About
Aqua-Tots Swim School Amherst, located at 4998 Harlem Rd, Amherst, NY, provides year-round, certified swim lessons for children of all ages, from infants to school-aged kids. They focus on teaching water safety, swimming skills, and confidence in a safe, fun, and structured environment.
The pools at Aqua-Tots Swim School are typically maintained at a comfortable 90 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 32 degrees Celsius), providing an ideal warm environment for swim lessons.
What are people saying (AI review summary)? Aqua-Tots Swim School is widely praised for its highly skilled and patient instructors who facilitate significant improvements in children's swimming abilities, stroke technique, and water safety skills across all age groups. Reviewers consistently highlight the bright, clean, modern, and welcoming facilities. The customer service, including front desk staff and the owner, Chris, is frequently lauded for being top-notch, friendly, and caring. The mobile app receives positive mentions for its ease of scheduling, rescheduling, and tracking student progress, with make-up class credits generally appreciated for providing flexibility. However, some parents note the cost as a significant investment, particularly given the limited direct individualized attention in group lessons. While make-up credits are available, the specific scheduling limitations (e.g., weekday-only options for weekend cancellations) can pose challenges for working parents. One reviewer also advises thoroughly reviewing the contract terms before signing, as stipulations may influence enrollment decisions. Overall, the school is highly recommended for its quality instruction and environment, particularly for parent-assisted baby lessons, though factors like price and scheduling flexibility should be considered for older children.
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Accepts Credit Cards
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Accessible Entrance
Reviews
Listing Reviews
August 24th, 2025Aaron Powers
Both of my daughters attend swim lessons here. They have made vast improvements in their stroke and breath control. The instructors are very good at breaking down the skills for their students. The customer service at the front desk and from the owner have also been top notch. Overall it’s been a great place for our family that our children are excited to go to every week.
November 24th, 2024Jenica Faye
I can’t recommend Aqua-Tots Swim School highly enough. The facility is so bright, clean, and welcoming; making it a nice place to come to, and for parents to wait in while their kids have lessons. The coaches my daughter has worked with have all been so skilled and I’ve watched my daughter’s swimming ability skyrocket. The techniques they’ve shown her are helping her mastery of the swimming strokes and they each challenge and encourage her in different ways. My daughter is older and learning specific swimming strokes, but while I watch I see other little ones taking lessons in other lanes of the pool; babies, toddlers and younger kids. Most of the little kids I’ve seen have been happy and enjoying their lesson but if there’s a scared and crying kiddo the coaches I’ve seen have been so patient. The staff is all very warm, including the owner Chris who cheers his swim students on as well. This franchise is locally owned by him and I really appreciate his commitment to creating a wonderful swim school for the community, with excellent coaches and a lovely environment.
July 19th, 2025Sarah Wyant
Coach Rachel is magic. Seeing my toddler start to learn safety skills and comfort in a class setting, not to mention in the water in general, is priceless. The owner is also incredibly kind and obviously cares enormously about the staff, customers, and the spirit of the business - teaching kids to swim. Facilities are clean, inviting, and bright. We are loving it!
May 23rd, 2025T S
If you're a parent looking to introduce your baby to swimming, this is a great place to start. The facility provides structured lessons that allow parents to be hands-on in teaching their little ones basic water skills. The environment feels welcoming, and the instructors are knowledgeable about infant water safety. However, if your child will be learning with an instructor while you observe from the sidelines, there are important factors to consider. The price—$32 (breakdown) for a 30-minute session—is a significant investment, but with four children per instructor, your child will realistically get less than 10 minutes of direct lesson time. While group learning can have its benefits, individualized attention is Very limited. Make-up classes are another Challenge. If your child is enrolled in a Saturday session but needs to reschedule, the make-up option is only available during the week. For parents who work long hours (which is often why Saturday lessons are chosen in the first place), this setup makes scheduling extremely difficult if not impossible, which was my case. Finally, be mindful when signing the contract. It’s presented on a tablet for immediate review, and I regret not requesting a hard copy to read at home. After being told the full terms later, I realized there were stipulations that would have changed my decision to enroll my 5-year-old grandson. Overall, the swim school has its strengths, particularly for parent-assisted lessons, but there are logistical drawbacks that may make it less suitable for families seeking flexible scheduling and more individualized instruction.
August 27th, 2025Amy Wopperer
Have had my 4 year old in swim lessons here for 6 or so months now and I am very happy with Aquatots. Things I love: - The app is amazing and makes scheduling/rescheduling so easy - You can also see very concrete measures of improvement and the different skills/steps in the app (progression is measurable and specific) - LOVE that you get make up class credits if you cancel with > 1 hr notice (it’s not inexpensive so I love that you don’t just lose classes if you’re on vacation or sick) - Staff and teachers are so friendly, nice and helpful (ex: I mistakenly showed up at 4:30 for a 4pm class due to my calendar error but they were quick to help me get rescheduled in another class ASAP - not many other kid activities or swim schools would be so accommodating) - My son has made great progress. From complete non-swimmer to actual swimmer (combo of these lessons and lots of time in other pools this summer but still! I’m impressed) - Facilities are modern, clean, warm.. - My son cried and was nervous the first week but they handled it well and we have had no issues It’s not cheap but it’s quality. Highly recommend!
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Opening Hours
| Sunday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Monday | 2:00 – 7:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM – 7:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 2:00 – 7:30 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, 3:00 – 7:30 PM |
| Friday | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, 3:00 – 7:30 PM |
| Saturday | 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM |