Dear Interested Baby Swim Teacher:

Thank-you for your interest in the gentle "whole child" approach to baby swimming. If you read the web site you will understand that this is not "survival backfloat swimming" or "drown proofing". New teachers will learn to teach the child centered way from day one. Experienced teachers will learn tools and techniques to enhance and sharpen their skills. All will find it an enlightening and rewarding experience on many levels. We are a holistic school, and while we do teach safety skills over time, we are a child centered, child paced (not fear based) as well as child and family friendly.  We are a happy place, filled with smiles not tears.

We are currently teaching  four to seven infant-toddler/parent swim classes per day. In the summer our Lifestyle Swim School teaches 30 to 65 infants and toddlers per day. Though we have taught many children of the rich and famous, from business, media, world class athletes (including Chris Evert), to actors and musicians, the vast majority of our families are regular folks, down to earth, caring,  nurturing people.

The longer a trainee apprentices with us, the more they will assimilate the information, subtle nuances and actually see the progressions of  baby swimming. Your results are reflected in your time invested. Four weeks is highly suggested (8 weeks even better). However, if time is limited, some people are only able to stay for one week.

The majority of learning will occur through observation and actual hands-on teaching in our on going classes. You and a small group of other trainees will apprentice by our side in a variety of classes. This direct experience will allow you to get the feel of handling children of various ages, swimming levels, and developmental situations. Here you will learn the subtle, highly refined techniques which Rob and Kathy have developed over a combined 50+ years of careful observation, practice and adaptation. We will also hold classroom discussions on the topics listed below. 

Our workshops include both water and classroom time.

Topics Included Are:

1. Teaching Philosophy
2. Benefits of Infant Swimming
3. What Babies Can Learn
4. Optimal Learning Environment
5. Course descriptions and pre-requisites
6. Class format
7. Teaching progressions, building blocks theory
8. Class activities and equipment
9. Adapting to various class sizes and corrective measures for student/parent challenges
10. Proper holding techniques and when to implement them
11. Passing techniques, timing and strategies
12. Plateaus, peaks and valleys
13. Working with cautious or frightened children
14. How to assist over protective parents or tune-in over ambitious parents
15. What skills are most appropriate for what ages and level of readiness
16. Identifying readiness and demonstrating appropriate child-centered techniques
17. Building harmonious relationships between teacher, parent and child
18. Methods of Water adjustment and identifying comfort in the water
19. Principles of Breath control
20. Basic swimming skills
21. More complex swimming and safety skills
22. Encouraging  positive parenting
23. Child development ages and stages
24. The holistic approach

Weekly/Daily Teacher Training Schedule on links above

Sample teacher trainee testimonials:

Dear Rob and Kathy,

I can´t thank you enough for the amazing time and experience I went through over the three weeks I spent taking the course with you. There are no words that can describe the wonderful people you are, but certainly it reflects in the babies you teach and the parents you guide, as well as in the lovely family you have.
This is for sure, something I will never forget. I'm looking forward to visit you again.

César Ascencio. Esq.

San Salvador, El Salvador

Written by Ivy from K.L.  August 2008:

Swimming was a big part of my life growing up, but I never really saw myself making swimming part of the rest of my life, until I heard about Rob and Kathy McKay.

 The minute I met Rob and Kathy I understood why the Lifestyle Swim School was so successful. Rob and Kathy exude a certain gentleness, and kindheartedness that even the youngest of babies can sense.

 During my two-week teacher workshop training, I gained all the knowledge I need to put up a school of my own.  I learned the different holding and passing techniques, lesson plans and even the administrative part of the business. But most importantly, I learned that the children always come first, parents’ involvement is vital, and that patience, gentleness and FUN are the main ingredients to a happy, smiling, swimming baby.

 I could see the excitement in the babies’ and the parent’s faces even before jumping into the water.  I witnessed babies as young as 3-months old, swim with ease and come out smiling and giving high fives.

 People say that you should find a job that you love and you will never work a day in your life.  I finally understood and felt exactly this, under Coach Rob, Miss Kathy, Miss Jodie and Coach Scott’s guidance.

 I only hope that I can continue and meet the Lifestyle Swim School’s philosophy and standards here in Malaysia, with the same success that Rob and Kathy have achieved.

 I also hope I can follow in the footsteps of Yoko and train with the lifestyle Swim School every year for the rest of my life!

 More power to the Lifestyle Swim School!

 Mrs. Ivy Kiunisala Chong

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Dear Rob and Kathy:

Your Workshop hosts Kathy and Rob McKay

 Kathy (L) and Rob McKay (R) with fellow "expert" Iron Chef Cat Cora at the Experts Guide to the Baby Years book launch, in New York City

Tuition for  Small Group "Teacher training"

workshop/apprenticeship: 

The workshop tuition is $850 per week. However, please note the following discounts for multiple weeks.

$850.00 for first week 

$800.00 for second week

$750.00 for third week

$700.00 for fourth week

$650.00 for each additional week

To reserve your selected week(s), payment is due in full upon registration.  Workshop scheduled and reserved on a "first paid, first served" basis.  If payment is not received we assume that you decided to opt out of attending. This payment is necessary as we need to schedule, plan in advance and coordinate our workshops. Those individuals applying after the deadline will need to request special permission to attend that workshop.  In some cases, we may be able to accept tuition in several payments beginning with an initial payment when you first register for the workshop.

Payment is in US dollars by either, check drawn on a US bank, or credit card (Visa and Mastercard accepted). If you prefer to pay cash you can make arrangements with us.  If you choose to pay by credit card, you may wish to send your card number split into two emails for security purposes. 

To create the full swim school experience and to help keep our workshop fees affordable, our apprentice/teacher trainees learn through assisting with various class duties including pitching-in with class set up and take down.

Workshop participants are requested to read our book, Learn to Swim prior to attending the workshop.

Though not the reason we teach babies, you will make these tuition fees back quickly as word travels about your own program. We take this training very seriously as we feel babies must be guided in the water with care and respect and each taught at their unique rate of learning and readiness. As a teacher trainee you will find the experience uplifting, fulfilling, informative and enjoyable. Baby swimming when taught in the gentle way, can change your life forever.

You are encouraged to take notes, as well as purchase our book, Learn to Swim and our videos, Diaper Dolphins.

To protect the privacy and safety of our babies and their families, we require that absolutely no photos or videos be taken of our classes or students and their families. We also intend to protect the Lifestyle Swim School and it's copyrights.

Kathy training Nina on swims through the hoop

Questions and Answers

1. What do I bring?

A positive attitude towards life, children and swimming. Also, a big hat (or baseball cap) and sunscreen for our Florida Sun. We also wear sun protective warm-up tops. Also, make sure that your passports etc. are in order, as traveling abroad is getting a bit more complicated these days.

2. Do I get in the water?

Yes, you will spend a great deal of your time with us in the water apprenticing and "shadowing" us during real live baby swim classes at our Lifestyle Swim School. A chance to glean knowledge from our combined 60+ years of teaching babies in the gentle way.  Those who pay close attention will take home many unforeseen treasures.

3. What is the daily schedule?

See schedule above. We normally have two blocks of time per day to train. As this training can be exhausting, we try to build in plenty of time for you to rest and recharge your energy.

4. Do you "certify" us.

This is a comprehensive teacher training workshop for learning how to teach infants and toddlers how to adjust to and then move about in the water. We don't quote "certify"  but we do present a certificate of participation for the number of weeks that you participated and trained with us.

5. Is this a franchise?

No, several infant swimming franchises  run 10 to 15 times the cost of this workshop. This is an educational opportunity.  We open up our school during this workshop period so that you can have the opportunity to learn from us in observation, lecture and discussion as well as hands on experience with our students. Unlike a franchise, we will not be handing you a business plan, advertising/promotional plan and ad copy with photos, nor any legal documents.  We do encourage you  to take notes, listen and observe, ask questions and utilize Learn to Swim as your  textbook

6. How many people are in each workshop?

When traveling in other countries we may have several dozen folks participating. Normally, here at our Florida site we try to limit the number of participants in order for you to actually be in the water in with us during our on going infant/toddler swim classes.  This also allows us to keep the workshops more personal for our teacher training participants, as well as not overwhelm our baby swim students and their parents. We usually have between one and six participants here at our Boca Raton site per workshop.

7. Why are you offering the teaching training.?

It is our hope that the "right" people with a big heart and gentle spirit will use their baby swimming training to help spread, peace, joy and happiness, to children and their families though-out the planet. 

Participants will receive a certificate of workshop participation from Rob and Kathy McKay and the Lifestyle Swim School

Be sure to bring:

Registration and payment form:

For further information you may email us at:  mckayswim@aol.com

Or reach us by phone at: 561-362-5490

See list of transportation and lodging...

All visual and written material copyright 1999-2012 Lifestyle Productions