Private swim lessons at home pools

Families with young children, adults who never learned to swim, and parents who want one-to-one attention rather than a big class.

A set price per lesson, often with a discount for a block of lessons. Work is mostly seasonal, so many people run it in summer alongside another job or in the off season from school.

• Swimming and water safety certification
• Calm and friendly with children and anxious beginners
• Reliable scheduling and travel between clients

• Commercial general liability insurance, and check that it covers teaching at private pools
• Police record checks are commonly expected when working with children, so check what applies where you live
• Check municipal rules and any condo or strata rules on teaching in a shared or private pool
• Pool safety: never leave a child unsupervised, and check the water conditions and fencing before each lesson
• Short season in much of Canada, so plan for little or no income outside the warmer months unless you add indoor pool time

Startup costs are typically estimated around $400 to $2,000, depending on equipment, certification, insurance and how far you travel. Treat these as estimates and price your own setup before starting.

Monthly revenue is typically around $600 to $3,000 as an estimate, depending on how many clients you teach and how long your season runs. Much of Canada has a short outdoor season, so income may be limited outside the warmer months.

Check that your commercial general liability insurance covers teaching at private pools, and that police record checks are expected for working with children where you live. Also check municipal, condo or strata rules on teaching in a pool.