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Why Swimming Lessons Are Getting More Expensive

If you have a child between 4 and 7 years old, you know it: swimming lessons are expensive. And they are only getting more expensive. Research by Nieuwsuur shows that swimming lessons have become on average nearly 30 percent more expensive since 2018, with spikes up to 70 percent in some municipalities. For comparison: the general price increase in the Netherlands during the same period was 21 percent. Swimming lessons are therefore rising more than one and a half times faster than the rest of your shopping basket.

The Netherlands Youth Institute (NJi) reports that a quarter of parents do not enroll their child in swimming lessons due to the high costs. In the lowest income group, even 25 percent of children have no swimming diploma at all, compared to only 2 percent in the highest income group. The consequence: swimming safety becomes a matter of income, which is unacceptable in a water-rich country like the Netherlands.

And this is not only happening in the Netherlands. Worldwide, parents struggle with rising swimming lesson costs due to higher energy prices, staff shortages, and inflation. Whether you live in Amsterdam, Antwerp, or Sydney: swimming lessons are a significant expense. The good news is that in every country there are ways to save, and many of these are universally applicable.

The Price Increase in Numbers

The causes of the price increase are structural. Energy costs for heating pool water have skyrocketed since 2021. On top of that is a severe shortage of swimming instructors: fewer instructors mean higher salaries to retain staff, and these costs are passed on to parents. The Mulier Institute confirms on behalf of the National Council for Swimming Safety (NRZ) that this combination of factors is pushing swimming lessons further out of reach for families with average or lower incomes.

What a Swimming Lesson Costs in 2026

For a complete overview of current costs, we refer to our extensive cost overview for 2026. The table below shows the key figures based on rates applied by Dutch swimming schools as of June 2026:

Source: rate comparison of Dutch swimming schools, June 2026. Amounts in euros, including VAT. Median = the middle amount in the dataset.

7 Proven Ways to Save on Swimming Lessons

The solution starts with knowing what is possible. Here are seven concrete ways to reduce the cost of swimming lessons without compromising the quality of the swimming education your child receives.

1. Check Municipal Subsidies and Minimum Income Schemes

The most underestimated savings opportunity: your municipality. The Dutch government provides support via municipalities for children from low-income families. Think of Child Packages with a swimming lesson contribution, special assistance, or specific swimming lesson schemes. The income limit is usually between 120 and 130 percent of the social minimum.

The problem: municipal schemes vary greatly. The NRZ already noted in 2022 that one municipality reimburses generously (up to 800 euros for A and B diplomas) while the neighboring municipality offers nothing. Moreover, many parents simply do not know these schemes exist. Starting point: call or email your municipality's social desk, or search for '[municipality name] minimum scheme swimming lessons'.

2. Request Support via the Youth Fund Sport & Culture

The Youth Fund Sport & Culture pays swimming lessons directly to the swimming school for children from families who cannot afford it. Swimming clothes and other necessities can also be reimbursed. The application is done through an intermediary, such as the teacher at school, the neighborhood sports coach, or someone from the district team. In 2025, the fund helped more than 400,000 children access sports and culture.

Big advantage: the Youth Fund operates nationwide and the procedure is low-threshold. You do not have to fill out complicated forms yourself; the intermediary arranges it for you. And the fund pays the swimming school directly, so you do not have to advance money first.

3. See if School Swimming Is Available in Your Municipality

Since the abolition of mandatory school swimming in 1985, it is up to schools themselves to decide whether to offer swimming lessons. In 1990, 90 percent of schools still offered school swimming; by 2021, this had dropped to 26 percent. But there is movement: the House of Representatives recently adopted a motion to stimulate school swimming, and research by SEO Economic Research shows that reintroduction would save parents up to 177 million euros per year.

Check with your child's school whether they offer school swimming. If not, inquire with the municipality or parent council if there are initiatives underway. Some municipalities organize after-school swimming through community centers or neighborhood centers, often significantly cheaper than commercial swimming schools.

4. Choose the Most Affordable Payment Model for Your Situation

Not every payment model suits every child. A monthly subscription is the cheapest option per lesson at most swimming schools, but only if your child consistently attends the lessons. A strip card offers more flexibility and is often still cheaper than single lessons. Single lessons are the most expensive per piece but offer maximum freedom.

Example calculation: at the median price, you pay about 720 euros for sixty lessons with a monthly subscription. That is 90 euros less than with a strip card and 180 euros less than with single lessons. The difference is equivalent to one to two months of groceries. Discuss with the swimming school which model best fits your situation; some schools allow switching if you find another model is more economical.

5. Prevent Unnecessary Repeat Lessons with Good Progress Tracking

This is the savings opportunity most parents do not think of. If you do not know exactly which exercises your child has mastered and which still need attention, there is a good chance that lessons are unnecessarily repeated. A swimming instructor who has to assess 12 children at once cannot always remember that your child already performed that one exercise perfectly last week. The result: one more extra lesson of the same exercise.

With a free app like Swimmigo, you as a parent can see in real-time which skills your child has mastered. With 60 lessons and a rate of 12 euros per lesson, every lesson your child does not unnecessarily repeat saves you 12 euros immediately. User experiences show that children with active progress tracking need on average 5 to 10 fewer lessons for their diploma. That is a saving of 60 to 175 euros per child.

6. Practice Yourself with Your Child Between Lessons

Children who swim and practice freely between lessons make faster progress. You really do not have to be a swimming instructor to help your child. Focus on three basics: water confidence (blowing bubbles, putting head underwater), floating (on stomach and back), and jumping off the edge. An hour of free swimming on the weekend costs a few euros for entry and gives your child weeks of extra practice time.

Use your swimming school's app or Swimmigo to see exactly which exercises your child is working on. That way you know whether to practice backstroke or underwater swimming. Targeted practice is twice as effective as general splashing, and it's more fun too.

7. Actively Compare Swimming Schools on Price and Quality

Price differences between swimming schools are large, even within the same municipality. A half-hour drive can easily save you 5 euros per lesson. But beware: a lower price should not come at the expense of quality. Look at group size (maximum 8 to 10 children per instructor is ideal), whether the school has an NRZ license, and whether there are fixed, certified instructors instead of constantly changing substitutes.

Always request a trial lesson. Most swimming schools offer this for free or at a low rate. Stay at the poolside during the trial and observe: do all children regularly receive personal feedback? Is instruction calm and positive? Are the instructors certified? A swimming school that is slightly more expensive but helps your child achieve the diploma in 50 lessons is ultimately cheaper than a cheaper school where your child needs 70 lessons.

What Does Saving on Swimming Lessons Yield You?

The impact of these savings goes beyond your wallet. Swimming safety should not be a luxury, and with the right approach, it doesn't have to be.

The Financial Gains Summarized

If you combine all seven saving methods, the maximum saving potential is significant. Suppose you receive 500 euros subsidy via the municipality, choose a monthly subscription (180 euros cheaper than single lessons), and your child needs 8 fewer lessons thanks to good progress tracking (96 euros). Your total saving then amounts to 776 euros. From an expected cost of 900 euros, only 124 euros remain. Even if you can only use part of the schemes, every euro counts.

More Than Money: Peace of Mind and Better Swimming Skills

The real gain is not only in euros. Knowing your child is learning to swim without monthly stress about the bill is priceless. And children who go to swimming lessons with confidence and joy learn faster. A parent who is not constantly worried about costs can focus on what really matters: a child who leaves the pool with a big smile, proud of what they learned today.

How Swimmigo Helps You Reduce Swimming Lesson Costs

Swimmigo is the free app with which swimming schools and parents digitally track children's swimming lesson progress. Swimmigo is now used worldwide in 5 languages by swimming instructors and parents who want control over their child's learning process.

Real-Time Insight into Your Child's Progress

In the Swimmigo app, you can see per exercise whether your child has mastered it or still needs practice. No more guessing at the poolside. You know exactly where your child stands, what the next goal is, and how many steps are still needed to the diploma. This clarity directly translates into fewer repeat lessons and a shorter learning path.

Fewer Repeat Lessons Through Targeted Feedback

Because swimming instructors can indicate the status of each exercise with a tap in Swimmigo, the administrative hassle disappears. The instructor can spend the entire lesson time teaching instead of keeping paper lists. The result: every lesson counts, every child gets the attention they deserve, and no exercise is unnecessarily repeated.

Swimmigo is completely free for both swimming schools and parents. Start now at swimmigo.com.

Sources

• NOS Nieuwsuur: Swimming Lessons Getting More Expensive, Experts Fear for Swimming Safety, May 2024
• Netherlands Youth Institute (NJi): A Quarter of Parents Cannot Afford Swimming Lessons, 2025
• National Council for Swimming Safety (NRZ): Financing Swimming Lessons Difficult for Parents with Financial Worries, June 2022
• Youth Fund Sport & Culture: Swimming Lesson Reimbursement for Low-Income Families, 2026
• Dutch Government: Support for Children from Low-Income Families, 2026
• RTL News: Research on Reintroduction of School Swimming, Costs Over 200 Million, January 2024