Buckhead · Popsicle Pier at Spine Center Atlanta
Courage-first swim lessons, Sunday mornings in Buckhead.
One adult instructor with one or two children, a parent beside every child, in a small, warm indoor pool at Spine Center Atlanta on Howell Mill Road. Ages 2½ and up.
Founding Families: $52.50 a lessonNo registration fee (normally $40 a child or $60 a family a year) when you book by December 31, 2026, and the price holds while your family stays enrolled without a break. Standard semi-private $55. Under 3, private: $82.50 Founding, $85 standard. Billed monthly for that month's Sundays.
- First lessons Sunday, November 8
Already know you want private lessons? Book a private lesson and start right away.
- Sundays, 9 am to 1 pm
- One or two children per lesson
- A parent beside every child
- 27-minute lessons
- Warm water
- Taught by our founder this fall
What Madison parents say
Our Madison pool has 5.0 stars on Google. In Madison parents' own words:
"I cannot say enough praise about Popsicle Pier! Our son started 18 months ago- we came for the swim skills, but stuck around for the life skills developed along the way. Coach Jamey does an amazing job of weaving important principles into each lesson- he coaches kids on concepts like resilience, recovering from failure, developing your strengths, and not being afraid of hard things. He also takes the time to learn each kid and figure out what motivates them. He realized my son loves animal facts, so now he always does animal trivia and coaches him to swim like a dolphin, a whale, etc. And along the way our son has become an incredible swimmer. Popsicle Pier lessons are well worth the money and a highlight of our week! 🩷🏊♂️"
"Absolutely wonderful! Recommend for anyone needing swim lessons. Coach Jamie is great with kids and staff is so kind. I am a mom who gets nervous around water and do not want my son being the same. My son is doing great with swimming and I am way less nervous."
"Coach Jamie is phenomenal. He really gets the way kids learn and has taught me a few things too! My son made absolutely zero progress with other swim teachers, but has learned so much and made such great progress at Popsicle Pier."
"We’ve had a wonderful experience with Coach Jamey. He has worked with our daughter starting at age 3 and she has learned to confidently swim and he emphasizes safety at every step as well. Highly recommend!"
"Absolutely recommend for all of your swim lesson needs! My grandson did 2 months of lessons & is now able to swim in the deep end & do cannonballs off the side of the pool! Coach Jamie is so good at what he does!"
"My kids look forward to seeing Coach Jamey every week! He is great and helps them build confidence in so many different ways."
"Morgan County is so lucky to have Popcycle Pier & Coach Jamie teaching kids to swim! I love how important teaching water safety is to the kids! Coach Jaimie does a great job keeping the kids engaged, having fun, and learning new skills in the pool at all levels! Both my 4 year old and 7 year old always look forward to their time in the pool with Coach Jamie!"
"Cannot say ENOUGH good things about coach Jamey!!!!! Our 3 year old son LOVES his lessons!!! We always learn so much, not just about swimming.. but also great tools to go home with general toddler knowledge and ways to talk to your child."
"Coach Jamie is a FANTASTIC. I used to teach 1 on 1 music lessons for years and I have a very high bar for teachers, especially for private lessons, and Jamie has exceeded all of my expectations and then some. Can’t recommend them enough. 💯 …"
Great for nervous kids. Great for the ones who jump right in, too.
A little scared + a little try = brave. That's our whole method in one line. We do scary hard; we never do scary hurt. When a child says stop, we stop. No child is forced, rushed, or put under the water. A child who does not want to enter the water is not put in the water. You're beside your child the whole time.
If your child cries at the edge of the pool, we built this for them.
If your child jumps right in, there's plenty to work on: floating, strokes, distance and the water rules. And the same question that helps a scared child try helps a bold child stop and think: "Hard or hurt?" A child who is too cautious learns to try; a child who is reckless learns to check first. Every child needs both.
Why one or two children with a coach? In a class of four, a 25-minute lesson gives each child about 6 minutes with the coach. In our 27-minute semi-private, each child gets about 13, more than twice as much, plus a moment between turns to take in what they just did. That's coaching, not managing a group.
How we teachSundays in Buckhead
- The poolWarm water. A small, quiet indoor pool, about 95°F and 4 feet deep, with steps down into the water and none of the noise and crowd of a busy public pool. Never more than two children in the water.
- WhenSunday mornings, 9:00 to 1:00. Lessons begin Sunday, November 8.
- WhoChildren 2½ and up; under 3, private lessons. Toilet-trained is our goal, not a requirement, at both pools. A snug swim diaper is at your discretion, and we encourage one for the youngest swimmers. Teens and adults who never learned to swim are welcome too; ask us.
- HowWeekly 27-minute lessons in a 30-minute slot, one adult instructor with one or two children, and a parent beside every child for the whole lesson.
- Who teachesThis fall, our founder, Jamey Myers, teaches every Sunday lesson.
Your first visit
- WherePopsicle Pier at Spine Center Atlanta
3161 Howell Mill Rd NW
Suite 420
Atlanta, GA 30327Get directions - Why this poolWe rent the warm therapy pool at Spine Center Atlanta on Sunday mornings for lessons.
- LifeguardA certified lifeguard is at every lesson: your coach in the water, or a lifeguard on deck.
- ParkingPark in the parking deck; parking is free. To drive out of the deck you need a token or a code, and we give you one, free of charge.
- Getting to the poolFrom the parking deck, take the elevator to the 4th floor; you'll see our sign by the elevators. Turn right off the elevator and follow the Popsicle Pier signs to Suite 420, then to the pool.
- ChangingThere are three private bathrooms with showers and toilets, each with a door that locks, so you can change before or after the lesson.
- BringBring a swimsuit, a towel, a water bottle and a change of clothes. Under 3? You're in the water with your child, so bring your own swimsuit too. Come ten minutes early on your first Sunday. For children under 3, the reusable swim diaper we like is Splash About's Happy Nappy. We get a small credit from Splash About when you order through this link.
Buckhead prices
Semi-private
Two swimmers. Our recommended class.
$55 a lesson per child
Private
One swimmer. Required for children under 3.
$85 a lesson
Book by December 31, 2026
Your family pays $52.50 a lesson for semi-private or $82.50 for private, with no registration fee (normally $40 a child or $60 a family a year), for as long as your family stays enrolled without a break. Booking a free first lesson by December 31 counts, whenever your child's lessons begin.
Details
The rate belongs to your family, so a brother or sister who joins later gets it too. Booking a free first lesson by December 31 counts, whenever your child's lessons begin, with nothing to pay to hold the rate.
How to start
- Send the form.
- We reply within one day with a lesson time. Say yes, fill out our sign-up form, and we'll book it.
- The sign-up form includes the recording release, with nothing to pay. Before your child's first paid lesson, you add a payment method in our Parent Portal. The free first lesson is never charged.
Your free first lesson is a short session at the pool where your coach meets your child and finds the class that fits. No charge and no obligation. Under 3, it's a short private session with you in the water. Already know you want private? You can book a paid private lesson right away; that's what we suggest. Free first lessons, private and semi-private lessons all start Sunday, November 8.
Book a free first lesson- Registration fee: $40 a child or $60 a family, once a year; Founding Families pay none. A registration fee is yearly: if your family pays one, it is charged with your first bill and again on each anniversary of your enrollment.
- Billing is monthly, for that month's Sundays. We're closed Sunday, November 29 and Sunday, December 27, and you're never billed for those two Sundays. See the Closures page.
- To stop lessons, email us at least two weeks before your next billing date. Buckhead families: buckhead@popsiclepier.com.
- Semi-private without a partner yet. If your child enrolls in a semi-private class before we have matched a partner, your child starts at the semi-private rate while we work to fill the class. If we can't find a partner within a month of your child's first lesson, we'll tell you before anything changes, and your child moves to the private rate from the next billing period (for a Founding Family, the Founding private rate).
Why we teach
Hard is okay. Hurt means stop.
It's okay to be scared. Being scared can protect you, and the same feeling shows up for something hard and for something that hurts, so it's hard to tell which one it is. That's what our one question is for: "Hard or hurt?" Hard means scary, and I can try. Hurt means stop. Your child makes the call.
No child is forced. We want children authentic enough to say no and to trust their own judgment; even when they're wrong, it's still their judgment. The water rules are ours to keep; the try is theirs. From the very first lesson, every child learns that "stop" is their superpower here.
"What I strive for is a place where a child feels secure enough to fail. Every child needs that place, and an adult they trust. It starts with a parent. That's why you're right there at every lesson. Your presence matters."
Why you're at the edge of the pool
At most swim schools, parents watch from behind a wall of glass, and a scared child is on their own. Here, you're at the edge of the pool, close by, watching. You don't have to do anything. Your being there is what makes your child feel secure enough to try. If they need a break, they can get out and give you a hug, then go back when they're ready. And some days "not today" is still the answer. That's okay too. (Under 3, you're in the water with your child.)
What that means in every lesson
- When a child says stop, we stop.
- You're right there at every lesson, close enough for a hug.
What we will do: teach your child to swim, with one coach and one or two children in the water (three in a Madison small group, by request); keep you close by your child, every lesson: at the edge of the pool, or in the water with them if they are under 3; tell you where your child is and what comes next; stop when your child says stop; and tell you the truth about how each lesson went.
Who teaches
Jamey Myers, founder and working coach
- A parent first.
- Red Cross certified lifeguard.
- Tens of thousands of lessons since 1995, many of them with children who were afraid of the water.
- University of Alabama: team captain, SEC champion, 11-time NCAA All-American and Olympic Trials qualifier.
- SwimAmerica program director.
Your child has the same teacher every week. We hire adults who love this work, and we pay them to stay, so your child's teacher won't change from week to week or leave halfway through the year.
Read Jamey's storyEvery lesson
Where your child is, and what comes next
You'll always know where your child is, what they're working on, and what comes next. Your coach tells you at the pool, every lesson.
What you'll always know
- Where your child is today
- The one thing they're working on right now
- What comes next, and what it takes to get there
- How you'll hear it: from your coach, at the pool
Questions families ask
Is this a medical program?
No. These are swim lessons, in a warm indoor pool.
Does a parent stay?
Yes. A parent beside every child. A parent or guardian stays for the whole lesson, watching: on deck, or in the water with your child. Under 3, you are in the water with your child. In a private lesson, you can always be in the water with your child, as much as you want. In a semi-private lesson, you watch from the deck. At the free first lesson, you can be in the water with your child if you want. You and the coach are both there for the whole lesson. If you need to step away, tell the coach first: your child comes out of the water and goes with you, and goes back in only when you are back.
How warm is the water?
The water is about 95°F, much warmer than a typical pool, and we follow our own safety guidelines for warm-water lessons. The pool is 4 feet deep, with steps down into the water.
Can my children share a class?
Yes, when their ages and swimming levels fit together; it takes both. The free first lesson shows us. If they don't fit, each child gets the class that fits them. One parent can watch more than one child from the deck.
What if my child won't get in?
That's okay. "Not today" is a fine answer, and so is "not yet." Your child decides when to get in: no child is ever put in the water or pushed past their no. Your child's coach works with them where they are and waits for one small try. The lesson is still billed, because your child's spot is held for them every week.
Are lessons recorded?
We record every lesson, the free first lesson included. Recordings also let our coaches review lessons and keep getting better at teaching children who feel scared. They are for our coaches and for you, and we keep them long-term; we never post your child online without your permission. You sign the recording release when you book, before the free first lesson; it explains how recordings are used and the choices you have about sharing.
Other days?
Sundays only for now. Tell us what other times would work.
Do you offer make-up lessons?
We don't do make-ups for a lesson you miss, but you can join the open-spot list, and we'll email you when your instructor has an opening in a similar class the week after. If a lesson doesn't happen for a reason that isn't yours, we make it up.
Details
Missed lessons. Your child's lesson is a standing appointment with their own instructor. That connection is most of what we're building, so we can't drop your child into just any class, and we don't do make-ups. If your instructor has an opening in a similar class in the week after a missed lesson, we'll fit your child in: tell buckhead@popsiclepier.com you'd like to be on the open-spot list, and we'll email you when one comes up. Openings are first come, first served, and some weeks there won't be one. And sometimes you win: if your child's semi-private partner is out, your child gets that lesson as a private at no extra charge. If a lesson doesn't happen for a reason that isn't yours, we make it up. If your instructor is out and there is no workable slot for the make-up, we credit that lesson instead.
To come off the open-spot list, write to buckhead@popsiclepier.com.
How do I stop?
To stop lessons, email us at least two weeks before your next billing date. Buckhead families: buckhead@popsiclepier.com.