Children of the Sea
Children of the Sea Swim School is a privately held, single-location Portland, Oregon swim school offering structured water safety and stroke instruction for children ages 4 months through teens, operating on a recurring monthly subscription model with six employees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Children of the Sea does
Children of the Sea Swim School is a single-location, privately held swim school operating from 10225 SW Park Way in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1996 by Lynne Zavrski — who originally developed the underlying teaching philosophy in Hawaii in 1982 under the name Keiki Kai — the school delivers structured swim instruction to children from 4 months through teenage years. The business is built around a proprietary 12+ level curriculum called the Children of the Sea Water Safety Program, progressing from Parent Baby and Parent Tot classes through Water Safety 1-3, a specialized track for ages 8+, and Stroke 1-3, with adapted lessons for children with special needs and premium private/semi-private formats. All instructors are certified in the proprietary program, trained per the USSA Code of Ethics, and hold American Red Cross CPR/AED certification.
The business operates on a recurring monthly subscription model, with tuition billed on the 1st of each month and a one-time $30 new family enrollment fee. Pricing ranges from $81-$145/month for group classes to $150-$400/month for adapted and private lessons, with classes running seven days a week in both day and evening slots. Customer management is handled through the third-party Jackrabbit Class parent portal, and all registration is self-serve online through the company website. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer, relying on organic web search, Facebook, Instagram, and word-of-mouth referrals — no paid acquisition, partnerships, or institutional marketing channels are in use.
The company is founder-owned and operated, with six employees total (two owners, two pool managers, an operations manager, and a receptionist). It has no external funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries. Revenue is not disclosed, and the facility is a single enclosed pool with 91-degree water. The business has operated from this single Portland location since 1996, with no documented geographic expansion, acquisitions, or product diversification beyond incremental curriculum additions.
Children of the Sea firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Children of the Sea
- Legal name
- Children of the Sea Swim School
- Website
- https://childrenofthesea.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Children of the Sea Swim School is a privately held, single-location Portland, Oregon swim school offering structured water safety and stroke instruction for children ages 4 months through teens, operating on a recurring monthly subscription model with six employees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Children of the Sea industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Swim Instruction Services
- NAICS
- Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding) (EDALAIAF)
Keywords
Where Children of the Sea is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Children of the Sea business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Monthly Swim Lesson Tuition: Recurring monthly subscription model where tuition is billed on the 1st of each month. Classes are perpetual - registered students maintain their spot until they advance levels or choose to drop. First month is pro-rated for mid-month starters. Includes a one-time $30 new family enrollment fee.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Parent Baby and Parent Tot classes (ages 4 months to 35 months) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Advanced Parent Tot (30-35 months) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Water Safety Levels 1-3 (3+ years) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Water Safety 8+ Years (8 years and older) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Adapted Swim Lessons (all ages) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Private/Semi-Private Lessons (WS3 level or above) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Children of the Sea product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Children of the Sea is a Portland-based swim school that provides year-round, in-water instruction for children from 4 months old through their teenage years using its proprietary "Children of the Sea Water Safety Program." Offerings span Parent Baby/Parent Tot classes, Water Safety Levels 1–3, a specialized 8+ years track, Stroke Levels 1–3, 1:1 Adapted Swim Lessons for children with diverse needs, and Private/Semi-Private lessons, all delivered through small-ratio group classes at a single enclosed 91-degree pool.
Product overview
Children of the Sea is a swim school offering a structured progression of swim lesson programs for children from 4 months to adulthood. The product portfolio consists of three main program tracks: (1) Baby and Tot Levels for children 4-35 months with Parent Baby, Parent Tot, and Advanced Parent Tot lessons emphasizing water acclimation with parental involvement; (2) Water Safety Levels for children 3 years and older progressing through Water Safety 1, 2, and 3, plus a specialized track for ages 8+; and (3) Stroke Levels (Stroke 1, 2, 3) that teach competitive swimming strokes. The school also offers specialized Adapted Swim Lessons for children with diverse needs and Private/Semi-Private lessons for advanced students. All lessons follow the proprietary Children of the Sea Water Safety Program with perpetual registration and monthly tuition billing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Parent Baby Lessons
Companies that use Children of the Sea
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Children of the Sea technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Children of the Sea partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights2 records
Children of the Sea competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Emler Swim School: Regional (Texas/Midwest) swim school chain teaching infants through competitive-level swimmers with proprietary curriculum. Similar subscription-based lesson structure and family-focused value proposition.
- SafeSplash Swim School: Large franchised swim school with structured level progression and small class ratios for children. Competes head-to-head in the family/children swim instruction category with similar subscription billing and multi-level curriculum.
- British Swim School: Franchised swim school focused on water survival and stroke development for infants through adults. Operates inside partner pools with a similar perpetual-class model, directly competing for the same family demographic.
- SwimLabs Swim School: Swim instruction provider using warm-water pools and video feedback technology, teaching infants through competitive swimmers. Comparable curriculum progression and target market of families seeking year-round swim lessons.
- Aqua-Tots Swim Schools: Multi-location franchised swim school serving infants through adults with a tiered curriculum and small class sizes. Closely comparable operating model and target customer (parents with young children seeking water safety).
Broad incumbents
- Goldfish Swim School: National franchised swim school chain offering group and private lessons for children 4 months and up. Most direct competitor in the same product category, but at much larger scale with hundreds of franchise locations versus Children of the Sea's single Portland facility.
Others
- USA Swimming (Learn-to-Swim Programs): National governing body that certifies stroke/turn officials and publishes learn-to-swim standards referenced by Children of the Sea's staff. Adjacent ecosystem participant whose curricula and certifications shape the broader swim school market.
- United States Swim School Association (USSSA): Industry association whose Code of Ethics Children of the Sea staff are trained under. Provides industry benchmarking, conferences, and curriculum standards relevant to independent swim school operators.
Regional players
- Streamline Swim Academy: Pacific Northwest-based swim school with similar perpetual enrollment and small-ratio classes for children. Comparable in scale and approach, operating in adjacent regional markets rather than directly in Portland.
- Little Fins Swim School: Pacific Northwest / West Coast swim school with similar child-focused curriculum and small class ratios. Operates in adjacent regional markets with the same foundational value proposition for parents.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Children of the Sea social profiles
Digital presenceChildren of the Sea compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Children of the Sea financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Children of the Sea leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Children of the Sea funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Children of the Sea M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Children of the Sea
What does Children of the Sea do?
Children of the Sea is a Portland-based swim school that provides year-round, in-water instruction for children from 4 months old through their teenage years using its proprietary "Children of the Sea Water Safety Program." Offerings span Parent Baby/Parent Tot classes, Water Safety Levels 1–3, a specialized 8+ years track, Stroke Levels 1–3, 1:1 Adapted Swim Lessons for children with diverse needs, and Private/Semi-Private lessons, all delivered through small-ratio group classes at a single enclosed 91-degree pool.
Is Children of the Sea a public or private company?
Children of the Sea is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Children of the Sea founded?
Children of the Sea was founded in 1996. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Children of the Sea based?
Children of the Sea is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Children of the Sea make money?
One revenue line is on record: monthly Swim Lesson Tuition.
Who are Children of the Sea's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Emler Swim School, SafeSplash Swim School, British Swim School, SwimLabs Swim School and Aqua-Tots Swim Schools. Goldfish Swim School is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are USA Swimming (Learn-to-Swim Programs) and United States Swim School Association (USSSA). Regional players are Streamline Swim Academy and Little Fins Swim School.
Does Children of the Sea have an API?
No public API is recorded for Children of the Sea.
What industry is Children of the Sea in?
Children of the Sea's product category is Children's Swim Instruction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAIAF, Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding). Its NAICS code is 61162.