About
Safe Swim Academy offers Water Babies classes for ages 6-18 months, private kids lessons for ages 2-14 years, and adult swim lessons for ages 14 years and above. It also offers private lessons, group lessons, semi-private lessons, adaptive swim lessons, and social recreational/non-medical therapeutic swim instruction.
Programs
- Water Babies — 6-18 months · Baby Aquatics class focused on parents and children; teaches comfort in the water and water safety.
- Kids — 2-14 years · Private kids lessons focused on water safety, survival methods, and learning strokes.
- Adults — 14 years & above · Swim lessons for first-time swimmers, those overcoming a fear of water, training for competition, or refining strokes.
- Private Lessons — One-on-one swim instruction.
- Group Lessons — Small, focused classes providing personalized attention.
- Semi-Private Lessons — Lessons for siblings or friends of similar age and abilities.
- Adaptive Swim Lessons — Adaptive swim lessons for children and individuals with diverse abilities.
- Social Recreational/Non-Medical Therapeutic Swim Instruction — Adaptive and social recreation services/non-medical therapeutic swim instruction.
At a glance
- Ages: 0–18 years old
- Facility hours: Monday-Friday: 9:00-7:30 PM; Saturday: 9:00-4:00 PM; Sunday: 9:00-4:00 PM
About the provider
The academy was founded by Monica Barbu, a former Olympic team swimmer, and she is the founder and coach. Safe Swim Academy says it has over 15 years teaching swim lessons in the US. Its mission is to provide swim lessons of the highest quality and safety, helping swimmers build water safety skills, confidence, independence, and comfort in the aquatic environment. Monica Barbu is also a Certified American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor.
Private, semi-private, and group lessons are offered. Lessons are described as year-round. The academy states safety is its priority and that lessons are designed to be fun, positive, encouraging, and tailored to each student.
What families say
“Monica is an outstanding quality swimming instructor and personalized swimming coach in San Diego. She teaches safety first, and then provides professional level progressive instructions adapted to all students and levels, even up to the level of refining competitive swimming technique for all strokes” — Rosemary R.
“Monica is a super friendly instructor, with outstanding Olympic swimming skills. She provides a safe, fun, and wholesome athletic activity for all students. We have had many different instructors over the years since our daughters were babies, and they are pre-teens now. Monica is the best and a role model for our girls” — The Bodors
“We had tried soccer and tae kwon do before we met Miss Monica. All of Leo's other lessons ended with her crying and begging to go home. I was initially worried that swim lessons would end the same way, but Leo immediately felt comfortable and happy with Miss Monica. Now our lessons end with Leo begging to stay longer and swim with her Coach” — Leo's mom
Last updated October 10, 2026.
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