Frequently Asked Questions

Safety is always our number one priority. Lessons are mentally and physically demanding for little ones, so keeping lessons to 10 minutes or less helps prevent fatigue and allows us to take advantage of the best time for learning. Children in this age range also have shorter attention spans and retain skills best within those first 10 minutes.

Repetition and consistency are important for young children when learning new skills. Just like learning to walk, crawl, or ride a bike, frequent practice helps build muscle memory and strengthen ISR Self-Rescue® Skills. Short, consistent lessons result in better skill development and retention than longer, less frequent lessons.

ISR lessons are designed for children as young as 6 months old through approximately 6 years old. Babies should be able to independently get into a seated position from their belly and remain seated for one minute to be developmentally ready for lessons.

Starting early helps build foundational water safety skills and confidence, but older children can also be very successful in ISR. If your child is older than 6 and you’re interested in lessons, feel free to contact me to see if ISR may be a good fit for your child.

It is not uncommon for children to cry or be fussy during the first few weeks of ISR lessons. Everything is new—the Instructor, the pool, and the skills they are learning. For many young children, crying is developmentally appropriate and simply their way of communicating when something feels new or challenging.

As lessons continue, your child will begin to build trust with their Instructor, become more comfortable in the water, and gain confidence in their new skills. As that confidence grows, the crying typically begins to decrease.

ISR Instructors are very familiar with this behavior, and tears will not prevent your child from learning. Remember, each lesson is another day of building confidence and getting closer to becoming fully skilled!

No. Every ISR lesson is private, one-on-one, and customized to your individual child. We maintain a 1:1 student-to-Instructor ratio, so there is never more than one child in the water during a lesson. Lessons are scheduled back-to-back, so you may see other families before or after your child’s lesson.

ISR lessons are always one-on-one, so siblings will not be in the water at the same time. However, siblings can be scheduled in back-to-back time slots for your convenience.

If you don’t see back-to-back times available when scheduling, please contact me and I’ll do my best to find times that work for your family.

Parents do not get in the water during regular ISR lessons, but we encourage you to sit poolside and be your child’s biggest cheerleader!

Having your child work one-on-one with their Instructor allows them to focus on learning their new skills and build trust and confidence in the water.

Once your child has developed independent skills, parents may be invited into the water with their Instructor. During this time, you’ll learn how to properly support and maintain your child’s new skills while enjoying the water together.

Accidents are unplanned, and children who unexpectedly enter the water may be fully clothed. Swimming in clothes feels very different from swimming in a bathing suit because of the added weight and sensation.

Once your child is fully skilled, they will practice their ISR Self-Rescue® skills while wearing different types of clothing. This gives them the opportunity to experience these differences in a safe environment so they are better prepared to respond if they ever find themselves in the water unexpectedly.

Each child progresses at their own pace, but most children develop their ISR Self-Rescue® skills in approximately 6 weeks of consistent lessons. Some children may finish sooner, while others may need an additional week or two. Every child is different, and swimmers will not complete their session until they can confidently demonstrate their skills.

I am currently working to secure an indoor pool location in the Exeter/Portsmouth area. Once my location is confirmed, I will announce it on my social media pages and notify families on my waitlist.

Join the waitlist to be one of the first to know when the pool location and lesson availability are announced!

ISR was founded in 1966 by Dr. Harvey Barnett and has continued to develop its teaching methods through decades of research and experience. ISR’s methodology incorporates principles of child development, psychology, physiology, and learning to provide individualized survival swimming instruction.

Today, ISR continues to use this research and experience to provide safe, effective, and developmentally appropriate lessons for each individual child.

ISR focuses on teaching survival swimming and Self-Rescue® skills, with safety always being the top priority. While traditional swim lessons may focus more on water introduction, group activities, or stroke development, ISR lessons are personalized, one-on-one, and designed around each child’s individual abilities and developmental level.

Children attend short lessons 5 days a week, allowing for repetition and consistency as they build independent skills. Depending on their age and development, children learn to float or use the Swim-Float-Swim sequence to help them become aquatic problem solvers.

ISR also prepares children for real-life situations. Once fully skilled, students practice their skills while wearing clothing so they can experience what it feels like to use their Self-Rescue® skills in different situations.

With decades of research and experience behind the ISR program, every lesson is designed with your child’s safety, development, and individual needs in mind.

ISR lessons are an investment in your child’s skills and safety in and around the water. Unlike traditional group swim lessons that may meet once a week, ISR provides individualized, one-on-one instruction five days a week, allowing for consistency, repetition, and skill development.

Your child receives personalized instruction based on their age, development, and individual needs, with the goal of developing independent swimming and ISR Self-Rescue® skills.

While ISR is an upfront investment, you are investing in skills your child can continue to build upon throughout their life.

As children grow, their height, weight, strength, and coordination change, so their ISR Self-Rescue™ skills need to grow with them. Refresher and maintenance lessons help children adjust their existing skills to their growing bodies and continue building confidence in the water.

Refresher Lessons: Returning Swim-Float-Swim students typically attend approximately 1–2 weeks of lessons, five days per week, at $175 per week. Refresher lessons are generally recommended every 3–6 months as your child grows.

Maintenance Lessons: Maintenance lessons are available for $35 per lesson and provide regular opportunities to fine-tune your child’s skills and confidence. The frequency will depend on your individual child, and we can determine what schedule is best after they complete their initial lessons.

Returning students also have a $40 annual ISR update fee, paid directly to ISR.

ISR lessons are $175 per week and include private, one-on-one 10-minute lessons Monday through Friday. Most children attend lessons for approximately 6–8 weeks, depending on their individual progress.

A $175 deposit is required to reserve your child’s lesson time. This deposit is applied toward your first week of lessons.

There is also a required $105 ISR registration fee, paid directly to Infant Swimming Resource. This fee is separate from lesson tuition and includes a review of your child’s medical and developmental history as part of ISR’s safety protocols.

Gift a Lesson
After scheduling, you’ll receive a gift link that can be shared with family and friends who would like to contribute toward your child’s lessons.