About

NICE TO MEET YOU

I'm Molly Tanner

The founder of HomeGrown Swim School, a swim educator, and a mom. 

I’ve spent nearly 20 years in the learn-to-swim world, teaching kids to swim, training instructors, and helping build swim programs at scale. But despite all that experience, I still found myself feeling frustrated and helpless when my own kids struggled in traditional swim lessons.

Schedules were hard to manage, progress felt slow, and the process was anything but enjoyable. I knew there had to be a better way — one that worked for real families, not just swim programs.

That search led me to do something unexpected: I started teaching my own kids to swim. It wasn’t easy, but it changed everything — not just how they learned, but how we connected along the way.

My Story

I began my career as a swim instructor in 2007 and worked my way up through nearly every role in aquatics — from teaching lessons to training instructors, developing curriculum, launching new swim programs, and leading award-winning programming. 

Later, I transitioned into building digital learning programs for global companies, where I learned how adults actually learn best: through clarity, simplicity, flexibility, and support — not overwhelm. 

When my children struggled in traditional swim lessons, those two worlds collided. I had the swim expertise. I had the learning design experience. But I didn’t have a program designed for parents teaching their own children.

So I built it.

HomeGrown Swim School is the program I wish I’d had when I started — one that simplifies what to teach, shortens lessons, prioritizes safety, and leaves space for fun, trust, and real connection in the water.

Why I Do It

I do this for a few deeply personal reasons.

First, because safety matters. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4. That statistic is heartbreaking — and preventable. Every child deserves access to swim education, regardless of background or budget. 

Second, because families are busy, stretched thin, and pulled in too many directions. I believe learning to swim can be more than another obligation on the calendar — it can be a shared experience that brings families together.

And finally, because I want to do good in the world and in my community. I don’t believe swim education should be gatekept. If a family truly wants access and can’t afford it, I will always find a way to help. That’s how strongly I feel about kids learning to swim and parents being empowered to teach them.

HomeGrown is my small way of contributing to safer kids, stronger families, and a more connected world.