What Floaties Swim School does

Floaties Swim School is a family-owned and operated learn-to-swim academy founded in 2008 by Mike Morrill, a former water polo athlete and San Diego beach lifeguard. The company provides progressive swim instruction for infants (3 months) through adults across two operational facilities in San Diego County (Poway and Eastlake), with a third location in Temecula listed as coming soon.

The core curriculum is the proprietary "Floaties Way," a structured progression of eight tiers including Infants, Core, Intro to Strokes, Strokes, Pre-Swim Team, and Adults, supplemented by special needs programming using Swim Angelfish-certified methods. Instruction is delivered in heated indoor pools at 91°F using small class ratios (1:3 for infants, 6:1 for advanced strokes), with a progressive ladder designed to build water safety and competitive skills. The company operates without any proprietary technology platform; back-office functions are handled through the Jackrabbit Class registration portal and a Floaties-branded mobile app for parent access.

Floaties generates revenue primarily through monthly recurring subscriptions for swim lessons, with pricing ranging from $120-$335 per month depending on tier and lesson frequency. Ancillary revenue streams include birthday party packages ($475-$575), water watching services ($150-$275 per event), gift certificates, private morning lessons, and Kid's Night Out events. Customers are individual families enrolled on a long-tail basis, acquired through community events, referrals (Swimbucks program), and grassroots marketing. The company has no disclosed external funding, operates with 11-50 employees, and reports celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026.

Name

Floaties Swim School

Legal name

Floaties Swim School

Website

https://floatiesswimschool.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Floaties Swim School is a family-owned learn-to-swim school founded in 2008 in San Diego County, offering progressive, subscription-based swim lessons for infants through adults across two operational facilities, with structured curriculum and small instructor-to-swimmer ratios.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Swim Instruction Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding) (EDALAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aquatic Centers & Swimming Facilities (MPAKAEAF)

Keywords

• Swim lessons
• Infant aquatics
• Swim instruction
• Water safety
• Swim school

Headquarters

HQ city

Poway

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Swim Lesson Subscriptions: Floaties generates revenue primarily through monthly recurring subscription fees for swim lessons across multiple class tiers (Infants, Core, Intro to Strokes, Strokes, Pre-Swim Team, Adults). Pricing is structured per number of lessons per week, with additional classes charged at a per-class rate. Membership includes unlimited makeup classes for active members. The subscription model provides predictable monthly recurring revenue from enrolled families.
2. Birthday Party Packages: The company offers three tiers of birthday party packages (Tier 1 at $475, Tier 2 at $525, Tier 3 at $575) that include hosting, water safety staff, pizza, and decorations for up to 15-20 children. These are one-time event bookings that generate additional non-recurring revenue.
3. Water Watching Services: Floaties offers at-home water watching services for private events (birthday parties, BBQs, pool parties) with trained, CPR-certified staff. Pricing ranges from $150-$275 depending on duration and number of water watchers required.
4. Gift Certificates: The company sells gift certificates in preset denominations ($25, $50, $100, $200, $500) as well as custom amounts, providing one-time revenue and acting as a customer acquisition tool.
5. Private/ Semi-Private Lessons: Discounted private one-on-one lessons are offered during morning sessions for a limited time at $200/month, providing an additional revenue stream from families seeking more individualized instruction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

Floaties Swim School is a family-owned and operated swim facility that delivers structured, progressive swim instruction for infants, children, and adults across multiple class levels (Infants, Core, Intro to Strokes, Strokes, Pre-Swim Team, and Adults). The company operates year-round heated indoor pools at 91°F and additionally offers ancillary services including hosted birthday parties, at-home water watching, water safety talks, and a mobile parent portal app.

Product overview

Floaties Swim School offers a comprehensive learn-to-swim program with progressive class levels spanning from infancy through adulthood. The core curriculum includes Infants Classes (3-18 months), Core Classes (18+ months), Intro to Strokes (4+ years), Strokes Classes (5+ years), and Pre-Swim Team. Additional services include Adults Classes, Birthday Parties and Events, Water Watching Services, Water Safety Talks, and a Floaties Mobile Application. The company operates two San Diego County locations (Poway and Eastlake) and emphasizes water safety awareness alongside stroke development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Infants Swim Classes Swim lessons for babies aged 3 months to 18 months, focusing on water acclimation, breath control, floating, balance, and safety skills. Classes include parent participation and instructor guidance with a 1:3 instructor-to-swimmer ratio. 30-minute classes offered Monday-Saturday.
• Core Swim Classes Beginner swim lessons for children 18 months and up, designed to help novice swimmers gain confidence with foundational skills including buoyancy, breath control, balance, and propulsion, with introductory freestyle and backstroke elements. Offered Monday-Saturday.
• Intro to Strokes Classes Swim team preparatory classes for children 4 years and up, focusing on mastery of Freestyle and Backstroke while introducing Breaststroke and Butterfly. Features a 3:1 student-to-teacher ratio and 30-minute class duration.
• Strokes Classes Advanced swim team preparatory class for children 5 years and up, emphasizing endurance, technique refinement, and independence. One-hour classes with a 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio covering all four competitive strokes.
• Pre-Swim Team Classes Bridge class between Strokes and traditional swim team, held after hours without younger children. Promotes technique-based approach alongside endurance building with a maximum of 16 students for individualized attention.
• Adults Swim Classes Adult swim lessons for all ages and ability levels, taught in group format with a 60-minute session length and 1:5 instructor-to-swimmer ratio. First lesson is free with flexible scheduling and non-expiring lessons.
• Private Lessons Discounted one-on-one private swim lessons offered during morning sessions at $200 per month, providing personalized instruction for families seeking more individualized attention.
• Birthday Party Packages Pool party hosting service with three tier packages (Tier 1: $475 for up to 15 children, Tier 2: $525, Tier 3: $575 for up to 20 children), including host, water safety staff, pizzas, and decorations.
• Water Watching Services On-site water watcher service for outdoor pool parties and events, providing trained CPR-certified supervision. Pricing ranges from $150-$275 depending on duration and number of watchers required.
• Water Safety Talks Complimentary water safety education presentations for groups, schools, and organizations, customized for pool, boating, beach, or vacation safety with learning materials and visual aids included.
• Kid's Night Out Supervised evening event for children featuring pool activities, games, and entertainment in a safe environment at the company's facilities.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates sold in preset denominations ($25, $50, $100, $200, $500) and custom amounts, available for purchase online and in-person. Acts as both a revenue stream and a customer acquisition tool.
• Floaties Mobile Application Mobile application available on iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play) providing parent portal access, schedule management, and up-to-date Floaties information for enrolled families.
• Special Needs Adaptive Swim Instruction Inclusive special needs program with instructors trained in Swim Angelfish Certified methods. Classes are individually adapted to each student's goals and capabilities for children with Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, sensory disorders, and visual impairments. Focus on water safety, swimming skills, and therapeutic benefits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Children who learn to swim at a young age reportedly walk sooner, read sooner, and hit developmental milestones faster than peers who do not participate in swim lessons (supported by cited research on developmental advancement of 7-10 months socially and motor skill acceleration)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• San Diego Music AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Floaties partnered with San Diego Music Academy (founded 2017 by pianists Chris Kim and Carol Seefeldt) to co-host the 'Rock and Float' free community event — an interactive music class (using Kindermusik curriculum) followed by a supervised indoor pool playgroup. The event combined water safety awareness with music education for children 5 and under.
• Wishwell CounselingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Floaties partnered with Wishwell Counseling (a counseling and empowerment center for children and teens) to present 'Splash & Grow: Free Confidence Building Event for Kids and Teens' in Chula Vista. The event combined an interactive self-confidence workshop (led by Wishwell facilitators covering resilience, self-esteem, and social-emotional learning) with a confidence pool party led by Floaties instructors. Contact: Kira La Forgia, COO of Floaties Swim School.
• Hope Floats FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2020Floaties Swim School partnered with Hope Floats Foundation to provide local scholarships for swim lessons, enabling children from families with financial barriers to access water safety instruction. This partnership aligns with Floaties' mission of drowning prevention and community water safety education.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SwimJim: Independently operated swim school in the New York metro area offering year-round indoor group and private lessons for all ages. Comparable to Floaties as a similarly sized independent operator with multiple locations and a structured curriculum, but in a different region.
• Infant Swimming Resource (ISR): National provider of infant and young-child self-rescue swim lessons. Explicitly referenced by Floaties as the alternative philosophy they differentiate against; comparable on infant swim instruction niche and water-safety mission.
• Emler Swim School: Family-owned Texas-based swim school with multiple locations offering year-round indoor lessons. Comparable to Floaties on family-owned brand, indoor pools, and tiered subscription pricing for infants through competitive swimmers.
• Sunsational Swim School: U.S. swim school offering primarily private and small-group in-home and at-facility lessons nationwide. Comparable to Floaties on private/semi-private lesson offerings and water-watching/lifeguard add-on services.

Broad incumbents

• British Swim School: Franchise swim school operating across the U.S. with a water-survival-first methodology. Comparable to Floaties on year-round indoor lessons for all ages and small-group ratios, though its franchise scale exceeds Floaties' footprint.
• SafeSplash Swim School: National franchise swim school (part of Streamline Brands) offering year-round indoor lessons across all age groups. Comparable to Floaties on lesson structure, indoor pool model, and recurring subscription pricing.
• Aqua-Tots Swim Schools: International franchise swim school with 100+ locations, offering year-round lessons for infants to adults. Comparable to Floaties on age range, indoor heated pools, and tiered progression curriculum.
• Goldfish Swim School: Largest U.S. franchise swim school brand with hundreds of locations offering year-round indoor swim lessons for infants through adults. Directly comparable to Floaties on curriculum, indoor heated pools, and tiered group lessons, but operates at franchise scale across multiple states.
• Big Blue Swim School: Multi-location U.S. swim school franchise focused on year-round indoor lessons for infants through adults. Directly comparable on subscription model, indoor heated pool, and tiered curriculum.
• YMCA Aquatics Programs: Nationwide nonprofit operator of indoor pools offering group swim lessons, water safety, and lifeguard training. Comparable to Floaties on year-round indoor aquatics instruction for all ages, though broader in scope and subsidized.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/floaties
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FloatiesSwimSchool
• Facebookfacebook.com/FloatiesSwimSchool
• Instagraminstagram.com/floatiesswimschool
• Pinterestpinterest.com/FloatiesSD
• TikToktiktok.com/@floatiesswimschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/floaties-swim-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Floaties Swim School