of that. Instead, they claimed that it would be unfair to honor my request. It wasn't just disappointing, it was truly appalling. It felt like I was in the DMV, not in a place that cares about its customers.

Little Whale has changed a lot even in the past year. I'm not sure what it will look like a year from now, but I don't want to spend another $1k+ to find out.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Great swim school with dedicated teachers. Definitely helped my daughter excel at swimming.

Source: Google

★ 5

Our daughter loves taking classes here! She has been going since she was 9 months old and we have seen her skills improve. The thirty minutes fly by each week and she is so sad when it's time to get out of the pool. All the teachers are great with the kids. Our favorite was Teacher Tarynn, but we have enjoyed every teacher we have had. Definitely would recommend for kids of any age looking to learn basic swim skills and get comfortable in the water.

Source: Google

★ 4

My daughter's first experience with swim lessons. They are great. My daughter cried most of the time (fearful and something new) but they continued to work with her.

Source: Google

★ 1

We decided it was time to get our 3.5 year old started in some swimming lessons so he could interact with other children since he absolutely loves the water. We were so excited and had done our research and decided to try out Little Whale Swim School as majority of the reviews were pretty good. All businesses have good and bad reviews which is understandable so we gave them the benefit of the doubt. I wish I would of payed closer attention to the negative reviews because we had an awful experience. One of the techniques is dunking the kids under water. My son had just met the teacher and was completely thrown off by just getting his head dunked under water. He showed he did not like it and forced his head back up and she continued to dunk him. My son was scared and cried the rest of the class. She kept saying " you have to do this buddy". Goggles and nose plugs are highly pushed. I reached out after my sons horrible experience leaving voicemails and reached out via email. I did not hear back so I decided to cancel. I finally received a call about getting him enrolled?!?!!!!! The concern was completely disregarded. I am extremely disappointed with the teacher and office staff/management. They clearly only cared and were easy to talk to regarding payments but other than that good luck reaching anyone. We lost some $$$ but that's fine its not worth getting your kid traumatized over.

Source: Google

★ 4

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 4

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 1

I have had a horrific time with Little Whale during the past few months. I have attempted to be patient with her new teacher and the turnover of teachers at the school. Her new teacher was not consistent and my daughter was not progressing with her new teacher. I voiced my concerns with the staff and my daughter was only able to progress when a sub was in. A few months ago I was given misinformation and was told by five different employees that I could schedule my daughter for a private lesson. I was even charged for the private lesson only to be called and have the lesson canceled because private lessons were not being offered at that time.Now I am now trying to schedule my daughter for a makeup due to a medical restriction and I call to be told misinformation from two different people in the same phone call. It seems like there is a lack of consistency with the lessons and information the staff gives out. I have tried to be patient but this is the last straw. This has been a less than pleasant experience.

Source: Google

★ 5

This is a great place for swim lessons, instructors are friendly. My kids have fun and love going.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

I have been taking both of my kids there since they were babies (one as young as 4 months) and we LOVE it! My five year old has moved on to swim team but wouldn't be able to do that had she not been swimming at Little Whale. I highly recommend this swim school!

Source: Google

★ 4

Source: Google

★ 1

My son started swimming with little whales Mid- April. He took three lessons and came up with a rash called Molluscum Contagiosum. The rash comes from sharing toys in swimming pool, gymnastics, etc. I called little whales to inform them he had a rash and wouldn’t come to lessons. The manger David was very rude stating they had been open 3 years and never heard of such a thing. He also stated he would not give me credit for the lessons missed. I asked to speak with the owner because I didn’t like how he handle the situation. To my surprise the owner was just as rude. She stated I should take my son elsewhere since I implied they weren’t properly cleaning. I asked about the cleaning protocol and she said the chlorine was the disinfectant. They do not sanitize in between uses of the equipment. Kids put on equipment and once taking off it goes to a bucket for the next kid to put on. Both the owner and her manager has poor customer service. If chlorine is the only disinfectant used you have a problem. You aren’t properly providing a safe environment for the children. Bottom line the owner and her staff need training on customer service and infection control.

Source: Google

★ 5

Best swim school ever!!! My 74 year old grandmother takes lessons at Little Whale and absolutely loves it! Her instructor is so kind and helpful- she even sent my grandma a post card after her first lesson! My grandmother also went on to say that all staff members are very professional and she feels totally comfortable taking swim lessons at an indoor facility as a 74 year old during an outbreak. She also loves watching the babies and little guys before her class!! 6/5 stars she says!!!!

Source: Google

★ 1

The instructors are nice. The management is rude, condesending and very unprofessional. Save your money and send your child to another swim school.

Source: Google

★ 5

It's a safe clean place for my grandson. He has learned to swim and love the water.

Source: Google

★ 5

Great job with the grandkids....👍👍

Source: Google

★ 1

I would have given them negative marks if I could.

Good setup but management is an issue. We had our toddler parent child classes with them. All of a sudden due to a family emergency (my 99 year old grandma was going through some issues) we needed to travel and so we asked if we can make up the classes after we come back. But all they waived is the policy document in front of me. They didn’t have any empathy and consideration.

My husband was mad as well when they waived policy document on him where they asked him to step outside as only one parent is allowed due to COVID. That is fine, but we had a toddler in parent-child class and I was with him in the pool. He emailed them pleading this isn’t right as missing this precious moments and to support your kid when he is learning to swim is bad. But no luck. The management didn’t even bother to get back to him. He was IGNORED. After this we simply canceled our classes and I’m, honestly, relieved. I love my YMCA! These people don’t care about who they teach, all they care about is billing and creating hard nosed policies to make our life difficult. I didn’t have to take it and we got out. My suggestion: Search for a better option.

Source: Google

★ 1

Source: Google

★ 5

Nice place for kids and professional staff

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

We love this place

Source: Google

★ 5

The facilities are perfect for kids and families. The staff is always friendly. More importantly they are patient It's clear they really want to help kids learn and practice swimming.
Areas for improvement: communication on students' progress (maybe monthly?)

Source: Google

★ 5

Friendly phone customer service when we were signing up and asking questions. Friendly staff when you enter. Facility is organized and clean. They are COVID-19 ready with face shields for their instructors. There are quite a few sanitizing stations for guests. One adult per kid/family to maintain social distancing. Instructors are organized and friendly. They are kind with the kids. :)

Source: Google

★ 5

Don't hesitate to bring your child here!! I could not make a higher recommendation for Little Whales. My Son was not afraid of the water but would not get in without something to help him stay afloat. After the first month the he was in the water with no help, move forward 10 months (with a couple months gap) he is about ready to finish learning all of the basic strokes.

The teachers are great, amazing even. The commitment to water safety is second to none. BEST OF ALL, their pool is indoors and heated to 92*. If you have a child in the greater Sacramento area, stop in and check it out. I can almost guarantee it will be your last stop.

KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK!!

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Great teaching, good incentives My son began lessons during quarantine and they had good protocols in place. Super warm in the room by the pool, but there's a side waiting area, as well, that is air conditioned with a good view of the pool.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

This place is great! There was a little hiccup last year with some administration issues but those seem to have been all worked out! We take our 20 month old daughter here for swim lessons and the teachers a facility are fantastic!! Our daughter has good days and bad days but the teacher is always great. If I had one request it would be a couple more changing tables in the men's locker room. There are a lot of dads that do the swim lessons with their children and that locker room gets full. The pool is very warm and the water quality is immaculate! I am glad we have this place in Sacramento!!!

Source: Google

★ 1

My sister and I have been taking my nephews to this school for over a month now. Today would've been the start of the second month (already paid for). The kids have been loving it and we were excited to take them today until we realized the school was completely closed and there was a notice on the door saying there are some "legal issues" going on. They sent out an email with the same exact notice. However, there was no mention about the school being closed down. We received no call, no email, nothing with a heads up that the school would not be open, only an email mentioning that one of the owners is on leave. Several parents waited outside because no one was informed about the school being closed. VERY unprofessional and horrible business no matter the legal circumstances that may be going on. On top of that, tuition was supposed to be posted to our accounts yesterday so I really hope with the uninformed close of business that nobody's accounts were charged yesterday?!

Source: Google

★ 1

Was great until today.... Drove all the way here to find out they are closed due to "unresolved legal issues.". Sign posted on window. No call, no email, etc. Dissappointing...

Source: Google

★ 1

Very rude! I spoke to the finance person to find out if there is another way to pay for swim lessons rather than giving my bank information. In this day and age of identity theft there is too much risk to just give anyone your information especially for something as silly as swim lessons. There is no alternative which is ridiculous, but not my biggest complaint. The young woman was quite rude and disrespectful on the phone.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Such a great school!

Source: Google

★ 2

Swim lessons were fine. However the make up policy is for their profit. My grandson woke up with fever and they didnot allow him to mak up the class because it was a last minute cancelation

Source: Google

★ 1

We really loved going to Little Whales. It took my twins a bit to get over getting dunked, but eventually they enjoyed class, even the "motor boat" that elicited screams from one of my twins the first month or so.
We planned to put our membership on hold for a month because one of my twins had an ear infection that wouldn't go away and we wanted to give her a month out of the pool to let it heal fully. It took calling twice to get someone to return my call. I was told to put in the cancellation request and a credit would sit in our account that we could use for the following month. Almost two weeks later I received an email with a "refund" for three lessons. I had submitted the cancellation request too late and would be charged for the first lesson of the month. I emailed back explaining what I had been told over the phone and had also explained in the cancellation request. After a week with no response, I emailed again. Still no response. Had I known I was going to be charged for the lessons, I would have used the one remaining for my twin who isn't having ear infection issues. I have not received a response or even the partial refund I was told i was receiving and we're coming up on two weeks. The communication from this place can be considered poor at best. We won't be returning.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

This place truly is the best. The staff is amazing and they have a genuine interest in what they do. The price is WAY better than anywhere else I checked out and it's a newer facility (very clean). Best of all, babies up to 6 months are free!!

Source: Google

★ 5

My oldest daughter started here around 2.5 years old (she’s now 3.5) and we’ve had the BEST experience! We started with a city-run swim class and didn’t love it at all. Now, my daughter looks forward to her swim class and LOVES her swim instructor. She’s had the same instructor the entire year that we started! Now, my 2 month old is in a mom & me class that’s free!!

The swim school is clean and the customer service is awesome! I’m really glad we found this gem!

Source: Google

★ 5

Love the teachers and the method they use for instruction.

Source: Google

★ 5

Love it here. My daughter is 11 months and can swim several feet under water. I know as she gets older she will learn true technique and what to do in case she ends up in water unexpectedly.
The staff, and owner, have all been great.
I’m glad they’ve put my daughter in goggles and fins from the get-go. She is so used to it that it’s never been an issue! I think holding off until she’s older would have made it much harder.
Thanks Little Whale!

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 1

My four-year-old loved City swim lessons last year and wanted to do lessons again this year, so we tried a couple of lessons at Little Whale. Unfortunately, the swim lesson approach was too aggressive for our more cautious kids (four years and toddler age) who cried each time. We wanted swim lessons to be a fun experience for our kids, but instead, the experience scared them, and as a result, it is going to take some time to get the kids to want to go to any swim lessons again.

My toddler (20 months) sobbed when the teacher immediately put equipment on him (goggles, fins, etc.) as soon as he entered the pool instead of letting him acclimate, and he wouldn't stop crying and would refuse any pool activity thereafter. He also disliked being made to swim through the tunnel, get propped on a floaty, etc. At his age, I was expecting to play with him in the water and sing songs- something simple and more age-appropriate, in my opinion. I really disliked the intense focus on props and equipment. Isn't being in the water fun enough? And why in the world does a 20-month-old who isn't putting his head under water or swimming need to wear goggles and fins?

My older son was dunked by surprise by the teachers. He was clearly on the verge of tears multiple times during the lesson and the teachers never stopped to ask if he was okay and adjust their behavior. I believe, and know many experts agree, that kids should not be forced to do things in swim lessons, especially going underwater, until they are ready.

Unfortunately, Little Whale has a strict refund policy, so we lost a lot of money for the month's remaining lessons, even though we cancelled very early on. I'll transfer our credit to some friends who go there. For us, it was a bust, and I learned my lesson about doing trial lessons before committing to anything. We're going to try the Y next month, and I have no doubt it will be a better experience.

Source: Google

★ 1

Nice, clean and new facility. The idea is a good one but I echo the rotating door of instructors with no notice. We went through three in seven weeks. There was also a lot of focus on the equipment - goggles, fins, floats, going on and off which I felt took away from the already short class time and was confusing for the kids.

I second that the biggest issue was the owner's abrasive nature and clear frustration with kids and adults-alike. My daughter picked up on it and didn't want to come anymore. I also found myself dreading swim class and a bit uncomfortable in the tense environment. They are kids first, swimmers second - the focus should be fun. We are back at Rio and everyone is swimming and happy!

Source: Google

★ 3

Our child took swim lessons here for about 6 months, and it was a mixed bag for us.

Pros - the facility is new and sparkling clean, very small-kid friendly, and the instructors are kind.

Cons - Changing/shuffling of instructors, pricey, and a rigid make-up policy.

Our child enjoyed her lessons here, but without any notice or communication to us, they changed her instructor. She had loved her instructor (and so did we), and suddenly she was with a new teacher who had no idea what she was working on with her prior instructor.

We asked about keeping her with her prior instructor even if it meant we had to change class times, and were told that was not possible and they have a specific policy that they do not "guarantee" teachers and instructors are subject to change at any time without any prior notice or communication to the parents . Of course, this was after we had already paid for the full month.

Young children need consistency and a strong connection with their teachers to learn. We knew another family whose kid had 3 different instructors in the same month. Once a week, 30 min lessons is not much time to begin with, and if instructors are constantly being changed that really limits the opportunity for kids to learn and develop their skills.

Source: Google

★ 5

This place is amazing! Great lessons. Teachers are very well trained. Anya, the owner, is awesome with the kids and you can tell she is passionate about running a great school. Customer service has been very good when I've needed to make changes. I highly recommend Little Whales.

Source: Google

★ 5

My kids are thriving at little whale!

Source: Google

★ 5

If you are seeking quality swim instruction for your little ones, there is really nowhere else to look.

Source: Google

★ 5

Wonderful teacher especially teacher heather. My son has grown so much as a swimmer with her guidance. Clean and new facility.

Source: Google

★ 5

We love Little Whale! My kids do so well in this warm, welcoming environment and LOVE being able to be in the pool year round since it is indoors. Thanks Anya and team.

Source: Google

★ 1

Very bad customers service , stay away from this place😕🤥

Source: Google

★ 5

My family loves this place! My daughter (2 years old) started swim lessons there when the place opened back in August and has made incredible improvements. The staff is very friendly and the owner Anya definitely knows her stuff! Membership includes free family swim time as well which is a huge plus!!

Source: Google

★ 3

Cute swim school with focus very much on kids. Great facility. The college students who teach and provide front desk assistance very good.
Anya the owner comes across abrasive to the kids, she seems to get annoyed easily, and that unfortunately put my son off. He has become discouraged and no longer wants to go to swim class. A gentler touch ( they are only kids after all) would be my advice.
Kinder gentler customer service would make this place great.
We are going back to Arden Hills!

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google