Each lesson is 30 minutes long.

Summer Swim Session is a ten week session, with 1 lesson per week from June 16 - August 21.

There are no partial sessions available, however you are entitled to use our planned absence policy to bank make-up credits that you can use on our jump-in list for up to one calendar year from the date of absence.

If your summer is super checkered with plans, the best way to get in with us is through our jump-in list, where you can sign up for one-off spots!

As always, it our my goal that every student and family has an incredible experience swimming with Zen Penguin Swim School. Our official policy is that refunds will be given solely at Zen Penguin Swim School’s discretion. That said, sometimes life gets in the way, or there’s a personality mis-match, or kiddos just aren’t quite ready to learn this life skill.  If you join for this. session, and your kid straight up refuses to swim, or life happens and suddenly you can’t make that time anymore, you can get a full refund for the unused portion of your lessons after the first lesson. If you have any concerns, please contact our admin team directly at [email protected] so we can make sure you and your kiddo are taken care of!

We know that scheduling with siblings can be a pain! If you have two that are at the same skill level, we can try them in the same class, but we often find that siblings do best when they are on their own. Thankfully, we have two instructors in the water this summer, so even if they aren't at the same level, it is likely that we can find spots next to each other! Just let us know on. your intake form, and our admin team will take care of you!

Below, there. is a button that will take you to an intake form. Tell us about your kid(s), and what times work the best for you and your family (the more flexible you are, the more likely you'll be able to get in). Spots are reserved in first come/first serve order!

We would say, ABSOLUTELY YES! As an ADHD adult, parenting her own neurodivergent kid, our owner and founder, Coach Penny is not just someone who knows how to swim. She has done years of research on co-regulation, the nervous system, and how to help your kids move through their sensory experiences to reach their goals. She has not only trained our whole team to make sure every lesson we offer is neurodivergent friendly, but put in a lot of thought into making sure the environment and process is as accommodating as possible from the start. We keep groups small on purpose to provide an intimate, relaxed vibe for the class. Kids are never forced to perform skills they aren't ready for (including putting their face in). In our opinion, children who are afraid of the water have accurately assessed the danger of the situation, and we have no intention of gaslighting them about that. Instead, we focus on an information heavy path through those fears, acknowledging what's scary, and empowering them with the knowledge of how their body works in the water, and how to stay calm in order to keep themselves safe.

Every kid's journey with the water looks different, and goes along. a different timeline. Some kids pick it up right away, and some kids take a long time before finally feeling confident. We typically tell parents to expect somewhat of an exponential curve when it comes to our lessons - it will look like we aren't doing much in the beginning, because we are laying the foundation of trust. Eventually, when they're ready, every kid reaches a point where "WHOA, they're SWIMMING!"

We know that we are one of, if not the most expensive swim school in Portland, and there's good reason for it. Our instructors have collective decades of experience, and our approach is OT approved, built specifically to accommodate every learner from the start. Zen Penguin pays it's staff $50/hour (almost 3x the local average) to provide a real living wage to our employees, so we know they're as regulated as possible when they're in the water with your kids.

That said, one of our strongest values is community. We do not have any discounts, so that people who can afford us in full pay the full amount. This allows us to have a completely self-funded scholarship program that we provide to any community member who communicates a need. If you can't afford the full amount, simply mention this in your intake form when signing up and we'll get you taken care of! We have never turned someone away for lack of ability pay, but this program is subject to availability, so there is a possibility of being put on a waitlist.