Science-Based Curriculum

The 21st century is amazing—we have smartphones connecting us to the world, electric cars on the roads, and space missions to Mars. So why is swimming still taught using outdated methods from decades ago?

At KidsCanSwim, we’ve reimagined swim education with a science-based, proprietary curriculum that combines strong technique with real-life safety and survival scenarios. After all, just like you can’t learn to drive by reading a manual, you can’t master water safety through technique alone—you need real-life experience in the water.

Learning to swim is a complex and life-saving skill, and we believe kids learn best when they feel safe, comfortable, and engaged. That’s why we’ve designed our curriculum around these three core teaching principles:

  1. Active Learning Time – Science shows that kids learn best by doing. Our curriculum maximizes the time your child spends moving, practicing, and learning—instead of waiting for their turn.
  2. Learning Through Play – We make lessons fun and engaging, ensuring kids not only remember what they learn but also look forward to coming back each week.
  3. Repetition & Structure – Our lesson plans are carefully structured, breaking down complex swimming skills into building blocks. The skills your child learns on day one will be the same foundation they use for advanced strokes as they progress through our levels.

Want to see the magic behind our science-based curriculum? Watch this video to learn more!


For more on the research that guides our curriculum, check out the International Academy of Education’s reports on childhood learning.

Our Learning Guarantee

We know our approach works and that if kids attend their weekly lessons regularly, they will progress through our program and become confident and safe swimmers for life. However, after teaching over 250,000 lessons we know some skills can be trickier to master than others.

That’s why we offer a Learning Guarantee for all swimmers age 3 and up. Our Learning Guarantee states that if your child has not passed a skill in 10 lessons and has met the below criteria, they are entitled to one free private 30-minute Skill Blast lesson focused solely on the skill they are struggling with. To qualify they must:

  1. Attended 10 swimming lessons in their correct level (eg. if they are a K1, they are in a K1/K2 class), where they got into the water.
  2. Maintained continuous enrollment (no breaks of 2 weeks or more).
  3. Been regularly assessed by our instructors.
  4. Maintained 90% attendance in their classes.