Learn-to-Swim Levels and Skills
Water Exploration
Ages 6 – 36 months: Accompanied by an adult o Relax and enjoy the water through the use of songs, games and activities Water Tots - *Previous participation in Water Exploration is required.
Ages 2 – 4 years: Accompanied by an adult o Have fun and learn basic swimming skills. The final two lessons break out into smaller groups to work on parent-child independence
1. Guppies: *Must be at least 2 ½ years old to participate in Guppies.
Safety Skills: Always ask permission before getting in the water.
Swim Skills: Assisted submersion, relaxed, for five seconds; then come up to breathe.
Demonstrates: independence from parent/guardian, safely participates in class, sits on wall or holds onto wall, takes turns , listens to instructor and comprehends, submerges mouth, nose, & eyes in water, blows bubbles, goes underwater (not forced), relaxes in a front float with assistance, relaxes in a back float with assistance, front glide with assistance, back glide with assistance, and jumps to instructor in shallow water (4ft) with assistance.
2. Minnows:
Safety Skills: Put on lifejacket, float on back, kick to blue line.
Swim Skills: jump in, submerge, recover for air, roll on back (kicking and finning) for five seconds.
Demonstrates: safely entering and exiting the water independently, follows directions from instructor, goes under water by themselves (3-5 BOBs), blows bubbles under water, practices straight leg kicking on front and back, paddles arms through water with support (beginning Freestyle), front floats with less support (5 seconds), back floats with less support (5 seconds), front glides with partial support, back glides with partial support, goes underwater and retrieves ring (from stairs), and jumps to instructor in shallow water (4ft) independently.
3. Jellyfish:
Safety Skills: use flotation to help someone who is in trouble in the water (reach or throw, don't go) and know how to call emergency services.
Swim Skills: jump in, submerge, recover for air, kick and pull forward on front or back, change direction and return to wall, using swim-roll-swim to breathe.
Demonstrates: submerges independently (5-7 bobs without holding nose), masters straight leg kicks (flutter) on front, masters straight leg kicks (flutter) on back, floats on front independently (5 seconds), floats on back independently (5 seconds), front glides off wall at surface (face in water), back glides off wall at surface (arms at side), freestyle (3 strokes) (paddles arms through water independently with face in and straight leg kicks; able to take breath & continue swimming with 3 more strokes), demonstrates Backstroke arms, demonstrates Elementary Backstroke arms, jumps off side in deep water (8ft) and returns to surface and side independently.
4. Seahorse:
Safety Skills: tread water for 15 seconds.
Swim Skills: jump in, recover to side glide, kick to blue line. Side glide with kick (both sides assisted & unassisted), front streamline with kick, then roll to side to rest and breathe (both sides assisted & unassisted), roll from side glide, to front streamline, to side glide.
Demonstrates: side breathing on wall or with kick board, performs Freestyle with side breathing and correct technique (5-7 strokes), Backstroke (5-7 strokes), demonstrates Elementary Backstroke kicks, performs Elementary Backstroke arms, and kicks (5-7 cycles), performs sitting dive.
5. Lionfish:
Safety Skills: use float and tread water for 30 seconds.
Swim Skills: start in side glide, swim overarm pulls with kick to blue line with 1-2-3- breathe pattern. Performs Freestyle with side breathing (to blue line). Performs Backstroke (to blue line). Performs Elementary Backstroke (to blue line).
Demonstrates: Breaststroke arms, Breaststroke kicks (to blue line), performs Breaststroke with arms & kicks (to blue line), demonstrates Butterfly kicks and body motion (to blue line), and dives safely (head first entry).
