Tiny Pool Swim School
Private Swim Lessons
for Young Beginners in Durham and Chapel Hill
One-on-one swim lessons for children who are not yet swimming independently
I work with:
• Children ages ~3–7
• Toilet-independent beginners
• Kids who are building comfort, confidence, and basic water safety
This is a calm, step-by-step approach designed to help children feel safe in the water and ready to try new skills.
Please read below to see if this is the right fit for your child before joining the waitlist.
Cost and Scheduling:
30-Minute Lesson
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New Students: $75
After the first lesson, use a self-scheduling calendar.
Note: After school and weekend lesson times are limited.
IS THIS A GOOD FIT?
This program is a good fit if:
• Your child is toilet independent
• Your child is not yet swimming independently
• You are looking for water safety, comfort, and confidence
• Your child benefits from a calm, one-on-one environment
This program is not a good fit if:
• Your child is already swimming independently
• You are looking for advanced stroke instruction or competitive swimming
• Your child needs endurance or longer-distance training
Tiny Pool Swim School Lesson Experience
Getting Here
Classes are at my home in Solterra.
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Remember the 11 mph speed limit in our cohousing community.
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Park in my driveway.
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Stop off at the "Tiny School" classroom on the way in, and go potty, even if your child doesn't think they need to.
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Shower off there if needed.
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Walk around to the other side of the house and onto the porch.
Parents/siblings can wait outside on the deck and watch through the windows, or come into the pool room. There are chairs and a hammock on the deck and a parent chair in the pool area.
The Pool
The year-round pool is located on a screened porch with EZ Breeze windows which can be closed in the winter. The adjacent deck is covered.
The comfortable, warm (90-degree) pool is 9 feet wide, 15 feet long, with a depth of 54 inches in the center. There are risers for young students to stand on 3 sides.
Safety Rules
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Pool room door may be opened (to enter) only by adults.
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Ms. Patricia gets in the pool first!
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Hammock and hanging chair are for gentle swaying, not swinging.
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Don't open the deck boxes; they contain pool chemicals.
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Parents help observe if there is more than one child in the pool.
The Lesson
Students work on floating (front and back), gliding, kicking and learning to "pull with your arms." The first milestone on the independent swimming journey is getting comfortable going under the water. Grabbing a breath and continuing to swim comes next.
Once students learn to swim the 9-foot width, they move up to the 15-foot length, then we turn the swim current on low and they start to swim into it! If they work really hard, sometimes they can outswim the current and make it all the way across the pool.
Students enjoy building their balance and core strength with the floating mats, and they especially love a few minutes of "play time" at the end when they can enjoy a free ride across the pool in the swim current, and retrieve the sinking toys from the risers, or even from the bottom of the pool. They often try out new skills they tell me they want to practice.
My Credentials
I have taught swimming lessons since 1981, when I met my PE requirements at UNC with Lifesaving and Water Safety Instructor courses. After I graduated, I trained and certified to teach adapted aquatics and I was even an EMT for a while. Even though the certifications expired a few years ago, I still love teaching beginners how to float, manage their breathing, and move safely across the water. I leave the stroke work and competition work to the coaches.
Scheduling
After an initial "getting to know you" first lesson, parents may select available lesson times on a self-booking calendar. I limit my pool time to about 1 to 3 hours/day on the days I teach.
I schedule swim lessons around my own daily swim, my in-person academic students, my time at our second home, Moms' Beach House on Oak Island, and my work with online investing/options trading clients. The swim lessons are my favorite part of the day!
Sign Up
If you've made it this far and want to plan a lesson, fill out the "Join the Waiting List" form and let me know about your child and your schedule.
If I'm accepting new students, we'll plan a "getting to know you" lesson. Otherwise I'll add you to the mailing list for future notifications.
If we decide to move forward after the first lesson, I'll send you the link to my online calendar so you can select lesson times that work for you.
My nine year old daughter has been reluctant to try new things in the pool, so when I found out about Patricia’s Tiny Pool Swim School in the spring of 2024, I thought it could help us prepare better for summer swimming.
My anxious daughter responded so well to Patricia’s calm and patient teaching practices. Swimming in the tiny pool was also exciting for her! By the end of a couple of lessons she had started rhythmic breathing and surface dives which helped her try handstands at our outdoor pool.
I’m definitely planning to bring her back for more lessons!
Elizabeth, mom of a 9 year old homeschooler
Videos
For Families Already Enrolled or on the Waiting List:
Update your information for 2026
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To remain on the waiting list
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Before signing up for lessons