Self-rescue swimming courses for infants and children
Teaching your child the skills for aquatic survival, safety and confidence through the proven, globally leading methods of ISR. ISR is the safest and most effective provider of survival swimming lessons worldwide, teaching self-rescue swimming skills to children from the age of 6 months.
About Ilona & ISR Switzerland
My name is Ilona Brandt and like you, I’m a parent who wants their children to be safe, confident, and happy in and around the water.
As a certified ISR Instructor based in Wilen b. Wollerau, I teach young children (from as early as 6 months of age) self-rescue swimming skills. Every lesson is thoughtfully tailored to your child’s age, personality, and development, as well as your family’s lifestyle around water. No two children are the same, and their learning journey shouldn’t be either.
In our short, intentional, and consistent lessons, your child learns how to respond if they ever find themselves in the water unexpectedly. Always in a safe, supportive environment, and always at a pace that feels right for them.
ISR courses are about more than just safety. It’s about giving your child the confidence to stay calm, think clearly, solve problems in the water, and develop skills that can stay with them for life. It’s about giving you, as a parent, greater peace of mind.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your child could learn to save themselves in the water—the answer is YES. And I would be honoured to guide them on that journey.
How is ISR different?
Each ISR lesson is custom-tailored to your child, teaching them the self rescue swimming skills that are developmentally appropriate through one-on-one lessons.
It’s preventable!
Did you know that , as per the WHO Global status report on drowning prevention (2024), drowning is the fourth leading killer of children aged 1–4 years and the third leading killer of children aged 5–14 years? But this can be prevented.
ISR teaches each student independent skills in the water so they can swim, float, and self-rescue – building the foundation for a lifetime of safe enjoyment of the water!
The ISR difference
450,000+ kids
Safely taught since 1966
Proven technique
Rooted in behavioral science
20 million+ lessons
Taught by caring professionals
Parent testimonials
ISR instructors and students
Frequently asked questions
I hear you say your priority is survival skills. Will my child learn to actually swim?
Yes. At ISR, we believe that part of survival for a child who can walk is swimming. Children learn the swim-float-swim sequence so that they could get themselves to safety. The difference in our program is that they will learn swimming AND survival skills and how to be an aquatic problem solver.
Can you really teach a child who is not verbal how to swim?
Yes. Consider that children learn to sit, crawl and walk before they learn to speak. Because we teach through sensori-motor learning, verbal skills are not required for a child to acquire Self-Rescue skills. We are able to communicate with our students through touch and positive reinforcement while striving to set our students up for success every step of the way.