About
SwimKids offers swim lessons, baby swim lessons, preschool swim lessons, kids swim lessons, weekly swim clinics, and a competitive Stealth Kids Swim Team. The program also offers adapted swim lessons, including special abilities and special needs lessons, as well as birthday parties.
• Ages: 0–16 years old
• Price: $100,000 Raised for Charity; Early Bird Offer: Save 10% off Spring Break Weekly Swim Clinics
SwimKids offers swim classes for kids at every level, including baby swim lessons starting at two months old. Weekly swim clinics are available to jump start lessons, enhance current lessons, or help advance swimmers to the next level. The Stealth Kids Swim Team teaches sportsmanship in a flexible, friendly, yet competitive environment. Lessons for special abilities children emphasize positivity in the pool and are tailored to each child’s strengths. Families can use flexible scheduling through an app, receive 12 free makeup lessons per year, and access multi-class and weekday discounts at select times. The swimming pools use cutting edge inline ultraviolet (UV) systems and UV light to keep water crystal clean, with a focus on safer water and clean facilities.
SwimKids 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 Dave and Cindy built a backyard pool in 1997. SwimKids began teaching lessons at Regency Sports Park in Fredericksburg, VA in 2005, expanded to Leesburg, VA in 2011, and opened a custom SwimKids swim school facility in Gainesville, VA in 2010. The Woodbridge flagship facility opened in 2012. Cindy and Dave moved to Manassas, VA in 2003. SwimKids holds a copyright dated 2026.
The leadership team includes founder Dave Tonnesen, who is the leader of swim programs, a former professional full-time swim coach, and a former collegiate athlete at Virginia Tech. Founder Cindy Tonnesen developed the business model, is in charge of operations, and founded the Hope Floats Foundation. Krissy is a part owner at SwimKids and is in charge of operations. SwimKids states that it offers the highest standards for safety and instructors in the nation.
The SwimKids mission is “Safe Swimming for All Children.” SwimKids was founded on two beliefs: every child deserves to learn the joy of swimming and develop a lifelong love of the water, and its mission is to build loving relationships that save lives.
SwimKids reports that it has taught over 1,000,000 lessons, raised $100,000 for charity, and received 1,000+ 5-star reviews. SwimKids participated in the Guinness Book of World Records via The “World’s Largest Swim Lesson.” One swimmer from SwimKids took home a 2018 Gold Medal in one of his events at the Special Olympics USA Games.
SwimKids and the Hope Floats Foundation teach underprivileged children to swim, and SwimKids is 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. SwimKids describes itself as locals serving locals and notes that it has always been local. SwimKids worked with Regency Sports Park in Fredericksburg, VA to begin teaching lessons at that facility in 2005.
Parent feedback includes comments that a coach named Shane is patient and that a child looks forward to lessons with him. Another parent reports starting at SwimKids when their baby was two months old and describes their coach, Lily, as patient and encouraging during a period of separation anxiety. One parent notes bringing a 5-year-old for months and describes the training regimen and ease of moving a class time or making up a class. Another parent describes SwimKids as a place where a 3-year-old who used to fear water now asks for swimming and the beach every day.
Last updated January 21, 2026.
• Ages: 0–16 years old
• Price: $100,000 Raised for Charity; Early Bird Offer: Save 10% off Spring Break Weekly Swim Clinics
SwimKids offers swim classes for kids at every level, including baby swim lessons starting at two months old. Weekly swim clinics are available to jump start lessons, enhance current lessons, or help advance swimmers to the next level. The Stealth Kids Swim Team teaches sportsmanship in a flexible, friendly, yet competitive environment. Lessons for special abilities children emphasize positivity in the pool and are tailored to each child’s strengths. Families can use flexible scheduling through an app, receive 12 free makeup lessons per year, and access multi-class and weekday discounts at select times. The swimming pools use cutting edge inline ultraviolet (UV) systems and UV light to keep water crystal clean, with a focus on safer water and clean facilities.
SwimKids 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 Dave and Cindy built a backyard pool in 1997. SwimKids began teaching lessons at Regency Sports Park in Fredericksburg, VA in 2005, expanded to Leesburg, VA in 2011, and opened a custom SwimKids swim school facility in Gainesville, VA in 2010. The Woodbridge flagship facility opened in 2012. Cindy and Dave moved to Manassas, VA in 2003. SwimKids holds a copyright dated 2026.
The leadership team includes founder Dave Tonnesen, who is the leader of swim programs, a former professional full-time swim coach, and a former collegiate athlete at Virginia Tech. Founder Cindy Tonnesen developed the business model, is in charge of operations, and founded the Hope Floats Foundation. Krissy is a part owner at SwimKids and is in charge of operations. SwimKids states that it offers the highest standards for safety and instructors in the nation.
The SwimKids mission is “Safe Swimming for All Children.” SwimKids was founded on two beliefs: every child deserves to learn the joy of swimming and develop a lifelong love of the water, and its mission is to build loving relationships that save lives.
SwimKids reports that it has taught over 1,000,000 lessons, raised $100,000 for charity, and received 1,000+ 5-star reviews. SwimKids participated in the Guinness Book of World Records via The “World’s Largest Swim Lesson.” One swimmer from SwimKids took home a 2018 Gold Medal in one of his events at the Special Olympics USA Games.
SwimKids and the Hope Floats Foundation teach underprivileged children to swim, and SwimKids is 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. SwimKids describes itself as locals serving locals and notes that it has always been local. SwimKids worked with Regency Sports Park in Fredericksburg, VA to begin teaching lessons at that facility in 2005.
Parent feedback includes comments that a coach named Shane is patient and that a child looks forward to lessons with him. Another parent reports starting at SwimKids when their baby was two months old and describes their coach, Lily, as patient and encouraging during a period of separation anxiety. One parent notes bringing a 5-year-old for months and describes the training regimen and ease of moving a class time or making up a class. Another parent describes SwimKids as a place where a 3-year-old who used to fear water now asks for swimming and the beach every day.
Last updated January 21, 2026.
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