Private One-on-One Swim Instruction for Children in the North Bay

Customized, 30-minute swimming lessons for children ages four and up, designed to build confidence and improve skills in a supportive and personalized setting.

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First lesson one-pager (PDF) — what to expect before lesson day

Custom Lessons

Tailored 30-minute private swim sessions are specifically designed to cater to each child's current swimming abilities and individual goals, ensuring efficient skill progression and measurable advancement with each lesson. What makes your teaching different?

Rapid Progress

For beginners or children needing to build water confidence, an accelerated learning schedule of 4–5 lessons each week for 2–3 weeks is recommended to quickly develop foundational skills, followed by 1–2 weekly sessions to maintain and further refine techniques. How many lessons are right for my child?

Private Pool

All private swim lessons will be conducted at a comfortable and safe private heated house pool located in South Novato, providing an ideal environment for focused learning and skill development away from crowded public pools.

Build Confidence

Whether your child is just starting to learn or is already an experienced swimmer, the primary focus is on building strong confidence in the water and improving swimming techniques to help them achieve their personal best and enjoy swimming safely. What about strokes and diving?

Meet Your Instructor

Hi, I'm Justine! A San Francisco native, wife, and mom to three energetic little ones. My love for the water began in childhood, fueled by years of competitive swimming. Now, I'm passionate about sharing that love with young swimmers in Marin. More than just strokes, I teach kids to navigate the pool with confidence and respect, prioritizing water safety every step of the way. I'm excited to help your children discover the joy and freedom of swimming!

Justine with her family.

What families are saying

Justine was incredible with our daughter, Cora. What we appreciated most was her understanding that learning to swim isn't always a linear process. She spent time building both the skills and the confidence needed to become an independent swimmer. Her patience, encouragement, and focus on fundamentals helped Cora overcome fears, trust herself in the water, and make tremendous progress this summer. Watching Cora go from hesitant to confident has been amazing , and we couldn't be more grateful for Justine's support. We highly recommend Little Guppies Swim School to any family looking for a knowledgeable, caring, and dedicated swim instructor.
— Natalie L.
Justine has been an incredible swim teacher for our son. She has the perfect balance of being warm, encouraging, and consistently challenging him in just the right ways. She celebrates his progress while pushing him to build new skills and confidence, and he responds so well to her teaching style. After years of summer swim lessons with other instructors, we honestly didn't see much progress. It wasn't until we started lessons with Justine that everything clicked . Not only has his swimming improved dramatically, but he genuinely looks forward to his lessons and has fun in the water. She's made such a positive impact on both his abilities and his confidence. We couldn't recommend her more highly!
— Mollie M.
We cannot recommend Justine highly enough. We worked with her last summer, and she helped transform our son (4 years old at the time) into a confident little swimmer. During the off-season, we tried lessons elsewhere, and unfortunately he lost many of his skills and developed a real fear of the water. We immediately returned to Justine when her summer sessions opened, and the difference has been incredible. In just six weeks, he has regained all of his swimming skills , but even more importantly, he genuinely loves being in the water again. His confidence has skyrocketed, and he now jumps into the pool with excitement. Justine has an amazing ability to meet each child exactly where they are. She knows when to gently encourage them beyond their comfort zone and when to let them set the pace, creating the perfect balance of challenge and trust. Her patience, intuition, and positive approach have made all the difference for our son, and we are so grateful for the impact she's had on both his swimming ability and his confidence.
— Maddie H.

What to Know

Cancellation Policy

I completely understand that life can sometimes throw unexpected curveballs. If you find yourself needing to cancel or reschedule a lesson, I kindly request that you provide at least 48 hours notice. This allows me to accommodate other families who may be waiting for a spot and make the booking process as smooth and accommodating as possible.

Payment

Each 30 minute lesson is $75/session. I kindly ask that payment is made prior to the start of your first lesson. I will also send out an email to you with your balance due along with my address where the lessons will take place. Venmo is the preferred payment method, you can find me at @justinedvornik.

Parent Viewing

Parents are welcome to stay and watch lessons. Seating is available near the pool and in the backyard. Choose whichever is most comfortable for you.

Personalized Attention

To ensure each child receives my undivided attention and tailored instruction, I conduct only one-on-one lessons, focusing solely on their unique needs and progress. Do you offer group lessons?

Swim recommendations

These are things I use in lessons or recommend to families. If it's on this list, I've seen it work at the pool.

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Free resources

Printable PDFs to help you prepare for lessons and support practice at home.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about lesson pacing, skill levels, and pool tests. Prefer to talk it through? Use the booking section below.

How many lessons should I sign my child up for?

Great question! The frequency depends on your child's current comfort level. For beginners who are not yet water-safe, I recommend an "immersion" approach: 4–5 lessons per week for the first 2–3 weeks. This builds vital muscle memory and confidence quickly. Once those basics are mastered, we can transition to 1–2 lessons per week to maintain progress.

If your child is already semi-water-safe, 1–2 lessons per week is usually perfect for refining skills. Since every child is unique, feel free to email me directly! I'd love to hear your specific goals and create a custom plan that works best for your family.

Do you offer group lessons?

To ensure the best possible results for my students, I only offer private, one-on-one instruction. While group lessons can be fun, they often come with more distractions and less time spent actually swimming. By working individually with your child, I can tailor every second of the lesson to their specific pace and personality. This focused approach leads to much faster progress and a higher level of water safety in less time.

What makes your swim instruction different from others?

As a parent myself, I know that time and money are two of your most valuable resources—and I'm committed to not wasting either. The goal with each of my lessons is to maximize every minute of our session by tailoring the instruction specifically to your child's needs.

I've found that perfect balance between making the water fun and challenging them to grow, so they actually look forward to their lessons while making steady progress. My goal is for parents to feel confident in the investment they're making and for kids to feel empowered and excited to learn every time they jump in.

Is this only for beginners, or can you help with strokes and diving too?

Not at all! I work with kids at all stages. Once a child is water-safe, we can shift our focus to "leveling up" their skills. Whether they want to learn a specific stroke like freestyle or backstroke, work on their speed, or practice the perfect dive, I'm happy to help them become more confident and capable in the water. We'll take those basic skills and turn them into great technique!

Can you help my child pass the deep-end test at our local pool or club?

Absolutely! I've worked with many students to help them clear that "deep-end hurdle" at local public and country club pools. We focus specifically on the requirements lifeguards look for: swimming a strong lap of the pool, treading water for 60 seconds, and demonstrating a calm back float.

Most kids are ready to pass after just 2–3 targeted lessons, depending on their starting point. If your child is ready to finally ditch the shallow end, feel free to sign them up—or reach out to me directly if you have more specific questions about getting them test-ready!

Book your 2026 lesson

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