Seal Swimming FAQ

Click here to create an account in the Swim Portal.

Look for the class that you’d like to register for. Use the 'Booking' tab in the Swim Portal to search for your class.

Once you have found your class, click to 'Select Student', then follow the steps to add your class to the checkout cart and make a payment.

If you have three or more students from the same family household enrolled in our program, we’ll discount the fees for the third child by 10%.

Have a large family? No worries! We’ll also extend the discount for any additional children after the third.

Open Swim allows swimmers and their families to use the pool for fun. We have a variety of aquatic toys available for your use.

Open Swim is also a convenient way to reinforce the skills covered in your child’s class while having a great time.

Open Swim's are not available at all Seal Swimming locations. Click on the BOOKING tab in the Swim Portal to view openings.

We recommend regular weekly lessons. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect!

Children will always benefit more from learning in a regular and continuous way. If you are considering swimming multiple days per week, great! Additional days per week are a good way to practice and perfect your swim skills.

We suggest also taking part in a family or open swim to reinforce swimming as a fun activity.

No. Seal Swimming is a private swim school and is not governed by or affiliated with Swimming Canada or Swim Ontario.

In fact, Seal Swimming was founded as a way to provide competitive style swim training, but without the commitments of a competitive swim club.

Our Swim Squads are open to swimmers who have completed Junior Seal Development 4, or can complete 100m Freestyle in under 1min : 50sec.

Swimmers who are not sure if they can complete 100m Freestyle in the time above, or who would like to try out with Seal Swimming to get a flavour of who we are, can book a Swim Assessment to establish which program would be the right fit.

Absolutely! You will need to Create an Account in the Swim Portal, then navigate to the Lane Swims for the pool location of your choice. You can register for Lane Swims right up to the scheduled start time.

Lane Swim's are not available at all Seal Swimming locations. Click on the BOOKING tab in the Swim Portal to view openings or use the link above.

Swimmers can start as early as you are comfortable getting them in the water. Typically that means around 2 months, when your baby has received their second round of vaccines.

Our team will work with you to get your child comfortable and safe in the water, to learn personal rescue skills and the foundations of swimming.

Seal Swimming offers entry level classes for all ages from parents and babies or toddlers, to adult swimmers and everyone in between. So let's get swimming, get healthy and get results!

Swimmers joining Seal Swimming as a toddler or a little older can join entry level swim classes for any age or if your child has attended a different swim school, we provide swim assessments to help find the right fit.

This varies depending on the class. All beginner levels for children are 30 minutes (i.e. Foundations, Fundamentals and Independent stages). Once children have mastered these stages, they move into 60 minute classes (i.e. Development stages and Squads).

All Adult classes are also 60 minutes.

The exception to this is Private and Semi Private classes, which are booked in 30 minute blocks, but you have the option to book multiple back-to-back classes depending on your needs.

Yes absolutely! We offer Private (1 : 1) and Semi Private (1 : 2) lessons.

Semi Private lessons can be booked for swimmers either from the same family or friends looking to swim together.

Note: Unfortunately Seal Swimming does not pair swimmers together in Semi Private classes so you will be required to find a second swimmer if these are your choice of lessons.

We're pleased to hear that you are ready to sign up!

You can sign up for classes either using the desktop Swim Portal or by downloading the iClassPro App on IOS or Android.

Once you have downloaded the App, be sure to enter "sealswimming" as the organization in order to proceed.

If you would like to chat with our Customer Success Team, you can reach us at: [email protected] or by phone at: 289 872 0612.

Semi Private lessons can be booked for swimmers either from the same family or friends looking to swim together.

Note: Unfortunately Seal Swimming does not pair swimmers together in Semi Private classes so you will be required to find a second swimmer if these are your choice of lessons.

Swimming is a very individual journey and everybody adapts to water and progresses in different ways and at a different pace.

At Seal Swimming our priority is ensuring that you and your child learn all the skills necessary to become a proficient swimmer, with a strong understanding of water safety.

We offer lessons and programs for all ages and abilities, so no matter how long or far you progress in the water there will always be a program for you at Seal Swimming.

This varies depending on the class. Beginner levels which are un-parented (i.e. no parents accompanying your child in the water) are 1 teacher to a maximum of 4 students.

Parented classes (i.e. Foundations and Fundamentals) are 1 teacher to 6 students.

Once your child reaches the Development stages, there are a maximum of 5 swimmers to one lane (one teacher per lane).

Depending on the pool setup, parents sometimes have the option to watch their child's class from the pool deck.

Important: In accordance with Ontario's Public Health Regulations, any spectators on deck must be behind a guard rail or visible barrier.

We ask that parents adhere to this regulation unless asked to accompany their child by a teacher or Supervisor.

Being an indoor swim facility, the lobby is often the coolest place to wait and seating is available at each location if you'd prefer to wait off deck.

Important: It is a requirement that all parents stay on-site while their swimmers are attending lessons.

In order to cancel your session based lessons (i.e. summer, fall, winter, spring sessions) Seal Swimming requires written notice of cancellation via email.

In order to cancel your subscription based lessons (i.e. squad groups, adult swim training memberships) Seal Swimming requires 30-days notice of withdrawal.

All withdrawals are subject to our Make Up, Cancellation and Refund Policy.

Yes! Most guidelines say you can take your baby swimming at any time. Why wait? Get your little one splashing about as soon as you are ready.

If your baby has a cold or is just a little under the weather they are fine to attend classes. If they have a temperature or any signs of any other significant illnesses like ear infections or anything contagious like chicken pox, you must stay at home.

If you or your baby has any vomiting or diarrhea we advise you not swim for at least 48 hours following your last symptom.

If you have any questions about illnesses and whether you should attend, please feel free to get in touch with us by phone or email.

• Disposable swim diaper, you can buy a reusable swim diaper if you’d prefer.
• Reusable neoprene swim diaper.
• Swimsuit for your baby to be worn over the double diaper if you’d like.
• Swim costume for yourself.
• Towels for you both.
• Soft changing mat.
• A lock to use with the lockers in the changing rooms (may vary by location). You can always bring your gear on to the deck if you prefer.

Note: You may prefer that your baby wears a baby wetsuit if they are under 6 months. If your baby is older than 6 months but likes to be toasty they may enjoy wearing one too.

Our classes currently have up to 6 babies/toddlers plus one parent or caregiver per baby/toddler in the water.

This gives lots of opportunities for babies and toddlers to interact with one another and for our Baby Seal teacher to spend time helping and supporting each baby individually.

Ideally, we would say to feed your baby one hour before your lesson but if they are super hungry then it is ok to have milk within this time. We recommend eating any solid food at least one hour before swimming.

A two-layer diaper is required. This is a disposable swim diaper (you can buy a reusable version of swim diapers if you’d prefer) topped with a reusable neoprene swim diaper.

Both diapers are widely available in a range of sizes, most important is that they have a snug fit.

You can view your baby's progress in your Swim Portal account. Each student's skills will be updated by the teacher regularly.

Strollers are permitted in the main entrance and hallway of the facilities, but we ask you not to bring your stroller into the changing rooms or pool deck.

In accordance with Ontario Public Health Regulations, strollers are not allowed on the pool deck.

You can find out which level your child should be in by using our Swim Level Assessment Form. You can also book a Swim Assessment to find out which level your child should be in.

Each level of the Seal Swimming curriculum follows our grading system to ensure that swimmers succeed in their swim journey.

No. Anything other than a swimsuit, cap and goggles, we will provide. Because of their restrictive nature, we don't use water-wings or life-jackets in our classes.

Our teachers support swimmers using various holding techniques to aid swimmers on the path to independent swimming.

Swimmers should be comfortable in the water both with and without goggles.

For most students in the Seal Swimming program, this means starting without goggles, which can also be a distraction for younger swimmers. We suggest purchasing goggles once your child progresses to Independent 2.

Feel free to ask one of our teachers for guidance on purchasing goggles and which pair would be the best fit for your child.

We ask that you speak to the Deck Supervisor or Customer Success staff if there is a question or concern to relay to the teacher. If it is a major issue, they can speak to a manager. If you have questions about your child's progress, you can refer to the customer portal to check your student’s skills.

Sometimes our teachers need to change shifts to accommodate their own life schedules. However, we can assure you that all Seal Swimming teachers undergo a thorough hiring process and extensive training.

You can trust that they are all fun, patient and more than qualified to ensure the safety and success of our swimmers.

You can follow your child's progress right from your iClassPro Swim Portal account.

Use our How To Guide for specific instructions on how to access your account.

Unfortunately no. We need to cover all of the skills in a level in order to complete a level. Repetition is key to success in swimming. If your child looks like they are further ahead than the other swimmers in a group, there is no harm in repeating the core swim skills in order to really hone in on their success.

If a child is clearly in the wrong level at the beginning of a session, your child's teacher or a supervisor will chat with you to arrange for a schedule change where possible.

Firstly... You are not alone! Often young swimmers experience apprehension when they begin their swimming lessons. Allow your child to take their time and get comfortable at their own pace.

If a child cries at Seal Swimming, a Supervisor or Team Lead will often assist the teacher to provide your child some one-on-one attention.

If your child really isn't getting comfortable in the water the Supervisor will let you know the best course of action to move forward. This isn't always the same, as each child and each situation is unique. We may recommend some support from mom or dad, or alternatively suggest that it's better for mom or dad to be out of sight and therefore out of mind for your child.

Either way, make sure you are ready with a big hug for your child after class.

You can submit a Transfer Request to change your lesson day or time via the iClassPro Swim Portal.

If you are having difficulties finding class times, you can reach out to the Client Success Team at: [email protected].

Unfortunately no. Once you cancel your lessons, that spot becomes available for another student.

You can request a particular teacher when you re-register for classes, however unfortunately we cannot guarantee that we can accommodate each request.

At Seal Swimming all of the teachers and staff have been through an extensive training process. All swim teachers are qualified to teach each level. No matter who your child’s teacher is, he or she will be in good hands!

No make-up class or other financial credit/refund will be available in connection with a missed class other than if cancellation of the class is initiated by Seal Swimming.

If a class cancellation is by Seal Swimming due to insufficient registration or any other reason, a full refund (without any deduction) will be made unless another mutually acceptable alternative can be found.

View our Make Up, Cancellation and Refund Policy for more information.

Unfortunately no. Due to operational costs Seal Swimming cannot hold spots or prorate the cost of classes when you have a planned vacation or know that you will be away for a portion of a session.

Seal Swimming has a double diaper policy for all swimmers under the age of three years old.

Every swimmer under the age of three is required to wear one disposable swim diaper underneath one reusable swim diaper.

An actual swimsuit on top of the swim diaper is optional.

Other than the swim wear and a towel, we suggest parents wear a pair of indoor flip flops or sandals in the changing rooms and on the deck.

For our toddler aged classes, the same diaper policy as baby classes applies. Other than swimwear and a towel, we suggest you wear a pair of indoor flip flops or sandals in the changing rooms and on the deck.

Goggles can be used but they are not necessary.

For independent classes for children aged three and above, a proper swim suit is required (i.e. no street clothes, underwear or t-shirts are permitted).

While we recommend that all children swim with either a latex or silicone swim cap - this a a requirement for children with hair past shoulder length.

Goggles must be available for use, but may not always be required. Any equipment such as caps, goggles and training equipment can be purchased from our Swim Store.

Development swimmers should come to class with a proper swim suit (one-piece for girls and jammers or trunks for boys).

All swimmers must purchase a Seal Swimming cap (latex and silicone are available), goggles, fins, a kickboard and pull buoy. Also available are mesh equipment bags to store.

Chat with our team for specific advice on equipment and how to purchase.

Adult swimmers should come to class with a proper swim suit (one-piece for females and jammers or trunks for male swimmers).

All swimmers should purchase a cap and goggles and we recommend purchasing fins and a kickboard.

Chat with our team for specific advice on equipment and how to purchase.

When you sign up there is a place to add the medical information for each student in the Swim Portal. This is where you let us know about any allergies or other conditions that we should be aware of.

You needn't worry! All information and documents are signed electronically when you register on the Swim Portal.

No. Out of respect for other families and for child protection reasons there are no photos to be taken while classes are in progress.

If you would like to photograph your child in the pool, please speak to your teacher or a pool supervisor. We may be able to accommodate your request after class, when no other swimmers are visible in the picture.

Review our Photography Policy for more information.

There is no annual membership fee for most Seal Swimming programs.

Subscription based programs (i.e. Squads and Adult Swim programs) have a 'Membership Fee' payable either monthly or annually or can be purchased as a session as well.

Only Membership based programs have a monthly fee (i.e. Squads and Adult Swim programs).

There is no reoccurring or monthly fee for Session based group swimming lessons or private lessons.

Pricing varies by location and session and is based on the number of lessons.

Click here for full pricing information or visit give us a call at one of our locations.

The Swim Portal will accept Visa, Mastercard or American Express as payment methods.

All payments must be made through the Swim Portal. Unfortunately we do not accept cash or cheque payments in person.

If you would like to pay by e-transfer, please contact our office at: 289 872 0612 to arrange with our Customer Success Team.

Due to our operational costs, we follow a strict Make Up, Cancellation and Refund Policy at Seal Swimming. Please follow the link for more information. 

The Swim Portal is preset to store card on file because some of our programs (i.e. Membership based programs) require recurring payments.

No charges will ever be made through the Swim Portal without prior consent.

If you are unable to pay through the Swim Portal and would like to pay by e-transfer, please contact our office at: 289 872 0612 to arrange without the Customer Success Team.

All Seal Swimming teachers are certified under our proprietary Swim Teacher Pro certification.

Many teachers also carry the Lifesaving Society Swim and Lifesaving Instructor, as well as a minimum of Bronze Cross (Assistant Lifeguard) certificate.

Yes absolutely. There are a minimum of two certified National Lifeguards on every shift.

The temperature varies based on location. The temperature is kept between 28C and 30C (82F to 86F).

Yes. Each location has lots of on site parking.

Our locations are also accessible by TTC, so we encourage families to take public transit where possible.