About
SWIMBABES Swim Survival Safety offers Swim Survival Safety lessons, swim lessons, and weekly lessons that include specific tracks such as Pre-Survival Track, Basic Water Awareness, Beginning Survival, and Beginning Swim Survival Safety. The program also offers SynchroTinies, SynchroBabies, SynchroTots, Splash & Discover Class, New Family Orientation, and Introductory Sessions for families new to SWIMBABES. Families new to SWIMBABES are required to attend a one-time registration and orientation session.
• Ages: 0–7 years old
• Schedule: Office, new student information, scheduling, and front desk support are available Monday–Thursday between 9:00am–1:00pm, with additional hours Monday and Wednesday from 4:00pm–6:30pm, and the next class listed as April 16th at 12:30pm.
• Price: Orientation Fee: $55.95 (charged at enrollment). Bonus: Enroll in a class the same day as a Splash & Discover visit and receive 50% off the new student registration fee if enrollment happens that day.
SWIMBABES Swim Survival Safety states that its mission and priority is to teach children safety and survival in the water, with a family-run swim school that has focused on teaching lifesaving swim skills to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers for over 80 years. The program specializes in Infant Toddler Swim Survival Safety and swim classes for all ages, and beginner classes for ages 3 and under always include a parent in the water. The program uses a proven turn and float method and reports a proven success rate with children as young as 8 weeks old, and it offers a Splash & Discover Class as a gentle introduction to the water for families new to SWIMBABES.
SWIMBABES traces its roots back to the 1940s and is described as family-owned for four generations with over 80 years of experience, with the swim school established in 1941. Its story began with Gay Lee, Oregon’s first swim school owner, who ran the “Gay Lee School of Swim” and was the aunt of founder Jackie Young. In 1969, Jackie created SWIMBABES, and in 1982 she brought her daughter, Kelley Robinson, into the business; today Kelley runs the SWIMBABES program with Jackie as founding advisor.
The program states that it is Oregon’s first Swimming School and the originator of Swim Survival Safety lessons for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, and that it was the first in the Pacific Northwest to offer survival swim lessons for babies and toddlers. It is described as an internationally and nationally recognized swim program, the oldest and most experienced swim school program in Oregon, and a pioneer of infant swim instruction as the creator of Infant Swim Survival Safety, SynchroBabies, and SynchroTots programs. SWIMBABES is a charter member of the World Aquatic Babies Congress, a member of the United States Swim School Association, and has been a guest speaker and demonstrator in Nagoya, Japan, as well as a featured presenter in Hawaii, California, Norway, Finland, and Sweden. The program hosted the world’s youngest swim team visit in 2008 and has received the Education Award (Nagoya, 2000) and the Founders Award (World Aquatic Babies & Children, 2007), and has been featured on media outlets such as KOIN, KPTV, KATU, KIRO Seattle, and Rainbow Radio Honolulu.
SWIMBABES describes its instructors as highly trained, specialized adult instructors and experienced and well-trained adult swim lesson teachers. The program notes that it is intentionally small and boutique so that every family is known and every child is seen. It also states that it is an active fundraiser for children’s health and safety organizations, including the Oregon SIDS Project and the Portland Dougy Center, and that it serves families from Milwaukie, Clackamas, Happy Valley, Damascus, Oak Grove, Portland Metro, SE Portland, Gladstone, Oregon City, and more.
Parent testimonials describe Kelley as “amazing with kids” and “an expert at teaching your child how to be comfortable and safe in the water,” and say that everyone who works there is “friendly, professional, and kind.” One parent reports that in 10 days a 1 year 2 month old child achieved an independent back float and the ability to go underwater, turn over onto the back, and float, with practice still needed for consistency. Other parents describe the swim safety program as “excellent,” say it is “spectacular to watch these littles master skills,” and note that a 4-year-old is “constantly praised by other parents at his skill level.” Another parent says teachers “really work with your child to get them over any fears they have,” and that a 3-year-old is already on the way to being a great swimmer, and states that they “highly recommend SwimBabes.”
Last updated April 14, 2026.
• Ages: 0–7 years old
• Schedule: Office, new student information, scheduling, and front desk support are available Monday–Thursday between 9:00am–1:00pm, with additional hours Monday and Wednesday from 4:00pm–6:30pm, and the next class listed as April 16th at 12:30pm.
• Price: Orientation Fee: $55.95 (charged at enrollment). Bonus: Enroll in a class the same day as a Splash & Discover visit and receive 50% off the new student registration fee if enrollment happens that day.
SWIMBABES Swim Survival Safety states that its mission and priority is to teach children safety and survival in the water, with a family-run swim school that has focused on teaching lifesaving swim skills to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers for over 80 years. The program specializes in Infant Toddler Swim Survival Safety and swim classes for all ages, and beginner classes for ages 3 and under always include a parent in the water. The program uses a proven turn and float method and reports a proven success rate with children as young as 8 weeks old, and it offers a Splash & Discover Class as a gentle introduction to the water for families new to SWIMBABES.
SWIMBABES traces its roots back to the 1940s and is described as family-owned for four generations with over 80 years of experience, with the swim school established in 1941. Its story began with Gay Lee, Oregon’s first swim school owner, who ran the “Gay Lee School of Swim” and was the aunt of founder Jackie Young. In 1969, Jackie created SWIMBABES, and in 1982 she brought her daughter, Kelley Robinson, into the business; today Kelley runs the SWIMBABES program with Jackie as founding advisor.
The program states that it is Oregon’s first Swimming School and the originator of Swim Survival Safety lessons for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, and that it was the first in the Pacific Northwest to offer survival swim lessons for babies and toddlers. It is described as an internationally and nationally recognized swim program, the oldest and most experienced swim school program in Oregon, and a pioneer of infant swim instruction as the creator of Infant Swim Survival Safety, SynchroBabies, and SynchroTots programs. SWIMBABES is a charter member of the World Aquatic Babies Congress, a member of the United States Swim School Association, and has been a guest speaker and demonstrator in Nagoya, Japan, as well as a featured presenter in Hawaii, California, Norway, Finland, and Sweden. The program hosted the world’s youngest swim team visit in 2008 and has received the Education Award (Nagoya, 2000) and the Founders Award (World Aquatic Babies & Children, 2007), and has been featured on media outlets such as KOIN, KPTV, KATU, KIRO Seattle, and Rainbow Radio Honolulu.
SWIMBABES describes its instructors as highly trained, specialized adult instructors and experienced and well-trained adult swim lesson teachers. The program notes that it is intentionally small and boutique so that every family is known and every child is seen. It also states that it is an active fundraiser for children’s health and safety organizations, including the Oregon SIDS Project and the Portland Dougy Center, and that it serves families from Milwaukie, Clackamas, Happy Valley, Damascus, Oak Grove, Portland Metro, SE Portland, Gladstone, Oregon City, and more.
Parent testimonials describe Kelley as “amazing with kids” and “an expert at teaching your child how to be comfortable and safe in the water,” and say that everyone who works there is “friendly, professional, and kind.” One parent reports that in 10 days a 1 year 2 month old child achieved an independent back float and the ability to go underwater, turn over onto the back, and float, with practice still needed for consistency. Other parents describe the swim safety program as “excellent,” say it is “spectacular to watch these littles master skills,” and note that a 4-year-old is “constantly praised by other parents at his skill level.” Another parent says teachers “really work with your child to get them over any fears they have,” and that a 3-year-old is already on the way to being a great swimmer, and states that they “highly recommend SwimBabes.”
Last updated April 14, 2026.
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