👉Is your child afraid of the water?
👉Is your child looking to take their freestyle and backstroke strokes to the next level?
👉Do you want your child to become more water safe?
1:1 Kids Swim Lessons
🏊🏽♀️Helping kids feel safe, strong, and confident in the water—one splash at a time.🏊🏽♀️
My private swim lessons for kids are designed to create a positive, playful, and structured experience where young swimmers can build essential water skills at their own pace. With individualized attention and a gentle, supportive teaching style, your child will learn to trust the water—and themselves.
🌟What to Expect:
- One-on-one instruction for focused learning, safety, and confidence-building
- Fun, engaging lessons that include games and purposeful movement
- Age-appropriate skill building: breath control, floating, kicking, arm movement, and basic strokes
- Consistent structure with gentle transitions to help kids feel comfortable and secure
- Safety-first approach teaching how to enter, exit, and navigate the water with awareness
- Stroke-development - Build the foundations in first then improve upon the strokes.
🌟Who It’s For:
- Children ages 4+ (younger available on a case-by-case basis)
- Beginners with little to no swim experience
- Kids who may be nervous or fearful around water
- Parents seeking a patient, encouraging instructor
- Intermediate swimmers who are looking to improve their swimming (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke)
📌Logistics:
- 30-minute sessions (45 min option for older kids or siblings)
- Location: varies - see below for further details.
- One parent/guardian must remain on-site
- Swim cap and goggles encouraged
📍Locations:
It varies. I do work in public community swimming pools IF they allow outside instructors to come in. Swimply swimming pools is another option that I use as well. Visit www.swimply.com to learn more about them.
📍Locations where I will not provide 1:1 swim lessons at the community swimming pools or gyms:
- South Riding
- Alexnadria area
- Arlington area
- Woodbridge area
- Maryland
- Washington DC
- Lifetime
- Recreation centers
💥Do not ask from me to join your gym to teach swim lessons there. Do not expect me to teach you at your recreation center. 💥
🏠How does Swimply pool rental work and how does it impact pricing for the session(s)?
Swimply is a great way to reserve backyard pools for the summer. If you do not have a community outdoor pool or you live in a location that I am not allowed to teach or a location further out from where I live, then I will use Swimply to provide swim lessons. There are various ways to go about this. Yes, each house has their own rules and their own prices. Some houses only allow you to rent the space for at least 2-3 hours and some allow you by the hour. Most of the houses have their prices set the same up to 5 people and once you bring more than 5 people, the price changes.
Therefore, if we end up going through the Swimply route, then:
- We will factor the price of the rental fees and incorporate it into the swim lessons. I will do my best to adjust prices to you so that it's fair for you and me without over charging you.
- If you can bring with you a friend, a family, or someone else with you, then you both (all) can split the cost of the rental fee and pay for the swim lessons. I will provide discount to you at a reasonable price. But this is going to be based on each situation/group that ask for swim lessons.
💲Prices:
As you can see below, the prices are broken down for individualized swim lessons 1:1 with me. However, if you are a family or a group of friends that want to take swim lessons together, then I would encourage you to look into the group sessions instead. Check the FAQ for further details. My prices are final*.
*Discounts might be provided case-by-case and by any special occasions.
🌠What is included with the sessions:
- FREE 15-minute (no more than 30 minutes) assessment before you sign up.
- If you sign up for 5 or 10 lessons, then you will receive ONE EXTRA FREE session!
- FREE product from BeFit4Akhirah store (what is currently available)
- Workout plan if the child is a youth and is looking for help with their fitness.
-
Video recordings if you would like - why? So that you get to see your strokes and you get to see yourself where you need to work on to improve your strokes. It's a helpful technique for visual learners and for anyone who truly wants to take their swimming to the next level. Most likely from your phone if you are okay or my phone if needed. I do have water-proof phone case that I will use under the water.
🗓️My current summer 2025 schedule & availability:
- Mondays: 2 P.M - 7 P.M.
- Wednesdays: 2 P.M. - 7 P.M.
- Fridays: 2 P.M. - 7 P.M.
- Weekends: 2 P.M. - 6 P.M.
~Available from June 1st until August 30th.~
🗓️To look at my calendar and available spots, click on the link below:
https://meetings.hubspot.com/befit4akhirah
For further details and most frequently asked questions in regards to lessons,
please see below
A swim lesson sample from one student
My approach to swim lessons are personalized; hence why they are 1:1. There is no one size fit all approach with personal training, swim lessons, or any fitness program. Therefore, this student was at a level where he was willing to challenge himself and willing to take his swimming journey to the next level. There are times I am out of the water and times I am in the water. There are benefits of teaching outside the water to get a better look at the swimmer because in the water the view is not the same.
Mother & son swim lessons
In summer 2024, Suad and her son took swim lessons with me. They were both at the same level so I was able to instruct them together at the same time. The mother received an hour swim lesson and the son received a 45-minute swim lesson. The last 15-minutes, the son would play on his own around us and the mother would work 1:1 with me. This way they both get to spend time together and also make time for herself at the same time.
Mother & daughter
In summer 2024, I offered few water-safety workshops for parents, and this one time, a local mom and daughter were able to join me for a workshop. Since they were the only ones who signed up, I provided a 1:1 swim lesson to both of them within my capacity. The mother's swim level is not 100% the same as the daughter. Therefore, this is an example where mother and daughter could help each other but would not be helpful to be in the same class time together.
Swim student since 2023
This is a student that signed up with me in summer 2023 with a very specific goal in mind to work on her stroke development. She started out with basic knowledge to improving her freestyle and backstroke tremendously. We worked together again in summer 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund if I'm unhappy with my purchase?
You have the first lesson to decide if this is not the right fit for you. After that, I will not issue a refund.
How do I schedule my appointment?
Upon purchasing coaching (lesson/s), you'll receive further instructions on how to book a time for your appointment. It will take you to the calendar link I shared above. You'll book the time and date that align with your schedule for your first session. This will be marked as your first milestone inside Teachable. Then once you sign up and create an account, you will be enrolled as a client. Once you and I decide on schedule, I can create milestones and schedule the dates. If nothing works, contact me right away either via text or via email. My email is [email protected]. I will provide my phone number via email or if we have had prior conversation before. Thank you for your understanding.
Can I purchase session(s) more than once?
Absolutely! If you find yourself in need of coaching more than once, simply purchase the coaching again.
Is it safe to rent through Swimply?
Yes, it is. I am aware of the risks we take through renting someone's backyard. However, I have rented multiple locations before, and I know now few of them. I am also going to ask for permission from few people I know that are not listed on Swimply if we can use their space.
How many lessons do I need to sign up if I do not know how to swim?
Let's set the right expectations from now so you don't set yourself for failure. Learning swimming from scratch takes time! There is no one size-fit-all approach to swimming or any fitness program. It will depend on how fast you learn and how much time you're able to put in to practice outside of your lesson times. If you are currently out of shape or you are not good with coordination, then it's going to take you some time. You need at least 10 lessons to get the very basic foundations in.
Why are your prices so high?
They're actually not. ☺️ I am 🚗driving🚗 to your location which takes gas and adds mileage to my car. That is to be factored in. I drive around DMV (northern VA) to provide various water aerobic classes at multiple locations in addition to driving around to provide 1:1 sessions. My time is to be factored in, my skillset, and my gas all add up. In addition, look around at private locations (outside of recreation centers) for how much they're charging for 1:1 lessons. My price rate is also in the personal training competitive market. I am a certified personal trainer providing a personalized workout session to you.
What do I need to bring with me to swim lessons?
You need to bring with you to every session your goggles, a towel, and once you're ready - you can invest in kickboard as your first equipment to practice on your own.
What if summer is over and I want to continue working with you?
Unfortunately, this is where it becomes a challenge. I am currently an employee at GMU - we have a waiting list there. You can keep your eye on the website and see if you can sign up via GMU. Otherwise, I am happy to support you on your swimming journey online. Yes, virtual swim coaching is a thing - once you have gained confidence in yourself and you have an indoor pool access, we can discuss a plan for you.
What if I want swim lessons for my kids and myself?
The ratio is going to be the following:
4:1
(4 people to one instructor) and they need to be at the beginner level.
5:1
(5 people to one instructor) and they need to be more experienced swimmers.
Check out the group lessons first and see if that work with you. Also, everyone needs to be at the same level. I can NOT work with 4 people all at different levels. It's a waste of time and effort for all of us. Connect with me via my email to set up a call and see what we can do.
Why are you not offering lessons at the locations mentioned above?
Because I am a South Riding resident, and I am not looking to create conflicts where I live. They do not allow outside instructors so I am not going to even bother trying because I can not fake my swim lessons. I also work at Dulles Recreation now, and I will not provide lessons there either. I have been asked before to go with clients to their gyms such as LifeTime, and I am just uncomfortable doing that. Do not put me under this pressure, thanks. As far as Alexandria, DC, MD, Arlington, Woodbridge locations - They're far for me. And I currently need to take care of my car without over driving. I am currently driving towards Fairfax, Springfield, Haymarket - and in the summer, it depends on who sign up with me - I drive to their location. That's a LOT of mileages (gas - you see how prices are right now) AND time (you see how bad traffic is now thanks to back to working in office for most people).
Will you get in the water with us?
I want to set the right expectations from the very beginning and be upfront about it. My body has been having hives/rashes lately, and I need to take care of it by visiting doctor. I have not been swimming a lot myself, and I rarely now get in the water except for when I am working with one student because it's a special case. During the summer, I will get in the water if it's needed especially for beginners who are completely afraid of the water. When I am on my period, I will NOT get in the water just like how most women ask me to cancel their lessons when they're on their periods. It depends on your situation and where you are at. Your safety is my upmost priority, but if I see that I can teach you outside of the water, then I will do that. Sometimes it's even better for you that I am outside of the water to see how your strokes are.
What happens if it rains or thunder is on the way?
Rain - we can still do it - but if you are uncomfortable, we can cancel. Thunder and lightening will lead to pool closures. It's safety concerns without a doubt. Therefore, this is the only time we can cancel class make it up.
What is your cancelation policy?
I would appreciate it if you can let me know before 24-hours. If you are going to cancel within 24-hours to your session, there needs to be a legit emergency and reason. Otherwise, I am going to start respecting my time in 2025- you'll be charged for the class, and you will lose that lesson time.
Where do you get modest swimwear or swimsuits?
There are various brands, Amazon, and I do have an affiliate link with Swimoutlet. Check it out at: www.swimoutlet.com/swim4akhirah
Also, in Tysons Corner mall, there is Moda Natty store which sells modest swim suits. Check my course Swim4Akhirah - I will add more sources to it ASAP.
You can also check for goggles if you're interested. However, there are local stores like Target, Dicks Sporting Goods, etc.
Related courses & coaching services:
Ola Khaldi Alghazzouli
She is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer. She started teaching swimming in 2019 at GMU and has continued since then. During COVID-Pandemic shutdown, she launched her #Swim4Akhirah campaign on August 20th, 2020 to discuss the struggles Muslim women go through and to bring further diversity within the swimming industry. She is a podcast host of the Purposeful Fitness with Coach Ola show and currently the author of Welcome Ramadan: A Holistic Approach into Welcoming the Blessed Month!