In-Person Swimming Lessons  

Learn to Swim with Miss Dayna in Roanoke, Virginia

Swimming lessons alone don't solve the water safety puzzle, but they are still a vital piece!

The Swim With Miss Dayna approach focuses on foundational swim and water safety skills.

Kids and parents have fun and leave with the confidence and tools to enjoy the water safely.

Swim With Miss Dayna Lessons Are

Grounded in Water Safety

All classes introduce you and your child to lifesaving water strategies, including "Where there is water, I will wait!"

Structured for Skill-Building

You and your child will enjoy learning lifesaving water safety and swim skills in a focused, goal-oriented curriculum.

Always Taught by Me

I instruct every class so your child can develop trust and accelerate their progress.

Backed By Experience & Training

I bring 35+ years of experience and am American Red Cross certified, fully insured, and CPR/First Aid/AED certified.

Lessons Focus on 6 Foundational Skills

Waiting for an invitation to enter the water

Entering and exiting the pool safely  

Jumping in and rolling to their back

Back floats

Front floats 

Rolling over front to back and returning to the wall  

Getting Their Little Feet Wet

  • For children 6–24 months old and a caregiver

  • One parent meeting + Two 30-minute classes 

  • Pool access between sessions for independent practice

Getting Their Little Feet Wet is designed to empower parents with the confidence to help their kids learn to swim and be safe around water. Unlike many parent-child swim programs focusing on games and singing, the Getting Their Little Feet Wet program teaches parents HOW to support their kids in the water. After all, you'll be in the water with your child far more often than I will! Prepare to lay the foundation for a lifelong love of experiencing the water with your child.

AquaKids &
Learn-to-Swim

  • AquaKids for children 2–5

  • Learn-to-Swim for children 6–10 

  • Eight 30-minute classes

AquaKids and Learn-to-Swim are perfect for children who want to develop foundational water safety and swim skills. With no more than four students per class, each child will have plenty of opportunities to get in the pool and practice their skills with me. For more advanced swimmers who have a solid mastery of the six foundational skills, instruction will progress to include fundamental stroke development.

Registration for Fall 2024 is closed. 

Email us to ask about Winter/Spring 2025 registration.

Proudly Certified By AutismSwim

I am certified by AutismSwim and proud to be one of the top recommended programs by local doctors for children who are neurodivergent. My classes take an integrated, individualized approach designed to support ALL little swimmers and their families.

It has been one of my greatest joys to help children with autism, ADHD, sensory processing challenges, and other special needs clear water safety boundaries and lifesaving skills. 

  • Not only can he independently swim in the water, but he understands to wait before hopping in the pool

    “Before I met Miss Dayna, my biggest fear for my son, 4 years old at the time, was water safety. He had an affinity for water that led to a lot of chasing to keep him out of ponds and pools fully clothed! We started with Dayna’s swim program in 2019. When we first started swim lessons, there were lots of tears, lots of jumping in the pool when he was not supposed to, and lots of running away. Dayna understood that teaching and reinforcing behaviors for children on the spectrum was different, and she had to deploy different mechanisms. One mechanism she used was a waiting pad on the side of the pool for Jackson to have a visual representation of where he was supposed to sit and wait for his turn in the pool. Now at 9 years old, not only can he independently swim in the water, but he understands to wait before hopping in the pool. I am so thankful to have had her in our lives to teach him such important safety skills.”

    —Ariel S. Dooley M.S.N., R.N., N.P.D.-B.C. (she/her)

  • I cannot recommend Swim with Miss Dayna highly enough!

    “There aren’t enough words to adequately express the happiness, pride, and relief I have felt while watching my 8 and 10-year-old kids learn how to be safe, comfortable, and confident in the water after years of fear and aversion. Miss Dayna starts by building a relationship of trust, emphasizing that she will always be there when they need her. She uses that foundation of trust to build their confidence and guide them in pushing themselves to make improvements during every single lesson. She is very firm on safety standards (e.g., kids must wait until given permission to enter the water) and getting the work done, but she also jokes around with them to help them relax and have fun. I cannot recommend Swim with Miss Dayna highly enough!”

    Holt Family

  • That first trip to the pool after the week of lessons she was a completely different swimmer!

    That first trip to the pool after the week of lessons she was a completely different swimmer! The part I was most appreciative of was when we first arrived. She was ready to get in but my husband and I were still getting unpacked, and she started to head to the pool without us. I said “Vivi, where there is water?” and she immediately responded with “I will wait!” and came back to us calmly with no fussing at all! As a preschool special education teacher, I completely understand how challenging this age group can be at times. Vivi has already asked many times when she can go back to lessons, and says she misses you. Thank you for loving our girl, for teaching her these skills, and for growing her confidence around the water. We look forward to working with you again soon!

    Emilee G.

  • He knows the most important rule, where there is water, he will wait...

    “Wyatt was terrified of swimming and always worried if he didn’t have a life jacket on, he would drown. After just 5 days with Miss Dayna, Wyatt now understands the importance of knowing how to swim safely and that water isn’t so scary after all. He knows the most important rule, where there is water, he will wait for an adult to tell him it’s ok to go in. He understands that when he goes in, to float on his back with his chin up to help keep him afloat. I can’t thank Miss Dayna enough for helping teach not just him, but us as parents. We have a pool in our backyard so safety has always been our #1 concern. We all now feel more comfortable around pools after our classes.”

    Hawley Family

Not near Roanoke, but still want to Get Their Little Feet Wet?

I’m thrilled to share that I will be releasing a virtual version of Getting Their Little Feet Wet in 2025!

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