Baby and Toddler Swim Lessons in Upper West Side, NY

Mommy & Me lessons start at 6 months, with a parent in the water the whole time. Tell InstaSwim your child's age when you register so the match accounts for it.

Yes. In a Mommy & Me lesson you hold your child and the instructor coaches you both, so you can practice between lessons.

Mommy & Me lessons are 30 minutes. Bring a swim diaper, a snug suit and a towel close by; your instructor tells you anything else for your pool. Longer lesson lengths are there too, for older toddlers and siblings.

Lessons happen at a pool your family arranges: your building's pool, a condo or HOA pool, or a backyard pool. Some instructors have a pool of their own. InstaSwim does not own or provide pools, and any pool fees are paid to the pool, not to InstaSwim.

Many children move to lessons on their own around age 3, once they are comfortable in the water and can follow simple directions. Your instructor can tell you when your child looks ready.

InstaSwim matches you with an independent instructor who lists babies and toddlers among the ages they teach, based on your location and your child's age. You see the instructor's profile before you pay, and you can request a new instructor up to 2 times per package.

Registering is free. Once your instructor is confirmed and you agree on a start date, your invoice arrives by email. Packages of 2 or more lessons can be paid in weekly installments.

Rates are per lesson and set for your ZIP code, for every lesson length including Mommy & Me. Packages of 6 and 12 lessons lower the per-lesson rate. There is a $20 registration fee per swimmer, refunded only if no lessons take place.

Independent contractors on the InstaSwim roster, not InstaSwim employees. Every instructor you can be matched with has been background checked, keeps a CPR and First Aid card on file, has finished safety and conduct training, and has signed the contractor agreement. Experience is provided by the instructor, and families review the matched instructor before booking.

Yes. Instructors who teach babies and toddlers also travel to Manhattan, Upper East Side, Guttenberg, West Side, North Bergen and Fairview, within their own travel radius. Type your ZIP above to see the rates for your town.

NYC Parks' free outdoor pools open in late June and stay open daily into mid-September, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. with a cleaning break in the afternoon. No membership is needed. The smaller mini pools close a little earlier, in early September. After that, families turn to indoor and heated pools.

Yes. The city's public indoor pools are open year-round unless construction or improvement work is underway, and one NYC Parks recreation center membership covers all 12 of them. NYC Parks also offers indoor Learn to Swim classes for tots in fall, winter and spring, and parents of tots need a membership too.

No lesson makes a child safe around water. Lessons build comfort and early skills; an adult watches every swimmer, every time, at the pool and near open water.