class locations

Renton

Waterbabies Aquatic Center

17110 116th Ave SE, Suite D
Renton, WA 98058
425 643 3533 | waterbabiesusa.com

Facility Information

Renton

Waterbabies Aquatic Center

Pools: Both pools are chlorinated and have temperatures of 90-92°.

Parking: There is plenty of parking in front of and behind the building.

Check-in: Upon arrival, please check in at the front desk.

Parent Changing: Locker rooms & changing areas are available for use. Lockers are available in the Mens & Womens changing rooms to use if you bring your own locks.

Baby Changing: There are changing tables in both locker rooms. There are baby rinsing sinks in both locker rooms.

Showers: Everyone must take a cleansing shower before entering the pool. There is one shower on deck, and several in each of the changing rooms.

No Glass on Deck: No glass containers of any kind are allowed on the pool deck or changing areas.

Store Products: Swim diapers, goggles, swim caps and more will be available for purchase at this facility.

Bellevue

Bellevue Aquatic Center

601 143rd Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98007

Facility Information

Bellevue

Bellevue Aquatic Center

Note: At this time, only WaterBabies (parent-tot) classes are offered at this location.

Sign-in: Upon arrival, please sign-in at the front desk.

Chlorine: These are chlorinated pools.

Pool Temperature:
Warm Springs Pool: This warm water pool is 90-92°. All Parent-Tot and Preschool classes are held in this pool.
Blue Lagoon Pool: This lap pool is 82-83°. Our more advanced classes are held in this lap pool. In order to get the most efficient swim lesson, it is very important to make sure your child is warm, calm & happy; therefore, a wetsuit is REQUIRED for kids in this pool. If you need recommendations on where to purchase a wetsuit, let us know and we will be happy to send you some links.

Locker Rooms: Locker rooms with showers and changing areas available for use.

Personal Items: There are cubbies on deck to store personal items. Lockers are also available to us if you bring your own locks.

Showers: Everyone must take a cleansing shower before entering the pool.

No Glass on Deck: No glass containers of any kind are allowed on the pool deck or changing areas.

Facility Contact: (425) 452-4444 | bellevuewa.gov   (NOTE: Please call the Waterbabies office at (425) 643-3533 with Waterbabies class and program questions.)

Kirkland

Columbia Athletic Club at Juanita Bay

11450 98th Ave NE
Kirkland, WA 98033

Facility Information

Kirkland

Columbia Athletic Club at Juanita Bay

Note: Only WaterBabies (parent-tot) classes are offered at this location.

Sign-in: Due to security needs at the Columbia Athletic Club pools, everyone must sign in at the 2nd floor front desk.

Saltwater: This is a saltwater pool.

Pool Temperature: The pool temperature is 90°.

Shower & Changing Tips: Family change rooms are located on deck. Men’s and Women’s locker rooms/restrooms are available right off the pool deck. We recommend you come with your swimsuit underneath your clothes. By law, all patrons must shower off before entering the pool. These showers are on deck. You cannot use shampoo or body wash in the deck showers. There is a table on deck with change pads for you to change your child on.

If you are using the family change rooms, please remember that other families are waiting to use them and be respectful by getting in and out as quickly as possible. If you are sitting out of the pool watching classes, please do not go into the changing room before your swimmer exits the pool – changing rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

We realize it may be hard to use the restroom, shower and get dressed if you are attending class alone with your baby, so CAC is providing umbrella strollers for your use if you need one. Additionally, toddlers seats are available in changing rooms #2 and #3 to keep your child off the floor.

Disposable Diapers: The facility asks that you take your child’s soiled diapers home to dispose of them, and to please not throw them in the facility trash bins.

No Glass on Deck: No glass containers of any kind are allowed on the pool deck or changing areas.

Club Membership: Club membership is NOT REQUIRED to attend Waterbabies classes at this facility. If you would like to become a Columbia Athletic Club member, click here for a link to their website.

Non-Member Swimming: If you are not a member of the CAC, you cannot get into the pool to swim before or after your Waterbabies swim class. Please respect the member open swim space and remember we all are guests at this facility. Please enter and exit pool promptly.

Facility contact: (425) 821-0882 | columbiaathetic.com  (NOTE: Please call the Waterbabies office at (425) 643-3533 with Waterbabies class and program questions.)

Mill Creek / South Everett

Columbia Athletic Club at Silver Lake

505 128th St SE
Everett, WA 98208

Facility Information

Mill Creek

Columbia Athletic Club at Silver Lake

Note: Only WaterBabies (parent-tot) classes are offered at this location.

Sign-in: Due to security needs at the Columbia Athletic Club pools, everyone must sign in at the front desk.

Pool: This is chlorinated pool, kept at a temperature of 90°.

Changing Table: A changing table is provided on deck, next to the pool.

Showers: Everyone must take a cleansing shower before entering the pool.

Disposable Diapers: The facility asks that you take your child’s soiled diapers home to dispose of them, and to please not throw them in the facility trash bins.

No Glass on Deck: No glass containers of any kind are allowed on the pool deck or changing areas.

Club Membership: Club membership is NOT REQUIRED to attend Waterbabies classes at this facility. If you would like to become a Columbia Athletic Club member, click here for a link to their website & fees.

Non-Member Swimming: If you are not a member of the CAC, you cannot get into the pool to swim before or after your Waterbabies swim class. We want to be able to continue with the classes we now have at this facility so please respect the member open swim space and remember we all are guests at this facility.

Facility contact: (425) 745-1617 | columbiaathetic.com  (NOTE: Please call the Waterbabies office at (425) 643-3533 with Waterbabies class and program questions.)

OUR TEAM

Consistent with our commitment to excellence, Waterbabies instructors must complete over 80 hours of intensive training. They are certified in Adult/Child/Infant CPR, First Aid, and Lifeguarding/Basic Water Rescue.

Vera G.

Waterbabies Owner/Founder

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Vera

Waterbabies Owner/Founder

After participating in baby-swim classes with her youngest child, Rose, Vera was inspired to develop her own infant swim program which combined family centered learn-to-swim techniques with the latest research in early childhood development. She founded Waterbabies in 1996 and continues to run the business to this day. She is a passionate advocate for children and continuously seeks to enhance the Waterbabies curriculum to better assist in the mind and body development of her students.

Haley N.

WaterBabies & WaterKids Instructor Trainer

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Haley

WaterBabies & WaterKids Instructor Trainer

Joined Our Team: July 2015

Teaching Style: Energetic, Structured but Flexible

Haley has been living in Bellevue for most of her life. She currently lives with her family while she attends Bellevue College, pursuing her love of snowboarding during the winter months. She has always enjoyed swimming and being in the water, and she LOVES babies. When considering joining our teaching staff, Haley decided that working for Waterbabies would be a perfect match with her drive to help others learn, and she is rewarded by seeing the progress her students make.

Ali E.

Joined Our Team: March 2018
Teaching Style: Structured, Laid Back, Playful

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Ali

WaterBabies Instructor

Joined Our Team: March 2018

Teaching Style: Structured, Laid Back, Playful

Ali has always been drawn to the water, whether it’s a swimming pool or the wide open ocean. She loves the simplicity of the Waterbabies approach to teaching swimming, and strives to make it fun and enjoyable for the kids to foster a natural love of the water. Her hope is to take all the fear and discomfort out of learning to swim. When she isn’t teaching classes, you’ll find her reading, perhaps about her favorite animal, the sloth, or exploring the natural world with her son, Noah.

Beth G.

Joined Our Team: November 2016
Teaching Style: Encouraging, Enthusiastic

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Beth

WaterBabies Instructor

Joined Our Team: November 2016

Teaching Style: Encouraging, Enthusiastic

Beth’s greatest childhood memories are swimming, diving, and playing endless rounds of Marco Polo with her brother. She was drawn to Waterbabies because of our focus on safety, play, parent-child bonding, and helping children develop true comfort in the water, and she finds such joy in helping kids learn something new, especially such an important life skill as swimming. Beth lives in Kenmore with her husband and their crazy cat. She holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering from UW, and out of the water she likes to hike, read, knit, and bake.

Jakiyah A.

Joined Our Team: August 2022
Teaching Style: Communicative, Energetic

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Jakiyah

WaterKids Instructor

Joined Our Team: August 2022

Teaching Style: Communicative, Energetic

A Washingtonian, Jakiyah comes from a large family of eight siblings, and currently lives with her dog, Lobo. When not in school or teaching swim lessons, she loves to watch Netflix – one of her favorite shows is SWAT. She hopes to eventually become either a social worker or an FBI agent.

When Jakiyah was 9 years old, she had a near-drowning experience, so now she’s excited to be able to help teach water safety and swim skills to other kids. An outgoing and social person, she loves building relationships with the students and seeing them succeed.

Chandrika F.

Joined Our Team: January 2019
Teaching Style: Holistic, Relaxing, Joyful

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Chandrika

WaterKids Instructor

Joined Our Team: January 2019

Teaching Style: Holistic, Relaxing, Joyful

Chandrika grew up swimming in the lakes, rivers, and ocean beaches of Northern California; water has always been a source of connection, relaxation, fun, healing, and joy for her! Her love for children and all things earth and water led her to pursue a Master’s in Environmental Education with the Islandwood program at UW. She loves the holistic and developmentally appropriate Waterbabies curricula that guide children to fully understand how to work with water. Beyond Waterbabies, she can be found supporting womxn of color in the water through classes and workshops at Oshun Swim School, or hiking and backpacking in the mountains around Seattle.

Jordan B.

Joined Our Team: July 2022
Teaching Style: Gentle, Supportive, Playful

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Jordan

WaterKids Instructor

Joined Our Team: July 2022

Teaching Style: Gentle, Supportive, Playful

Ever since he took swimming lessons at a young age, Jordan has loved to be in the water. He heard about Waterbabies from his sister and fellow-Waterbabies Instructor, Majaeh! He was drawn to the kind and loving atmosphere of the swim school, and enjoys working with the students.

A Seattle-area native, Jordan will be graduating high school in 2023, and plans to continue schooling to become a Radiologist. When not in school or teaching WaterKids classes, he likes to remain active by going on runs, walks, and roller skating. He also enjoys reading, watching movies and trying new foods from other cultures.

Natallie G.

Joined Our Team: March 2021
Teaching Style: Playful, Attentive, Supportive

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Natallie

WaterKids Instructor

Joined Our Team: March 2021

Teaching Style: Playful, Attentive, Supportive

Natallie has been swimming her entire life; in the water any chance she could get, learning to wakeboard, surf & much more. From eastern Washington, she currently lives in Covington and is an All America & All State cheerleader. When not at work, she’s always playing in some type of sport. She became interested in Waterbabies when she learned about the effective balance of learning, play and developing a love for the water. She loves seeing the progress of the students she works with each week, and seeing how proud and confident they become.

Mia F.

Joined Our Team: December 2019
Teaching Style: Fun, Silly, Structured

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Mia

WaterKids Instructor

Joined Our Team: December 2019

Teaching Style: Fun, Silly, Structured

World Languages: Tagalog, Japanese

Before coming to WaterBabies, Mia was a lifeguard and swim instructor at a pool in Shoreline. She always knew teaching kids to swim would be a good experience, and that became a reality after she started in Shoreline. Her previous experience teaching babies and preschool-aged kids really helped her be successful with Waterbabies. Mia lives in Kent with her parents and her 7 Shih Tzus and is enjoying her Gap year before she applies to the University of Washington. Mia’s hobbies include drawing and writing, as well as volunteering at Childhaven.

Natasha F.

Joined Our Team: September 2018
Teaching Style: Fun, Structured, Patient

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Natasha

WaterKids & WaterBabies Instructor

Joined Our Team: September 2018

Teaching Style: Fun, Structured, Patient

World Language: Spanish

Natasha came to Waterbabies to surround herself with kids and their constant enjoyment. She was introduced to the program when her younger sibling enrolled in classes, and she was drawn to our unique teaching style. For her, the best thing about teaching is seeing skills develop over time. Currently planning to to be a nurse, Natasha also enjoys playing volleyball and softball, reading and speaking new languages, and going on adventures with her friends.

Rev O.

Joined Our Team: May 2022
Teaching Style: Happy, Energetic, Safety-Focused

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Rev

WaterBabies Instructor

Joined Our Team: May 2022

Teaching Style: Happy, Energetic, Safety-Focused

World Language: Spanish (somewhat). He knows enough to compliment students in Spanish if requested. 😊

A swimmer since he was a toddler, Rev and his brother used to put on floaties before they even entered a swimming facility because they would dive into any body of water to compete with one other. He loves making spiderman poses on the wall of the pool. Rev is a musician, a sci-fi writer, and a former science teacher. He has lived in Ohio, Louisiana, Texas, Montreal, Seattle, San Diego, and Alaska. He has a son who is 24 and a dachshund who is 14 years old. He joined the Waterbabies family because he wants to work in a happy place that serves the community.

Maura M.

Joined Our Team: February 2022
Teaching Style: Fun, Firm, Focused

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Maura

WaterKids Instructor

Joined Our Team: February 2022

Teaching Style: Fun, Firm, Focused

Maura has been swimming since age 3 and has been around water all her life. She loves swimming laps and water tubing whenever she gets the chance. Currently a student attending University of Washington Tacoma for Computer Science or Information Technology, her goal is to go into the gaming industry after she graduates. When not studying, Maura loves hanging out with friends, playing video games, and babysitting. She loves working with kids so working at Waterbabies has been an opportunity to merge that with her love of swim.

Majaeh C.

Joined Our Team: June 2022
Teaching Style: Engaging, Structured, Encouraging

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Majaeh

WaterBabies Instructor

Joined Our Team: June 2022

Teaching Style: Engaging, Structured, Encouraging

Majaeh’s love of water started from a young age, growing up swimming in lakes, rivers and the ocean. She loves to go on spontaneous adventures with friends, discovering new food spots, and sitting by the water to watch the sunsets.

One of her greatest loves is giving back to the community. In her teenage years, Majaeh volunteered with her mom’s homeless outreach ministry, Agape Love. A Washington native, after graduating high school, Majaeh went to Montana for YWAM and from there performed missionary work 2015-2018 in Thailand and Kona, Hawaii.

Majaeh was drawn to Waterbabies because of what it stands for and the developmental curricula behind it. She also loves being able to work with the children, parents, and grandparents. She is continuing to give back to the community by helping to share vital water safety and foundational swim skills.

Sarah R.

Joined Our Team: August 2016
Teaching Style: Gentle, Silly, Relaxed

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Sarah

WaterBabies Instructor

Joined Our Team: August 2016

Teaching Style: Gentle, Silly, Relaxed

Sarah first taught swim lessons during her college summers; after earning a BA in Creative Writing and a Master’s of Communications, the water called her back into service. Guided by the belief that swimming is an essential life skill, she relishes introducing little ones to the joys of the water. Her favorite thing about Waterbabies is the focus on songs and play, because swimming should be fun! When she isn’t in the pool, you’ll find her writing, dancing, playing ukulele, baking sweet treats, or lounging with her husband on the rooftop deck of their home in Fremont.

Tiffany N.

WaterBabies Instructor Trainer

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Tiffany

WaterBabies Instructor Trainer

Joined Our Team: March 2014

Teaching Style: Positive, Passionate

Tiffany graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a BA in Biology and was a Marine Mammal Trainer for 10 years. She discovered the Waterbabies program when her daughter was born, and was so impressed with the program that she was inspired to join the teaching staff. She loves to watch her students learn new skills, and she is committed to passing on her passion for all things water related.

To complement the dedication of our water instructors, our office staff work to provide the best possible customer service to current and prospective Waterbabies families. As a team, they support every aspect of the program by managing class schedules across multiple pools, overseeing session enrollment, coordinating marketing and communications efforts, and fielding questions and comments about our curriculum and instructors.

Vera G.

Waterbabies Owner/Founder

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vera-g

Vera

Waterbabies Owner/Founder

After participating in baby-swim classes with her youngest child Rose, Vera was inspired to develop her own infant swim program which combined family centered learn-to-swim techniques with the latest research in early childhood development.  She founded Waterbabies in 1996 and continues to run the business to this day. She is a passionate advocate for children and continuously seeks to enhance the Waterbabies curriculum to better assist in the mind and body development of her students

Mateo G.

General Manager

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mateo-g

Mateo

General Manager

Matthew (Mateo) comes to us from a Regional Director position with an international development organization. Currently he works with the office staff in various roles and manages the Renton facility. He will apply his project and staff management experience to move Waterbabies in new, exciting directions. He has his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and teaching certification from Seattle University. He lives in Kent with his veterinarian wife and newborn waterbaby.

Courtney B.

Administrative Director

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Courtney-B

Courtney

Administrative Director

Courtney has been with Waterbabies since 2009, and has held many roles in the office. Currently serving as Administrative Director, she is responsible for creating the schedule of classes each session, overseeing the registration system and process, and working directly with each facility around pool time. With her degree in Graphics Technology she was a natural shoe-in to contribute to the website and much of our visual marketing material. In her personal life Courtney enjoys creative projects including photography, digital artwork, and jewelry design. She lives in Bothell with her husband and an energetic dog.

Jackie W.

Director of Operations

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jackie-w

Jackie

Director of Operations

Jackie loves to watch her students develop, learn, and grow in the program just as her own two children have done.  As the Director of Operations, she oversees the trainers of our Waterbabies and WaterKids Programs, handles payroll and many other duties. She attended the University of Montana on a four-year scholarship for volleyball, and graduated with a BA in Psychology, focusing on child development.