faq
You can find our 2024 calendar information here.
- Water Babies – 10:1 ratio with a caregiver in the pool
- Parent Tot 1 & 2 – 6:1 ratio with a caregiver in the pool
- Learn to Swim – 4:1 ratio
- Upper Levels – 6:1 ratio
- Swim Team Prep – 10:1 ratio
- Adult Classes – 6:1 ratio
- Private Classes – 1:1 ratio
We consider students fully potty trained once they are consistently accident-free, day and night, for 6 months. If your student is not fully potty trained, we require he/she wear one of the reusable, Happy Nappy swim diapers. These can be purchased at any Watermelon Swim location. No disposable diapers or alternate brands are permitted, We have tested multiple brands and found the Happy Nappy diapers have superior results and help keep our pools clean and swimmers and coaches healthy. If you are a current client that has the iPlay swim diapers, we are still allowing doubled iPlay diapers at this time.
Our instructors are highly-trained and child-approved! They are certified in CPR, First Aid/AED, Water Safety Instruction, and Lifeguarding. Our Parent Tot instructors and instructors for swimmers with disabilities have completed additional specialized Watermelon Swim training courses. They have continuous access to additional training resources from the United States Swim School Association.
All Watermelon Swim team members undergo a 3 step interview process and background checks. Instructors complete more than 100 hours of in and out of water training and are required to attend a minimum of 3 continuous education training courses per year.
We are excited to restructure our upper level (levels 7-9) program to better serve the needs of our most accomplished swimmers. We will now run the class in a 6:1 ratio with a maximum of 12 students per lane with 2 instructors and a deck supervisor. We are moving all upper level classes to one time period to minimize distraction and allow them to utilize the full space of the pool to focus on technique and develop our swimmers. With this change, our South Tampa location will no longer be offering upper level classes for level 7-9 and swim team prep.
To better serve the needs of our adult swimmers, we will be moving classes to all one day/time. This will allow space for adult students of all levels to learn without the distraction of younger swimmers. We feel the structure adds valuable learning benefits to continue working on basic swimming skills, including balance, buoyancy, and breath control.
The answer to the question may be different for each swimmer. This depends both on what your personal goals are for the swimmer (what swimming means to you) and what comfort level the swimmer starts out with. Different levels of mastery require different timelines and we don’t all start in the same place. Just as each child develops at different rates, they also learn to swim at their own pace. It takes time, consistency and repetition. At Watermelon Swim, we teach swimming, safety, and survival at the same time, starting with the most basic skills and building on each skill progressively to work towards mastery.
We offer all of our clients 1 make-up token per quarter that can be used if you miss a class. The token expires at the end of each quarter and can only be scheduled/used if you miss a class. We do not give out additional make-up tokens.
Don’t worry; it is normal for students to be scared, uncertain, or upset during their first few lessons. This is a new environment with new people and many new skills to learn. Additionally, separation from caregivers and introduction to coaches may be new for some students. We ask that you give your student the gift of time. We find the average settlement period for students is between 3-6 lessons. This settlement period gives students time to bond with their instructor and warm up to the new environment.
We use gentle and fun teaching methods with a lot of praise and positive reinforcement. Your child will soon learn that this is a safe and fun place.
We know this can be a difficult adjustment for caregivers as well. Remember, you are doing the very best thing for your child by introducing them to life-saving swimming skills and water safety education. These first lessons will be a distant memory soon. Just hang in there!
We base our level placement on swimming ability and age.
If your child is:
- Under 6 months old, our Water Babies lessons are right for them.
- Under 18 months old, we recommend our Parent Tot lessons.
- Over the age of 2 and a beginner swimmer, they would start in Level 1
- 7 years or older and a beginner swimmer, the 7&Up Group classes is for them
If your child has had prior formal swimming lessons or other swimming experience without a flotation device, please contact our customer service team to determine the right level for your child.
Private lessons are available with one-on-one instruction from our highly trained coaches for ages 6 months through adulthood. If you would like for your child to swim under 2 years of age, but do not have a caregiver available to get in the water, private lessons are a great option. Private lessons are also a great option for children who have prior water trauma or are uncomfortable in group situations. Please contact our customer service team to determine the best option for your child.
We offer Private Lessons starting at 6 months old. Private lessons are one on one with the baby and the instructor and do not require a parent/caregiver in the water. These lessons teach the same swimming, safety, and survival skills taught in the Parent Tot classes.
Our classes are priced per class and billed monthly. We are not session based; when you enroll it is a continuous monthly enrollment and you are enrolled until you tell us that you want to stop. Read More on our Swim Classes Page.
We have lessons to accommodate almost any schedule! All our locations are open for lessons Monday and Thursday mornings from 8:30 am-1pm and Monday through Thursday evenings from 3pm-8pm. We hold lessons in all 4 locations on Saturdays from 8am-2pm. Our Lutz, South Tampa, and Riverview locations are also open on Sundays from 8am-2pm. Stop into the location, call or enroll online to find available class times!
Yes! Our upper level classes (Levels 6-9) are designed to work progressively on mastery of Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Butterfly, as well as proper competitive turns. Once all four competitive strokes are learned, we offer a non-competitive stroke development class called Swim Team Prep to get students ready to try out for swim team or keep students conditioned through the off-season. Please call to speak to a Customer Service Representative about what level would be best for your child based on their previous swim experience.
Please visit our current clients page, select the location you swim in and log into your parent portal. If you need help, you can call 813.229.7946 or email info@watermelonswim.com. Be sure to include primary contact’s name, swimmer’s name, location you swim in, and phone number on the account. Your client portal can also help you view billing information, policies and procedures, and more.
We accept cancellations on or before the 1st of the last month that you want to swim. Example: If you no longer want to swim in February, you must notify us by January 1st. If you notify us anytime after January 1st, you will be registered to swim until March 1st. You can place a cancellation request by phone, email, or in person at any Watermelon Swim location. Please understand, once you place a cancellation request your swimmer forfeits his/her spot in class and when you are ready to re-enroll, a new class day and time will need to be selected. When you return, a registration fee may also be due.
Lutz, Wesley Chapel, and Riverview are fully indoor and grounded and are able to remain open during thunderstorms. Due to facility differences, South Tampa does close when lightning is in close proximity. Management monitors weather closely and does everything possible to ensure children are able to swim safely in the rain and thunder. Any closures for weather will be communicated via text message as decisions are made.
All Watermelon Swim Schools are bright, warm, and inviting! Our pools and surrounding environment are heated to between 89-91 degrees year-round. Our chlorinated pools are protected by a double filtration system of sand and UV, which is proven to eliminate 99.99% of bacteria in the pool water. Our facilities are professionally cleaned each evening and spot-cleaned throughout the day by our team members. Each location has an open lobby area with two-way glass so parents/caregivers can see classes and children can see their families while they swim. Each location includes a retail area and snack bar for rewards and treats after swim class.
We are very excited to continue growing and open two new locations in 2024. As of now, we do not have an opening date but will continue updating during each step of the process.