We’re Hosting the World’s Largest Swim Lesson Again — Join Us June 25th in Colorado Springs

From the desk of Lauri Armstrong

There’s a moment every summer that gives me chills — and not the kind from jumping in a cold pool.

It’s the moment our deck fills up. Hundreds of little feet, hundreds of nervous-but-excited faces, parents clutching towels, instructors lined up and ready, music going, the smell of food trucks drifting across the lot. And then we all jump in the water, as one community, to learn the skills that save lives.

That’s the World’s Largest Swim Lesson, and on Thursday, June 25th, 2026, Little Fins Swim School is proud to host it for our fifth year in a row right here in Colorado Springs.

This isn’t just an event on our calendar. It’s the heartbeat of everything we believe in. So let me tell you what it is, why it matters more than almost anything we do all year, and exactly what we’ve got planned for you and your family.

What is the World’s Largest Swim Lesson?

The World’s Largest Swim Lesson (WLSL) is a global water-safety event where pools, swim schools, and aquatic facilities all over the world teach swim lessons on the same day to send one unstoppable message: Swimming Lessons Save Lives.

It was created in 2010 by the World Waterpark Association, and 2026 marks the 17th annual event. Since it began, more than 448,000 children and adults across 56 countries and 6 continents have taken part — generating billions of learn-to-swim awareness impressions and holding multiple Guinness World Records along the way.

One day. One mission. The whole world in the water together.

When and where is the 2026 World’s Largest Swim Lesson in Colorado Springs?

Date: Thursday, June 25th, 2026
Host: Little Fins Swim School — our Union / Medical Center Point location
Address: 1625 Medical Center Point, Suite 160, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Time: 8 a.m. — 8 p.m.
Cost: Free to participate — but spots fill fast, so reserve yours early

This is our flagship community day, and it’s open to families of all ages and skill levels. Whether your little one has never put their face in the water or your big kid is already swimming laps, there’s a place for them on our deck.

Why does the World’s Largest Swim Lesson matter so much?

I’ll be honest with you, because that’s the only way I know how to talk about this.

Drowning is the number one cause of death for children ages 1–4 in the United States, and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for kids ages 5–14, according to the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics. More than 4,000 people drown in this country every single year. And here’s the part that breaks my heart the most: it happens fast, and it happens silently. There is no splashing, no screaming, no Hollywood arm-waving. It can happen in the time it takes to answer a text.

Now here’s the hope — because there is so much hope.

Formal swim lessons reduce a young child’s risk of drowning by up to 88% (JAMA Pediatrics). Read that again. Eighty-eight percent. Yet the American Red Cross reports that more than half of Americans can’t perform basic swimming skills.

That gap — between the danger and the solution — is exactly where Little Fins lives. The World’s Largest Swim Lesson is our chance to close it for as many families as we possibly can in a single, joyful, life-changing day.

What’s our big goal this year?

We don’t do small. This year our team is going all in to teach more than 500 FREE swim lessons in one day to families in our community.

Because cost should never be the reason a child doesn’t learn to be safe in the water. Ever.

What’s happening at the Little Fins event on June 25th?

This is a celebration as much as it is a lesson, and we’ve packed the day full:

• Free one-on-one water-safety swim lessons taught by our certified Little Fins instructors using our survival-first Swim-Float-Swim methodology
• Free Aqua Babies (grown-up and me) class at 9:30 a.m.
• Hundreds of free lessons given away to families across Colorado Springs
• Local vendors sharing family-friendly products and resources
• Food trucks so you can grab a bite and make a day of it
• Our famous bake sale — every dollar benefits our Hope Floats Scholarship (more on that below)
• A high-energy, music-filled atmosphere the whole family will love

Bring your swimsuits, bring your goggles, bring the grandparents. This is a Colorado Springs day you’ll remember.

What is the Hope Floats Scholarship?

The Hope Floats Scholarship is our way of making sure water safety is never out of reach for a family in need. The program helps cover the cost of a full set of swim lessons for a child — the lessons that teach them to roll, float, breathe, and find their way to safety.

Every cookie, brownie, sourdough starter, and lemon bar you buy at our bake sale on June 25th goes directly toward funding these scholarships. So yes — that snack you grab for your kid is quite literally helping another child learn to save their own life. That’s the kind of math I love.

How do I sign up or get involved?

Spots for our World’s Largest Swim Lesson go quickly, so don’t wait:

• Reserve a lesson spot
• Become a vendor or sponsor: Email Ms. Kory at Kory.LittleFins@gmail.com 
• Questions? Call or message us at 719-344-5328

Let’s go save lives — together

Five years in, and this event still moves me to tears every single time. Because when I watch hundreds of kids and adults in the water, learning the skills that could one day be the difference between a close call and a tragedy, I’m reminded of why we built Little Fins in the first place.

This is bigger than swim lessons. It’s a community standing up and saying: not our kids, not on our watch.

We’d be honored to have your family there on June 25th. Mark your calendar, grab your suit, and come be part of something huge.

Safety first. Skills for life. See you on the deck.

— Lauri Armstrong, Founder & Owner, Little Fins Swim School

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the World’s Largest Swim Lesson? The World’s Largest Swim Lesson (WLSL) is a global water-safety event, created in 2010 by the World Waterpark Association, where pools and swim schools worldwide teach lessons on the same day to spread the message that swimming lessons save lives. 2026 is the 17th annual event.

 

When is the World’s Largest Swim Lesson in 2026? The 2026 World’s Largest Swim Lesson takes place on Thursday, June 25th, 2026. Little Fins Swim School is hosting at its Union / Medical Center Point location in Colorado Springs.

 

Is the Little Fins World’s Largest Swim Lesson event free? Yes. Participation is free, and Little Fins is giving away hundreds of free swim lessons during the event. Registration is required because spots are limited.

 

Why are swim lessons important for children? Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4 in the U.S. (CDC). Formal swim lessons can reduce a young child’s risk of drowning by up to 88%, according to research published in JAMA Pediatrics.

 

What is the Hope Floats Scholarship? The Hope Floats Scholarship is Little Fins Swim School’s program that funds full sets of swim lessons for children whose families need financial support. Proceeds from the June 25th bake sale go directly toward these scholarships.

 

Who can participate in the World’s Largest Swim Lesson? Families of all ages and swimming abilities are welcome — from first-time swimmers to confident kids, and adults. Everyone is invited to take part. These are 20 minute one-on-one swim lessons.