La Petite Baleen began in the backyard pool of John and Irene Kolbisen’s Half Moon Bay home in 1979. As public school teachers, the Kolbisens were looking for a creative outlet for their love of children and the water. With three young children of their own and several local families, they developed an in depth curriculum and ribbon level system for their “aquatic classroom”. John and Irene’s developmental aquatic program emphasizes a balance between love and discipline, thus teaching not only swimming, but also self-esteem and coping skills.

Today, La Petite Baleen swim schools are located in Half Moon Bay, San Bruno and San Francisco. Our teachers are highly trained in all levels of the unique Kolbisen swim method. We offer classes seven days a week for swimmers of all ages (two months to adult). Our classes are once a week, for 1/2 hour, with a student-teacher ratio of 4:1 (ages 3 and up) and 6:1 (under 3 years of age).

For information on registration for swim class, please click here