Swim Lessons

Level 1

This course is intended to make children comfortable in the water while laying the foundation for safe swimming practices: Outcomes include:

•    Familiarizing children between the ages of 6 months and approximately 3 years with the water and teach swimming readiness skills
•    Providing safety information for parents and teach techniques parents can use to orient their children to the water

Prerequisites
•    NO skill prerequisites
•    Children must be at least 6 months old
•    Parents must accompany children to each class

Level 2

This course is intended to build upon the skills gained during the Level 1 course while moving forward with higher-level skills and continued safety education. Outcomes include:

•    Improving skills learned in Parent and Child Aquatics Level 1 and teach more advanced skills
•    Continuing to build on water safety knowledge

Prerequisites
•    Comfort level with skills taught in Parent and Child Aquatics Level 1
•    Parents must accompany children to each class

Level 1

This course is intended to promote confidence in children as they begin solo swimming, while also re-enforcing the importance of aquatics safety. Outcomes include:

• Familiarizing children approximately 4 and 5 years old to the aquatic environment and help them acquire rudimentary basic aquatic skills
• Helping participants begin to develop positive attitudes and safe practices in and around water

Prerequisites

• NO skill prerequisites
• Children should be approximately 4 years old or older

Level 2

This course is intended to build upon the skills gained during the Level 1 course while moving forward with higher-level skills and continued safety education. Outcomes include:

• Building on and improve skills learned in Preschool Aquatics Level 1
• Increasing knowledge of water safety topics introduced in Preschool Aquatics Level 1

Prerequisites

• Successful demonstration of the Preschool Aquatics Level 1 exit skills assessment

Level 3

This course is intended to build upon the skills gained during the Level 2 course while moving forward with higher-level skills and continued safety education. Outcomes include:

• Increase proficiency and build on the basic aquatic skills learned in Preschool Aquatics Levels 1 and 2
• Reinforce water safety concepts and skills introduced in earlier levels and introduce additional water safety topics

Prerequisites

• Successful demonstration of the Preschool Aquatics Level 2 exit skills assessment

Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills

This course is intended to promote the learning of basic water skills while helping participants create a positive, safety-focused mindset around the water. Outcomes include:

• Orienting participants to the aquatic environment and help them gain basic aquatic skills
• Helping participants begin to develop positive attitudes and safe practices around water

Prerequisites

• NO skill prerequisites
• Participants usually start at about 6 years of age

Level 2: Fundamental Aquatic Skills

This course is intended to build upon the skills gained during the Level 1 course while moving forward with higher-level skills and continued safety education. Outcomes include:

• Building on the basic aquatic skills and water safety skills and concepts learned in Level 1

Prerequisites

• Successful demonstration of the Learn-to-Swim Level 1 exit skills assessment

Level 3: Stroke Development

This course is intended to build upon the skills gained during the Level 1 and Level 2 courses while moving forward with higher-level skills and continued safety education. Outcomes include:

• Building on the skills learned in Levels 1 and 2 to help participants achieve basic water competency in a pool environment

Prerequisites

• Successful demonstration of the Learn-to-Swim Level 2 exit skills assessment

Level 4: Stroke Improvement

This course is intended to build upon the skills gained during the Levels 1-3 courses while moving forward with higher-level skills and continued safety education. Outcomes include:

• Improving participants’ proficiency in performing the swimming strokes that were introduced in Level 3

Prerequisites

• Successful demonstration of the Learn-to-Swim Level 3 exit skills assessment

Level 5: Stroke Refinement

This course is intended to build upon the skills gained during the Levels 1-4 courses while moving forward with higher-level skills and continued safety education. Outcomes include:

• Helping participants refine their performance of all six swimming strokes (i.e., front crawl, back crawl, butterfly, breaststroke, elementary backstroke and sidestroke)

Prerequisites

• Successful demonstration of the Learn-to-Swim Level 4 exit skills assessment

Level 6: Swimming and Skill Proficiency—Personal Water Safety

This course is intended to build upon the skills gained during the Levels 1-5 courses while moving forward with higher-level skills and continued safety education. Outcomes include:

• Refining strokes so participants swim them with greater efficiency and effectiveness over longer distances
• Teaching participants how to prevent aquatic emergencies in various aquatic environments and to introduce and practice self-rescue techniques

Prerequisites

• Successful demonstration of the Learn-to-Swim Level 5 exit skills assessment

Level 6: Swimming and Skill Proficiency—Fundamentals of Diving

This course is intended to build upon the skills gained during the Levels 1-5 courses while moving forward with higher-level skills and continued safety education. Outcomes include:

• Refining strokes so participants swim them with greater efficiency and effectiveness over longer distances
• Teaching participants fundamental springboard diving skills

Prerequisites

• Successful demonstration of the Learn-to-Swim Level 5 exit skills assessment

Level 6: Swimming and Skill Proficiency—Fitness Swimmer

This course is intended to build upon the skills gained during the Levels 1-5 courses while moving forward with higher-level skills and continued safety education. Outcomes include:

• Refining strokes so participants swim them with greater efficiency and effectiveness over longer distances

Prerequisites

• Successful demonstration of the Learn-to-Swim Level 5 exit skills assessment

Instructors will work with all levels of swimmers to increase their comfort and competency in and around water.

For swimmers ages 13 and older who need to improve their stroke, want to enter the world of swimming workouts or to overcome their fear of water.

A Y certified Swim Instructor could be just what you or your child needs to become comfortable in the water. Private swim lessons are designed to fit your specific goals and offer the flexibility that a busy schedule needs. Receive 1:1 instruction or bring a swim buddy for 1:2 instruction.

At the Y, your child’s safety is our top priority—especially when it comes to swimming. That’s why we’re introducing a new Swim Testing & Supervision Policy beginning July 15th, 2025 for all participants under age 16.

Starting now, every swimmer under 16 will receive a wristband that reflects their swim skill level and water access. Tests will be administed by Aquatics personnel QUARTERLY.

Learn More!