Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect my child to learn in the 7-Day curriculum?

7-Day Swim teaches self-rescue. Children learn to propel themselves through the water, primarily through the use of their legs, and to develop a comfort within the pool environment. They learn to hold their breath on cue as they submerge in the water. Children gain the awareness (and expectation) to ‘level-out’ in the water and propel themselves to the side of the pool, where they learn to reach up and grab hold of the wall. Once stabilized, they learn to scoot with their hands on the wall and safely climb or walk out of the pool. They learn that the wall and/or the stairs is safety. As children grow stronger and physically mature, they can also learn to use their arms and to lift their heads to breathe. Equally important, they develop a great pleasure in their newfound abilities, as well as an enhanced self-esteem from increased confidence in the water!

The 7-day curriculum uses a loving but firm method. It is not unusual for kids to cry the first few days of lessons. Learning to swim can be uncomfortable and a little scary for many children, but our method allows them to get past their fear and start developing skills in the water.

Please remember that parent-led continuity of swim training is of paramount importance for your child’s continued success. More on this below.

How do I know if my child should do the 7-day or Weekly lessons?

This is probably the most commonly asked question we get. The 7-day program is more fast paced and designed to build foundational swimming skills (although coaches are trained to teach kids of all ability levels). Weekly lessons have a more relaxed pace and work best with kids who already have some of the basics down (kicking, returning to the wall, etc.).

The right choices comes down to a couple of different factors. If you have a time constraint (ie vacation planned), the 7-day program will get you the most progress in the shortest amount of time. If your child is below the age of 3, we recommend starting with the 7-day program and then transitioning into weekly lessons after to help maintain the skills gained from the 7-day. If your child already has some foundational swimming skills or would benefit from a slower pace, then weekly lessons would be a better fit.

At what age am I able to enroll my children, and will they really learn to swim?

Children can be enrolled in our 7-Day lessons as early as 9 months old. Each child will learn at their own pace, but most children will be swimming at an age-appropriate level by day 4. Please remember that individual results are dependent on age and physical maturity level. The ultimate goal is that your child will learn to swim to safety, and that you will learn to teach your child to continue to develop these skills. As your child grows, so will their comfort and enjoyment in the water.

Learning to swim also requires upkeep and practice! The 7-day lessons set a great foundation to build upon, but those skills will be lost if they are not maintained. Whether it is practicing blowing bubbles in the bathtub, or signing up for weekly lessons, there are many ways to work on swimming after the 7-day lessons.

Will my child learn to float on their back if they fall into a pool during the 7-Day course/Do you use ISR?

No, the 7-day lessons are not ISR. Your child will learn self-rescue — to return to the wall if they fall in the water. As a parent, you will learn to continue to work with your child on this crucial skill. Your child will be introduced to floating during the 7-day, but as a general skill, not as the main tool for drowning prevention.

Lessons in which a child learns to automatically roll over on their back when they fall in the pool are part of the Swim-Float-Swim or ISR method, which takes a minimum of 30 days, 5 days a week to teach. Marci does not teach this method, but many clients come to Marci after this type of lesson for further training. The 7-Day method is shorter, guarantees results, and teaches parents to continue successfully training their child.

Will I have to get in the water with my child during the 7-Day?

Yes! On days 6 and 7, parents enter the pool and will be taught how to continue training their child to be safe in the water. This will ensure success in the pool and is a key part of Coach Marci’s 7-Day Swim method. For best results, we ask that the same parent(s) get in the pool for both days.

What if my child cries or does not want to swim?

Almost all children will cry during the first few days, but we ask that you trust the method. Coach Marci is extremely experienced in the process and will earn your child’s trust. Consider it the same as dropping your child at preschool for the first time - there may be some tears, but your child is in good hands. Coaches take a holistic approach and strive for a calm, loving, low-energy environment, transferring that calming energy to the child and winning their trust.

To help us gain your child’s trust, we ask that you try to get your kid excited for lessons. Kids are perceptive - if you’re nervous, they’ll be nervous too! Setting clear expectations (see “How do we prepare for 7-Day swim lessons?” below) will also be helpful.

Can an adult learn to swim in 7 days?

Yes! The 7-Day swim method is perfect for adults. Coach Marci and Coach Arlene take a gentle, loving, and non-judgmental approach to lessons. From triathletes to the 76-year-old who has never had lessons, we have taught them all. If you are new to the water, be prepared for how quickly you will learn to conquer your fears and learn to love the pool.

How do I book lessons?

For 7-Day Swim, follow the link and scroll to the bottom of the page to view our calendar of location and time availability. For experienced swimmer classes, visit the Weekly Swim Lessons page and follow the link to your location of choice.

Where do the lessons take place?

All 7-Day Swim lessons are conducted in private and heated host home pools around Atlanta. Locations and dates of sessions are posted to the 7-Day Swim registration page each season during the registration period. Weekly swim lessons are held at indoor pools in Decatur, Buckhead, Acworth, and Marietta year-round.

What is the address for pool?

7-Day Swim: For the privacy of our host families, we do not post addresses for 7-Day lessons to our website. In the week ahead of your lesson, you will receive an email with important details, including the exact address of the pool. Please check your spam folder or reach out to us if you have not received an email from us the week before your lesson.

Weekly Lessons: A location address will be sent in a reminder email from Acuity Scheduling 4 days in advance of your lesson. If you do not receive this email 4 days ahead of your lesson, please contact us for the pool address.

What can I expect from a MarciSwim coach?

MarciSwim has grown our family of experienced coaches in recent years so we can offer even more lessons to those who need them! Coach Marci continues to teach 7-Day Swim and Weekly lessons at various locations, but your child may be taught by one of our other excellent coaches (you can read about them here). Each coach has been personally vetted and trained by Marci. All of our coaches utilize Marci’s loving but firm approach to swim lessons. We all aim to exceed expectations!

What is the difference between an accelerated session and a regular 7-Day?

If there is a 7-Day session the same week as a holiday, we will often have a 6-Day or 5-Day accelerated session. These lessons are prorated in price to account for the lost day(s). Accelerated sessions still include a free refresher and we still ask the parent(s) to get in the water for the last two days of lessons. If we are offering a 5-day session, this program is recommended for swimmers who have had lessons before or some experience in the water (they don’t need to be independent, but some comfort in the water works better for the shorter session). Every swimmer who has done an accelerated session has come away with excellent results. If you have any questions about whether you think a 6-Day session is a good fit for you, please email us at info@marciswim.com.

Do you teach children with special needs?

Yes! Please discuss specific needs with Coach Marci and your child’s personal physician and we will come up with a game plan. Marci has experience working with children with both developmental and physical challenges.

How do we prepare for 7-Day Swim lessons?

You’ll receive important information about preparing for lessons in an email ahead of your lesson week. Mentally readying children for swim is crucially important for their success in the water, especially if they are nervous about it. To get your child ready, start preparing early. Read books to them about swimming, such as Jabari Jumps, Maisy Learns to Swim, Little Otter Learns to Swim, and Jack the Duck Learns to Swim (most are available on YouTube). You can also show your child videos of children swimming underwater, like the ones on our Facebook page. This is a great video of a father working with his 2 year old on swimming and diving underwater. You can show clips of it to your child. Laurie Lawrence is a teacher on YouTube that Marci recommends checking out; here's an example of one with a toddler swimming underwater. Have children dive for toys in the bathtub, submerging their heads. Practice pouring water over their heads, saying “Ready, set, go!” as a prompt. Be honest and forthcoming with your child, letting them know ahead of your session that you are taking them to swim lessons and they will be going under water in the pool. Let them know that there’s water everywhere and it’s important that they learn how to swim for their safety - like wearing a bicycle helmet or sitting in a car seat. Tell them that it’s going to be awesome and fun! Talk to your friends who have gone through the program. Parents who prepare their children for lessons have the best success.

What should I bring to lessons? What should I leave behind?

On lesson day, please refrain from giving your child food or drink 1.5 - 2 hours prior to the lesson. Bring a dry towel and a dry change of clothes. If your child is under 3.5 years of age OR is not fully potty trained, a reusable swim diaper or a disposable swim diaper along with a secondary, snap-free protective cover is required. You can purchase swim diapers and waterproof membranes recommended by MarciSwim, online.

Please do NOT bring floatation devices or goggles. Marci is teaching safety, and goggles and floaties offer a false sense of security. If children are accustomed to these items and fall into the water not wearing them, they panic, so it is important for them to first learn to swim without using these tools.

What is the cost of the course and when do I pay?

The cost for the 7-Day Swim course is $635, which includes a non-refundable $90 registration fee. There are two payment options available at checkout. If you select the payment plan option, you will pay an initial deposit at registration and we will simply charge the credit card on file approximately 5 weeks prior to your session start date.

What is your inclement weather policy for 7-Day Swim and outdoor lessons?

Lessons are held daily regardless of weather. Please plan to attend at your scheduled time unless you hear from us! Swim lessons will still be held in rain as long as there is no thunder or lightning. If there is lightning, we will exit the pool and wait for the storm to pass. If we feel the need to cancel lessons due to weather, we will call you. Classes missed due to inclement weather cannot be guaranteed, but Coach Marci will have your child swimming at an age-appropriate level by the completion of their lessons.

What is your cancellation policy?

For 7-Day Swim, cancellations must be made in writing at least 2-weeks prior to your session start date in order to receive a refund (less the non-refundable deposit amount). We will do our best to help find you an opening in a later session if you need to cancel, but please note that NO refunds will be guaranteed for cancellations made within the 2-week window.

For Weekly Lessons, please provide 48-hours notice in order to receive a full refund (less a $5 processing fee). No refunds will be guaranteed for lessons cancelled with <48-hours notice.

What is Destination: Swim?

Marci is passionate about drowning prevention and water safety and she is looking to apply her skills to areas outside of Metro Atlanta. If you have a vacation home or family outside of Georgia with a private pool, please reach out to us at info@marciswim.com if you are interested in hosting 7-Day lessons. The price of lessons will be slightly increased to account for travel costs.