About
SwimKids Swim Programs offers Baby Swim Lessons, Preschool Swim Lessons, Kids Swim Lessons, Adapted Swim Lessons, Special Abilities Lessons, and Special Needs Lessons. The program also offers Swim Lessons, Swim Clinics, Weekly Swim Clinics, a Competitive Swim Team, the Stealth Kids Swim Team, and Birthday Parties. Programs are available for children from two months old to sixteen years old.
• Ages: 0–16 years old
• Price: $100,000 Raised for Charity; Early Bird Offer: Save 10% off Spring Break Weekly Swim Clinics
SwimKids Swim Programs states a mission of “Safe Swimming for All Children” and was founded on the beliefs that every child deserves to learn the joy of swimming and develop a lifelong love of the water, and that its mission is to build loving relationships that save lives. The leadership team includes founder Dave Tonnesen, who leads the swim programs and is described as an outstanding swimmer, former collegiate athlete at Virginia Tech, and professional full-time swim coach; founder Cindy Tonnesen, who is in charge of operations, developed the business model and curriculum, and founded the Hope Floats Foundation; and Krissy, who is a part owner at SwimKids and in charge of operations. SwimKids Swim Programs states that it offers the highest standards for safety and instructors in the nation.
SwimKids Swim Programs was founded in 1996, and the first SwimKids lesson was taught in the Tonnesens’ backyard pool in 1997. Dave coached for the Veterans Park Swim Team during the summer of 1987, and Cindy and Dave built a backyard pool in 1997. Cindy and Dave moved to Manassas, VA in 2003 to a home with an indoor pool, and SwimKids began teaching lessons at Regency Sports Park in Fredericksburg, VA in 2005. The first custom made SwimKids swim school opened in Gainesville, VA in 2010, SwimKids expanded in 2011, and a flagship facility opened in 2012. SwimKids Swim Programs reports that it has taught over one million lessons and has received over 1,000 5-star reviews.
The program reports that its pools are built with cutting edge inline ultraviolet (UV) systems that use UV light to keep water crystal clean and kill viruses and microorganisms that chlorine alone cannot handle, including Coronavirus and cryptosporidium. It offers 12 free makeup lessons per year, multi-class discounts, weekday discounts at select times, and flexible scheduling through an app. Lessons for special abilities children emphasize positivity in the pool tailored to each child’s strengths, and the Stealth Kids Swim Team teaches sportsmanship in a flexible, friendly, yet competitive environment. SwimKids Swim Programs states that it began with a backyard pool and has remained a local business.
SwimKids Swim Programs and the Hope Floats Foundation teach underprivileged children to swim and are committed to providing scholarships and swim lessons to underprivileged children through this partnership. SwimKids participates each year in June in The World’s Largest Swim Lesson with swim programs around the world to focus on necessary water safety skills and describes itself as “locals serving locals.” SwimKids worked with Regency Sports Park in Fredericksburg, VA to begin teaching lessons at that facility and participates in the Special Olympic Games, providing training to swimmers who competed in the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games.
SwimKids Swim Programs reports participation in The World’s Largest Swim Lesson and notes that this participation led to inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records, stating, “You can bet our swimmers get very excited about being in the Guinness Book of World Records!” A swimmer trained by SwimKids took home a 2018 Gold Medal in one of his events at the Special Olympics USA Games. Parent testimonials describe coaches as patient, mention positive experiences with scheduling and makeups, and state that children look forward to lessons and have increased comfort in the water.
Last updated January 19, 2026.
• Ages: 0–16 years old
• Price: $100,000 Raised for Charity; Early Bird Offer: Save 10% off Spring Break Weekly Swim Clinics
SwimKids Swim Programs states a mission of “Safe Swimming for All Children” and was founded on the beliefs that every child deserves to learn the joy of swimming and develop a lifelong love of the water, and that its mission is to build loving relationships that save lives. The leadership team includes founder Dave Tonnesen, who leads the swim programs and is described as an outstanding swimmer, former collegiate athlete at Virginia Tech, and professional full-time swim coach; founder Cindy Tonnesen, who is in charge of operations, developed the business model and curriculum, and founded the Hope Floats Foundation; and Krissy, who is a part owner at SwimKids and in charge of operations. SwimKids Swim Programs states that it offers the highest standards for safety and instructors in the nation.
SwimKids Swim Programs was founded in 1996, and the first SwimKids lesson was taught in the Tonnesens’ backyard pool in 1997. Dave coached for the Veterans Park Swim Team during the summer of 1987, and Cindy and Dave built a backyard pool in 1997. Cindy and Dave moved to Manassas, VA in 2003 to a home with an indoor pool, and SwimKids began teaching lessons at Regency Sports Park in Fredericksburg, VA in 2005. The first custom made SwimKids swim school opened in Gainesville, VA in 2010, SwimKids expanded in 2011, and a flagship facility opened in 2012. SwimKids Swim Programs reports that it has taught over one million lessons and has received over 1,000 5-star reviews.
The program reports that its pools are built with cutting edge inline ultraviolet (UV) systems that use UV light to keep water crystal clean and kill viruses and microorganisms that chlorine alone cannot handle, including Coronavirus and cryptosporidium. It offers 12 free makeup lessons per year, multi-class discounts, weekday discounts at select times, and flexible scheduling through an app. Lessons for special abilities children emphasize positivity in the pool tailored to each child’s strengths, and the Stealth Kids Swim Team teaches sportsmanship in a flexible, friendly, yet competitive environment. SwimKids Swim Programs states that it began with a backyard pool and has remained a local business.
SwimKids Swim Programs and the Hope Floats Foundation teach underprivileged children to swim and are committed to providing scholarships and swim lessons to underprivileged children through this partnership. SwimKids participates each year in June in The World’s Largest Swim Lesson with swim programs around the world to focus on necessary water safety skills and describes itself as “locals serving locals.” SwimKids worked with Regency Sports Park in Fredericksburg, VA to begin teaching lessons at that facility and participates in the Special Olympic Games, providing training to swimmers who competed in the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games.
SwimKids Swim Programs reports participation in The World’s Largest Swim Lesson and notes that this participation led to inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records, stating, “You can bet our swimmers get very excited about being in the Guinness Book of World Records!” A swimmer trained by SwimKids took home a 2018 Gold Medal in one of his events at the Special Olympics USA Games. Parent testimonials describe coaches as patient, mention positive experiences with scheduling and makeups, and state that children look forward to lessons and have increased comfort in the water.
Last updated January 19, 2026.
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