Private Swim Lessons inRiver Forest

Looking for the best private swim lessons near me? It’s always a Sunsational time to learn to swim in River Forest! Our private swim lessons in River Forest ensure rapid progress in essential water safety skills

Thousands of

5-star reviews

200k+

swimmers

2000+

Sunsational Swim instructors

Private swim lessons in River Forest, IL

Bring your private swim lessons home with Sunsational Swim School

With our Learn-to-Swim Guarantee, if your child can’t demonstrate the “Sunsational Swim Sequence” by the twelfth lesson, we’ll give you up to four additional classes for free! Lessons are available for all ages: infants, toddlers, older children, and adults, helping swimmers gain confidence, safety and skills in weeks, whether at your home pool or a local community pool in the River Forest area.

Sunational Swim Lessons At Home!

Sunsational Swim School brings essential swim skills to you, helping everyone enjoy the water more safely across River Forest.

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Why our students and parents love us!

5-star rated by parents and swimmers alike

We decided to do private back yard swim lessons for my 7 month old given that group classes were cancelled due to Covid. Sam our instructor has been amazing - we wear masks, she is so positive and informed and she is great with the baby helping to make swim time fun and get him comfortable in the water. She has also been super flexible and easy to work with! Highly recommend Sam!

Sara G.

Sam has been an incredibly patient and kind swim instructor for my 10-month-old boy. He's been eased into all the new lessons and really enjoys his time in the pool! I couldn't have asked for a better swim instructor!

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Jennifer P.

We had such a blast this summer with Jess! Our little one became much more comfortable in the water, and so did we! Each lesson was fun, instructional, entertaining and best of all, created long sleeps/naps. Highly recommend!

Jaimie H.

'taylor was great with two difficult toddlers she remained positive and helped them learn some pre swimming and water saftey skills. our goal was to give them a positive introduction to the pool and Sunsational delivered' -Jean H

Jean H.

Yana is our swim instructor and my daughter absolutely loves her. She is so good with little ones and my daughter really trusts her. Shes also flexible with my crazy schedule. We love her swimming lessons! - Carleigh Muchesko

Carleigh M.

Lauren was great! She was super flexible with our schedule and my daughter enjoyed each lesson.

Lesley B.

Ms. Royce is a great instructor for my 2-year old! She is always very receptive, responsive, and comforting to my daughter. - Nancy Endress

Nancy E.

Our experience with Johanna has been exceptional! First and foremost, she does an awesome job interacting with our 9mo old! He is all smiles during his lesson. My husband and I look forward to his weekly lesson! I really appreciate how Johanna has taken her time with our son so he feels comfortable and enjoys the pool. We are very happy and highly recommend Johanna!

Eva P.

Popular Swimming Lesson Programs

Levels we teach on our Swim Lesson Programs

Tadpole Skills

Cue words to learn to hold breath underwater

Assisted back float

Assisted front float/submersion

Developing underwater comfort & water acclimation

Assisted Kicking

Introduction of Water Safety Skills (based on age)

Blowing bubbles

Assisted "monkey crawl" along pool wall

Starfish Skills

Unassisted backfloat

Underwater swim (person to person & to wall)

"Monkey Crawl" holding the side of the pool wall

Reach for the side of the pool after submersion

Assisted roll to back float

Assisted climb out of pool

Goldfish Skills

Unassisted kicking underwater

Underwater turn to grab wall (near edge)

Roll to back float (less assistance)

Unassisted 15+ second back float

Assisted fall into water and roll to back float

Unassisted climb out of pool

Jellyfish Skills

Unassisted roll to back float

Drop in from pool edge, turn around and kick back to wall

Unassisted 30+ second back float

Unassisted roll to back float after fall in water

Seahorse Skills

Tread water

Assisted back float

Assisted front float/submersion

Developing underwater comfort & water acclimation

Assisted Kicking

Introduction of Water Safety Skills (based on age)

Blowing bubbles

Assisted "monkey crawl" along pool wall

Dolphin Skills

Breaststroke

Jump into pool tread water 10s return to side

Forward somersault

Skull head first 5m

Backstroke

Dolphin kick

Seal Skills

Technique refinement for all strokes

Tread water 30+ seconds

Retrieve underwater objects in deep water

Flip turns

Head first surface dive in deep water

Butterfly

Why are River Forest swimming lessons so important?

Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in the US for children under 14, and in most cases, it happens in just minutes – even when a caregiver is nearby. In fact:

Why Swim lessons important image
75%of children who drown were out of sight for five minutes or less
9 out of 10drowning deaths occur while an adult is present

Enrolling your child in swimming lessons is one of the best ways to prevent drowning by teaching them essential water safety skills.

Benefits of private swimming lessons in River Forest

Water safety comes first

Our private swimming lessons in River Forest teach essential water safety skills from day one. Our Sunsational Swim School instructors focus on helping swimmers learn how to swim confidently to recover from unexpected falls into the water. The “Sunsational Swim Sequence” teaches students to turn around, find the wall, and swim to safety.

Personalized instruction for faster progress

Our experienced teachers make lesson plans guided by each swimmer’s needs and strengths, because every student learns to swim differently. Sunsational’s classes in River Forest utilize gentle, encouraging techniques so that kids and adults can conquer fears and learn to swim more quickly.

Top-rated Instructors

All Sunsational instructors are CPR/First Aid certified w/ minimum 2 years experience teaching baby lessons

Home or community pool: your choice!

You save time and money when you can choose the location that works best for your family. Sunsational Swim Instructors teach lessons at the River Forest-area pool you choose—in your neighborhood or your backyard!

Members Of

Member of National Drowning Prevention AllianceMember of United States Swim School AssociationMembers of Female FoundersMember Stop Drowning Now

How it works?

Start America’s #1 rated swimming lessons at your home pool as easy as 1,2,3

1

Register Online

Tell us what you're looking for in your private swim lessons in River Forest and we'll match you with the perfect Sunsational instructor.

1,500+

Cities Served

2

Get Matched

Shortly after registering, we'll introduce you to your hand-selected instructor, who will contact you to schedule lessons at a time and place that suits you.

2,000+

Sunsational Swim Instructors

3

Start Lessons

Dive in and start making waves! Our private swim lessons in River Forest are designed to help you or your child gain confidence and reach your swimming goals quickly.

100,000+

Swimmers since 2009

100% Satisfaction Guarantee

We're so confident in the quality of our swim instructors that we stand behind them with our Sunsational Instructor Guarantee!

If your first lesson is anything less than sunsational, just let us know and we can either refund your unused lesson time or re-start your lesson package with a more suitable Instructor, your choice!

Private swim lessons vs. Group swim lessons

Learn about why parents choose Sunsational for their Private Swimming Lessons

Private Swim Lessons

vs

Group Swim Lessons


Quick Results with 30+ minutes of individualised instruction

vs

Slow Progress with limited 1-on-1 attention

Flexible scheduling, book multiple kids back-to-back

vs

Flexible scheduling, may vary for each child

Save time lessons at your home or community pool

vs

Time-Consuming - travel required to and from lessons

Faster Progression saves money in the long run

vs

More Sessions Needed Needed to see real progress

4000+ 5-Star Ratings from Happy Swimmers

Read Sunsational reviews from thousands of happy customers! Learn why families love our top-rated swim instructors and how we help students learn water safety and confidence in the water.

Sara G.

We decided to do private back yard swim lessons for my 7 month old given that group classes were cancelled due to Covid. Sam our instructor has been amazing - we wear masks, she is so positive and informed and she is great with the baby helping to make swim time fun and get him comfortable in the water. She has also been super flexible and easy to work with! Highly recommend Sam!

author image

Jennifer P.

Sam has been an incredibly patient and kind swim instructor for my 10-month-old boy. He's been eased into all the new lessons and really enjoys his time in the pool! I couldn't have asked for a better swim instructor!

Jaimie H.

We had such a blast this summer with Jess! Our little one became much more comfortable in the water, and so did we! Each lesson was fun, instructional, entertaining and best of all, created long sleeps/naps. Highly recommend!

Jean H.

'taylor was great with two difficult toddlers she remained positive and helped them learn some pre swimming and water saftey skills. our goal was to give them a positive introduction to the pool and Sunsational delivered' -Jean H

Carleigh M.

Yana is our swim instructor and my daughter absolutely loves her. She is so good with little ones and my daughter really trusts her. Shes also flexible with my crazy schedule. We love her swimming lessons! - Carleigh Muchesko

Google-colorCreated with Sketch.

Lesley B.

Lauren was great! She was super flexible with our schedule and my daughter enjoyed each lesson.

Nancy E.

Ms. Royce is a great instructor for my 2-year old! She is always very receptive, responsive, and comforting to my daughter. - Nancy Endress

Google-colorCreated with Sketch.

Eva P.

Our experience with Johanna has been exceptional! First and foremost, she does an awesome job interacting with our 9mo old! He is all smiles during his lesson. My husband and I look forward to his weekly lesson! I really appreciate how Johanna has taken her time with our son so he feels comfortable and enjoys the pool. We are very happy and highly recommend Johanna!

Featured swim instructors in River Forest, IL

We believe our students deserve the best, so we work with only the best swim instructors in River Forest. Every Sunsational swim teacher has a minimum of 2 years teaching experience, is CPR/First Aid certified, passes a national background check, and has a proven track record of successful teaching before they even land an interview with Sunsational.

Search Nearby Instructors

*If you'd like to work with a specific instructor, we'll do our best match you with your request. However, instructor availability is not guaranteed. If the instructor is unavailable, we'll pair you with a swim instructor who's equally qualified!

Instructor Amy P. profile Card Image

Amy P.

River Forest, Illinois 60305

Sunsational Certified Since 2023

Hello families and future swimmers. My name is Amy Prah and I am thrilled to be part of your journey to becoming a safe and proficient swimmer. A little about me: I've spent many years as a competitive swimmer, then a competitive swim club coach, then an instructor to children, adults and those with special needs. So it's safe to say I have a love for the water. I am honored to work with you and look forward to helping you accomplish all of your swimming goals. See you in the pool!

Instructor Adaora U. profile Card Image

Adaora U.

Oak Park, IL 60302

Sunsational Certified Since 2017

My name is Adaora and I am a strong believer in playful and creative learning, and want to pass that value on to the children that I teach. I have 5+ years working with a diverse range of children, and my specialty is helping toddlers to overcome their initial fears of the water. I also work with children with cognitive & physical disabilities, helping them adapt to the water. I believe that children thrive in learning environments that have both structure and warmth.

Instructor Sonia B. profile Card Image

Sonia B.

Chicago, IL 60707

Sunsational Certified Since 2017

Hi, I'm Sonia, teacher w/30+ yrs in/out of the water. Love of water and competitively swimming(HS) lead to being a Life Guard& Water Safety, Life Guard and Canoe Instructor. Taught swimming at all levels, infant-adults, at YWCA, JCC, NW Sports Camp, Baker Dem, and Manley HS in LG/SM groups(schools/camps), privately and coaching. Watching someone gain confidence, seeing concrete skill growth and the joy they have in their accomplishments in the water is rewarding

Instructor Stacey K. profile Card Image

Stacey K.

Cicero, IL 60804

Sunsational Certified Since 2017

Hi, my name is Stacey. I've been teaching & coaching swim for twenty years. I teach all ages: from infants through seniors. I'm a former competitive swimmer, but now enjoy the water non-competitively. My background as a Mental Health Therapist & Yoga Instructor encourage success with my students, as I strive to best support their learning styles and help them to find rhythm and relaxation via their breath. I hope to instill confidence in my students & for them to ultimately enjoy swimming!

Instructor Kathryn (Crickett) C. profile Card Image

Kathryn (Crickett) C.

Chicago, Illinois 60641

Certification N/A

Heya! My name is Crickett, and I am so pumped to hop in the water with your little one! I am the former Aquatics Director of a family-oriented country club. I oversaw private and group swim lessons, as well as a competitive youth swim team, giving me a wide range of teaching experience from beginners to advanced swimmers. Im a certified Lifeguard Instructor and now work in critical care transport EMS, so safety is always my top priority. I have tons of games and fun toys to bring alongside the hard work we will be putting in the pool!

Instructor Joy S. profile Card Image

Joy S.

Chicago, IL 60647

Sunsational Certified Since 2019

Hi, my name is Joy and I've been teaching swim lessons for 7 years with ages 3 months to 80 years. I've also worked with children for 13 years as a a youth group counselor and a babysitter. I went to Seton Hall University and earned a degree in Psychology in 2013. I love teaching swimming because it brings me great joy to see children learning and progressing and this particular skill.

Instructor Samantha N. profile Card Image

Samantha N.

Chicago, IL 60647

Sunsational Certified Since 2025

Hi! My name is Sam. I've been teaching swim lessons for over two years. I have worked with a range of people, including babies, children, teenagers and adults. I've worked with children for 8 years as a camp counselor, babysitter, coach, and teacher assistant. I went to UIC and graduated in 2018 with 2 degrees in criminal justice and psychology. I love teaching swimming because I love to see the progress of my swimmers who went from not knowing how to swim to being able to swim on their own.

Instructor Julia H. profile Card Image

Julia H.

Chicago, IL 60647

Sunsational Certified Since 2025

Hello, my name is Julia. I've been teaching swimming for 5 years to children age 2 and older, as well as to adults. I am a school teacher and tutor as well with 18 years experience. My education background is in Environmental Studies. I love teaching swimming because I believe I am helping children stay safe and enjoy the water. I recall learning to swim as a child from instructors at an indoor pool in New York City. Now I use those skills to stay healthy and help others.

Instructor Janet S. profile Card Image

Janet S.

Chicago, Illinois 60630-4676

Sunsational Certified Since 2024

Im Jan and Ive been a swim instructor for more than 20 years. Working in both community programs and private lessons. I teach ages 2 - adults, though I am open to special needs learners too. I am passionate about sharing my love of the water by teaching swimming! I want to teach you how to be safe in the water and swim so that you have a new skill when you go back to school. And to any adults who have always wanted to learn, this summer would be a good time.

Instructor Christopher R. profile Card Image

Christopher R.

Chicago, Illinois 60623

Certification N/A

My name is Christopher Rodriguez. I have been swimming since the age of seven and have been teaching since February 2020. I have always been passionate about showing others new skills and am very patient with young or older students. My experience comes from a background of general teaching that began in high school as a lifeguard. Moving on to a dual lifeguard/swim instructor role, I began my teaching journey. I have taught students ages 1-76 and am mostly focused on teaching competitive swimming. Thank you, and I am excited to get started!

Instructor Mary R. profile Card Image

Mary R.

Elmhurst, Illinois 60126

Certification N/A

I have been passionate about swimming for as long as I can remember. I started as a competitive swimmer with FMC Swim Club at age 5, competing through my high school years. Over the years, I have gained extensive teaching experience, working with swimmers of all ages at the Elmhurst Park District, from toddlers to middle schoolers and even adults. Additionally, I have taught private lessons and lifeguarded at La Grange Country Club and River Forest Country Club. As a sophomore nursing student, I am driven to share my knowledge of swimming, water safety, and skill development with others. I am also CPR and AED certified, and I am eager to help swimmers of all levels feel confident and safe in the water.

Instructor Cynthia B. profile Card Image

Cynthia B.

Chicago, IL 60623

Sunsational Certified Since 2017

Hi, my name is Cynthia. I'm a Junior at DePaul University majoring in Business Management with a concentration in Sports Management. I've been teaching swim lessons for ten years with ages 3mo - 50 years. I volunteered at my local pool throughout high school. Today, I am on my 7th year as a Head Coach for swimming and water polo. Additionally, I taught group and private lessons at the YMCA for five years. Swimming is an amazing life-skill to have, that is why I love to teach.

Instructor Eder B. profile Card Image

Eder B.

Chicago, IL 60608

Sunsational Certified Since 2013

I have been working as a lifeguard and teaching kids how to swim for seven years. I started working for the Chicago Park District when I turned 16, I taught swim lessons and coached the swim team. I enjoy working with kids and ensuring they safe in the water. I love working and teaching kids/adults how to swim because I love to see how they progress and enjoy meeting new people.

Instructor Rosalynn R. profile Card Image

Rosalynn R.

Chicago, Illinois 60632

Certification N/A

My name is Rosalynn Ross and I go by Rosie. I am a pre-med major at UIC. I have been teaching ages 6 months to 80 years old for 30 years. I enjoy teaching everyone to be safe in and around the water. I started teaching at the McGaw YMCA in Evanston in 1995. I have also coached at the YMCA in Arlington Virginia and Westchester California. I also worked at the JCC as the Aquatic supervisor/swim coordinator. While working at the Santa Monica YMCA I was promoted to Aquatic Director. It was during covid and we were the first YMCA to bring back swim lessons. I feel that swimming is an important life skill that everyone should learn. I have a great passion and patience for coaching swimming to anyone no matter what age or level.

Instructor Ava J. profile Card Image

Ava J.

chicago, Illinois 60631

Sunsational Certified Since 2024

Hi, I am Ava Jimenez. I am a junior currently going to Illinois State University. I have been a lifeguard and swim instructor for 4 years. I have previously played competitive water polo and was an assistant coach for a team. I am excited to share my passion for the water with students ages 2 - adults!

Instructor Matthew K. profile Card Image

Matthew K.

Chicago, IL 60608

Sunsational Certified Since 2017

Hi my name is Matthew, I`ve been instructing swimming for 15yrs I am a USMS Masters Member ID# 217R-09N11 I formerly facilitated a program with Chicago Mary Kaplan and Autism Speaks called ÔÇ£All in SwimÔÇØ focusing on teaching children on the autism spectrum or any form of developmental difficulties. I`ve also taught 3rd and 4th grade English and speak Spanish fluently. I studied at the School of the Art Institute Chicago majoring in Fine Art

Instructor Nick P. profile Card Image

Nick P.

Chicago, IL 60608

Sunsational Certified Since 2017

Hey! I`m Nick and I have taught lessons for three years, first working with the YMCA with children of all ages and adults. I have also worked as a junior camp counselor and a religious education aide for 4th graders.The greatest joy I have is in helping beginners become confident with the water creating a lifelong enjoyment of water as well as the safety benefits. I swam competitively but even though I wasn`t Michael Phelps, the experience taught me to love water and I like to share that.

Instructor Emily M. profile Card Image

Emily M.

Chicago, Illinois 60642

Sunsational Certified Since 2024

Hi, Im Emily! I obtained my bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky in Finance. Ive been teaching kids to swim across the Chicagoland area for 10+ years beginning with being a lifeguard and pool manager. I love how quickly little ones can develop such important skills. I believe people learn best from praise and when they are having fun! Outside of work, I love painting, floral design, and animals.

Instructor Nathaniel W. profile Card Image

Nathaniel W.

Chicago, Illinois 60614

Certification N/A

I love sharing my love for the water and have taught hundreds of kids aged 4 to 11 both water survival skills and swim techniques. I am lifeguard and CPR certified. I have personally swum my whole life, both competitively and non-competitively. Swimming in high school, I specialized in the individual medley and breaststroke and will be swimming at the collegiate level next year.

Instructor Zahra J. profile Card Image

Zahra J.

Chicago, Illinois 60657

Sunsational Certified Since 2024

Hi! Im Zahra. I have been teaching swim lessons for about 5 years and coaching for 1 year. I am experienced with all levels and place a great emphasis on water safety. I love to teach and look forward to having the opportunity to do so!

Instructor Cortney A. profile Card Image

Cortney A.

Chicago, Illinois 60610

Certification N/A

Hi there! I have been teaching swim lessons since February 2023 and love helping swimmers of all ages feel confident and have fun in the water. My lessons are all about patience, kindness, and encouragement. Whether youre splashing for the first time or working on your strokes, well make it a great time together! About me: I love reading, movie nights, good food, and cuddling my cat.

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We back their expertise with a

100% satisfaction guarantee.

Why? Because we know great instructors mean fast results!

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Find out how you can become a Sunsational Instructor and enjoy flexible scheduling, competitive compensation and a chance to make a difference!

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Find out if a Sunsational Swim instructor is in your area

Got questions?

We have answers. What makes private lessons better than group classes?

We are so confident in our private, one-on-one instruction that we offer a Learn-to-Swim Guarantee for all students ages 3 and up!* We guarantee your child will be able to resurface, turn around, swim back to the edge of the pool and grab the wall unassisted after they complete their Learn to Swim Guaranteed package. If your child completes their lesson package and hasn't achieved the agreed-upon milestones, we'll work with you to provide up to 4 additional lessons at no extra cost until they do. This program is our commitment to building a foundation of safety and confidence for your child in the water.

Our pricing is transparent and based on the swim lesson package you choose. Packages are available in 6, 12 and 18 lessons with options for 30-minute, 60-minute or longer sessions for multiple students back-to-back. Every package includes a certified, background-checked instructor who comes to your home or preferred pool. Because lessons are private and personalized, you’ll see faster progress and greater value compared to group classes. Start a registration to build a package and see an exact, no-hassle price on options best for your goals and budget.

We make scheduling easy. Morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend lessons are avaialble 6AM-8PM to fit your family’s lifestyle. You choose the days, times and number of lessons per week that works for you. Because all lessons are private, scheduling is completely flexible and can be adjusted for vacations or weather. In River Forest, our instructors teach year-round, so you can start lessons whenever you’re ready.

Our core service is providing private, at-home swim lessons. Your trained instructor travels to your home pool, community pool or aquatic facility anywhere in River Forest or across Chicagoland. If you don't have a pool, our instructors are happy to meet you at any safe, local pool of your choosing. If using a facility pool, be sure to have authorization to have your Private Swim Lessons there.

Absolutely. Every Sunsational swim instructor is rigorously vetted with comprehensive background checks and is certified in CPR and first aid, and insured under our company insurance policy. Our instructors have a minimum of 2 seasons of teaching experience before being certified. Many also have specialized experience working with infants, toddlers, special needs learners, or adults overcoming fear of water. In River Forest, where indoor pools, park district pools, beaches make swimming skills essential, you can trust that your instructor is not only qualified but passionate about building water confidence and safety in every student.

We understand if you're concerned about selecting the right swim instructor for your lessons, because we are too! Our full-time, dedicated matching team carefully reviews your registration and hand selects a swim instructor for your lessons based on your swimmer's age, goals and your schedule. You'll receive a detailed instructor profile with experience, certifications, and reviews. If you'd like to request a specific instructor in River Forest, we'll do our best to accommodate. But rest assured that we stand behind each of our swim instructors and selections with our Satisfaction Guarantee.

We stand by the quality of our instructors and offer a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. While we are confident in our rigorous selection process (all instructors are background-checked and CPR-certified), we want you to have the perfect match. If you're not completely satisfied with your first lesson, just let us know, and we'll restart your lessons with a new instructor or refund your unused lessons, your choice.

For baby and some toddler lessons, parent participation is encouraged for building water comfort. For older children (typically ages 2+), parents are not specifically encouraged to be in the water, as our one-on-one private instruction is designed to build independence. However, we always require a responsible adult to be present on the premises for all lessons with minors. If you have specific preferences or concerns, our team is happy to accommodate them in your registration. We tailor each lesson to your comfort and goals.

Our swim instructors travel to your home or community pool. Learn to Swim Guaranteed
with a Sunsational instructor!


Bring the swim school to your pool!™

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