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School-Aged Swim Lessons

These lessons start with water safety and basic swimming competency.  Kids progress to learn about the four competitive swimming strokes.  Once completed, they will have the opportunity to expand their swimming skills with our Pathways program.

 

Ages: Six to Twelve years old
Class length: 30 minutes

Pricing

Rate: $100

YMCA Members do get priority registration. 

Register HERE

As the community's leader in swim instruction, the YMCA delivers swim lessons and water safety instruction to hundreds of children every year, helping swimmers of all ages gain confidence in the water, overcome fears and build skills to last a lifetime. Our instructors are trained in a nationally recognized swim lesson program and a life guard is always on duty.

Swim Lesson Curriculum:

Stage 1: Water Acclimation

In these lessons, students will develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water. This class is for kids who aren’t yet comfortable going underwater voluntarily. In this class, your child will:

  • Bob to submerge in the water
  • Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet with help
  • Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
  • Roll from back to front and front to back with help
  • Jump, push, turn, grab with help
  • Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
  • Exit the water
Stage 2: Water Movement

These lessons focus on body position and control, directional change, forward movement in the water and continue to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water. This class is for kids who aren’t yet able to do a front and back float on their own. In this class, your child will:

  • Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
  • Front and back glide to the wall for 10 feet
  • Front and back float for 20 seconds
  • Roll from back to front and front to back
  • Jump, push, turn, grab
  • Swim, float, swim 5 yards
  • Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
  • Exit the water
Stage 3: Water Stamina

These lessons learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than in previous stages. The class also introduces rhythmic breathing and integrated arm/leg action. This class is for kids who aren’t yet able to swim 10-15 yards on their front and back. In this class, your child will:

  • Retrieve an object in chest-deep water
  • Swim on their front and back for 15 yards
  • Roll from back to front and front to back
  • Jump, push, turn, grab 10 yards
  • Swim, float, swim 25 yards
  • Tread water for 1 minute
  • Exit the water
Stage 4: Stroke Introduction

In these lessons, students learn the front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke kick and butterfly kick. This class is for kids who aren’t yet able to swim 15 yards of front and back crawl. In this class, your child will:

  • Swim the front crawl with rotary breathing for 15 yards
  • Breaststroke kick for 15 yards
  • Butterfly kick for 15 yards
  • Elementary backstroke for 15 yards
  • Dive from a sitting position
  • Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for one minute
  • Swim any combination of strokes for 25 yards
Stage 5: Stroke Development

These lessons introduce breaststroke or butterfly and reinforces water safety through treading water and side stroke.  Students will develop stamina in the front crawl and back crawl, developing the breaststroke and butterfly and building endurance techniques for deep water safety.

  • Front Crawl: bent arm recovery, 25 yards
  • Breaststroke: 25 yards
  • Butterfly: simultaneous arm action and kick, 15 yards
  • Back Crawl: pull, 25 yards
  • Dive: kneeling
  • Resting Stroke: side stroke, 25 yards
  • Tread water: scissor and whip kick, 2  minutes
  • Endurance: any stroke or combination of strokes, 50 yards
Stage 6: Stroke Mechanics

These lessons refine stroke technique on all major competitive strokes and encourages swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle.  Student will focus on developing endurance in competitive strokes, develop skills for competitive swimming like flip turns, and enhance skills and build endurance in deep water.

  • Front Crawl: flip turn, 50 yards
  • Breaststroke: open turn, 50 yards
  • Butterfly: 25 yards
  • Back Crawl: pull and flip turn, 50 yards
  • Dive: standing
  • Resting stroke: elementary backstroke or side stroke, 50 yards
  • Tread water: retrieve object off bottom, tread 1 minute
  • Endurance: any stroke or any combination of strokes, 150 yards

Swim Lessons FAQs:

What if the class I want is full?

We offer waitlists for every swim lesson. You may put your child’s name on the waitlist at no cost.

Calls are made up to the day before classes start if there is an opening or an additional class being added. We do our best to accommodate each student on the waitlists.

Be sure we have your current phone number on file.

How do I determine my child's level?

We offer free swim lesson assessments. To schedule one please email Kaylee. You can also take a look at our swim lesson selector to help aid you in your decision.

What do I need to bring to lessons?

Come already dressed in your swimsuit and please bring your own:

  • Towel
  • Change of clothes
  • Swim Goggles
  • Hair band (if applicable)


For infants and children who are not potty trained we require the use of I-Play swim diapers. We have these available for sale at the front desk if needed.

 

What are the family/special needs locker room rules?

This locker room is available for adults with small children of the opposite gender, (father/ daughter, mother/son), children enrolled in Childcare, people with disabilities and/or needing special accommodations. We provide private showers, changing rooms, bathrooms, special needs accessible shower, changing area and bathroom. An infant changing station and vanity area is also available.

Guidelines:

  • Co-ed
  • Nudity is not allowed in showers or public part of the locker room
  • Shower usage is restricted to one adult with or without children.
  • Cell phone and camera usage is prohibited.