To grow and develop, children need time and space to be active and play safely. Swimming pools are incredible environments for children to explore movement through jumping, diving, and kicking. Our 2026 philosophy at Blue Wave Swim School puts purposeful play at the heart of every lesson.
Sir Ken Robinson, the renowned educationalist, once noted that “active play is the natural and primary way that children learn.” He argued that play is essential for developing intellectual skills, empathy, and imagination. Unfortunately, play is often misunderstood as a “break” from learning, rather than the learning process itself.
It is common for parents to view play as a fun activity without educational value—something to do only when “serious learning” isn’t happening. However, in the context of swimming, play is the doorway to building genuine water confidence.
“Play is not a break from learning. It is endless, delightful, deep, engaging, practical learning. It’s the doorway into the child’s heart.” — Vince Gowmon
Play is not a waste of time; it is essential for raising happy, healthy children. When added to swimming lessons, play increases engagement and deepens the educational experience. This is more important now than ever before.
In the last three decades, children in big cities like London have become considerably less active. A recent survey revealed that 75% of British children spend less time outdoors than prison inmates. Outdoor play has been cut significantly, leading to a sedentary lifestyle that goes against our natural design for movement.
At Blue Wave Swim School, our goal is to maximize every 30-minute lesson. With over 25 years of teaching experience, I have found that mixing technical instruction with carefully designed games is the winning formula.
This is especially true for toddlers and pre-schoolers. By using toys and games, we keep engagement high and prevent children from finding traditional technique drills “boring.” A child who is interested is a child who learns faster.
The younger the child, the more vital the play element becomes. While adults often prefer “serious learning,” our toddlers and pre-schoolers thrive on meaningful games.
We have seen a delightful shift in our students, moving from “I don’t want to go to swimming” to “When is my next lesson?” This happens because our experienced swimming teachers know how to implement games without compromising high teaching standards.
Our Easter and Summer 1:1 and small group lessons in Wimbledon are now open for enquiry.
A good swim school with professional staff
Easter 2021 Crash Course
Various lockdowns have held back my daughter’s swimming development so we opted for a crash 4 day course over Easter and she has come away from it much more confident and with a recognisable stroke as opposed to doggy paddle!
April 19, 2021, www.yell.com
Although I have only attended two lessons, Marjan’s bubbly personality makes you feel instantly at ease. During the lessons, the pool was not very busy which is a good thing (as opposed to public pools) for those who are anxious.
I would strongly recommend to adults who have experienced trauma with water at a certain time in their lives.
November 24, 2020, www.yell.com
My son has been going to swimming lessons at Blue Wave in Wimbledon for a few years now and thoroughly enjoys it. The teaching is great and the lessons well run. Helps to prepare him for when we finally get to go on holiday again!
September 26, 2020, www.yell.com
Highly Recommended
My son went to improve his swimming technique and found his instructor very helpful, very kind and patient. The school itself is very welcoming and feels safe for all the children who go there. I would highly recommend it.
August 23, 2019, www.yell.com
Excellent results
My son is 4 years-old and we were looking for weekend swimming classes in a nice environment that could bring good results. After some research we chose Blue Wave Swim. Our son has been having private lessons since the end of 2018 and he is progressing very well. We believe the professionalism of the team, the clean and tidy infrastructure, and the good care of the management are contributing for his development and confidence in the water. Thank you very much Blue Wave Swim!
August 23, 2019, www.yell.com
Awesome!
I am grateful to Marjan and her team at Blue Wave Swim for their hard work and for promoting happiness and enjoyment in swimming. It is amazing to watch the lessons, see the attention, the encouragement and the support the children receive. I have been impressed with my daughters’ progress and the fact that they love attending their classes and learning a vital life skill. Thank you very much. Great job!
August 23, 2019, www.yell.com
Superb Swimming School in Wimbledon
My daughter, who is now 7 years old, started with blue wave two years back and we have been very happy with her progress at the school. Initially we started with group lessons but once she got comfortable in water we moved her to semi private lessons, which made a lot of difference in her ability to learn swimming. As part of the smaller group she is better bonded with other children in the group and gets more attention from the swimming instructor, which is helping her advance her swimming skills. During her 2 years with blue wave, swimming instructors for my daughter have changed and while continuity in learning was maintained, I think this could have been managed better. Needless to say, she still goes and enjoys her time here and looks forward to her class every week. Overall we are very pleased with Blue Wave and would recommend them without any hesitation.
August 23, 2019, www.yell.com
Highly recommend
Highly recommend this swimming school. My daughter has been attending since she was 1 years old and she loves it. The teachers are very good with children and my daughter, who is now 4 years old is very confident in the water.
August 23, 2019, www.yell.com
Great
My daughter loves swimming! Since attending Blue Wave Swim School lessons her water confidence is high and that gives us peace of mind when she is playing near water. The staff are fantastic and the lessons are fun!
August 23, 2019, www.yell.com
