AquaMermaid Chicago

I was fortunate enough to score an invite to AquaMermaid Chicago last weekend for myself and my stepdaughter, which is perfect because I've been eyeing these classes for some time. For the uninitiated, it is mermaid school for humans. Every student gets a tail and learns the ins and outs of navigating the high seas with a fin. The classes are taught at the UIC student rec center and the 20-minute drive downtown was filled with all sorts of excitement and wonder from the small one.

Getting the fin on was tough, but once we were all suited up, we jumped into our lesson. The instructors taught the kids and me how to float, propel ourselves forward, swim in unison and wave our fins. The highlight of the class for Z was learning to do a handstand with the fin. It's harder than it looks - the fin is pretty heavy.

At the end of the class, we spent some time free swimming and taking photos, then jumped back in sans fins to swim a bit. It's amazing how much easier it is to swim with full use of your limbs.

All the kiddos left the class with a magical glitter memento, and I promptly printed up photos so Z could tell her friends about it at show and tell.

It was super adorable, and is sure to make some memories. This was a reward for Z, and would be a great birthday gift if you're like us and definitely don't need another toy.

Check out the video! It really was as cute as it looks.