Orients young children ages six months to three years to the water. Parents and children practice various skills to prepare children for Toddler classes. This class is designed for children ages 6 months to 3 year of age with the aid of an adult.

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This class is designed for children 3 to 4 years of age. They will be introduced to the water and begin working on the fundamental skills.

All skills are performed with instructor assistance.

• Entering and exiting independently, using either the ladder, steps or side.
• Front and back gliding and back floating.
• Submerging face and blowing bubbles with mouth.
• Opening eyes under water to retrieve submerged objects.
• Rolling from front to back and back to front.
• Treading with arm and hand actions.
• Using leg and arm actions on front and back.
  
  

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This class is designed for children 4 to 5 years of age. They will be introduced to the water and begin working on the fundamental skills.

All skills are performed with instructor assistance.

• Enter water by stepping in from the deck or low height
• Exit water using ladder, steps or side
• Bobbing, 5 times
• Opening eyes under water to retrieve submerged objects.
• Front glide, at least 2 body lengths
• Front float, 3 seconds
• Back glide, at least 2 body lengths
• Rolling from front to back and back to front
• Tread water using arm & leg actions with assistance, at least 15 seconds
• Combined arm and leg actions on front with assistance, at least 3 body lengths
• Finning arm action on back, at least 3 body lengths
• Combined arm and leg actions on back, with assistance

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Participants must be at least 5 years of age by the first class date in order to take Level 1 or above American Red Cross certified swimming lessons.

INTRO TO WATER SKILLS — Helps participants feel comfortable in the water.

• Entering independently using either the ladder, steps or side, traveling at least 5 yards, bobbing, then safely exiting the water.
• Gliding on front, rolling to a back float, and recovering to a vertical position.
• Blowing bubbles through mouth and nose.
• Opening eyes under water to retrieve submerged objects.
• Front and back gliding.
• Recovering from a front and back glide to a vertical position.
• Rolling from front to back and back to front.
• Treading using arm and hand actions.
• Alternating and using simultaneous leg and arm actions on front and back.
• Combining arm and leg actions on front and back.

FUNDAMENTAL AQUATIC SKILLS —  Gives participants success with fundamental skills.

• Stepping from side into chest-deep water, pushing off the bottom, moving into a treading or floating position, swimming on front and/or back, then exiting the water using ladder, steps or side.
• Moving into a back float, rolling to front, then recovering to a vertical position.
• Pushing off and swimming using combined arm and leg actions on front, rolling to back, floating, rolling to the front, and then continuing swimming.
• Entering water by stepping or jumping from the side.
• Fully submerging and holding breath.
• Bobbing.
• Opening eyes under water to retrieve submerged objects.
• Tuck, Jellyfish, Back, and Front floating.
• Rotary breathing.
• Front and back gliding and recovering to a vertical position.
• Rolling from front to back and back to front.
• Changing direction of travel while swimming on front or back.
• Treading using arm and leg actions.
• Using combined arm and leg actions on front and back.
• Finning arm action on back.

STROKE DEVELOPMENT —  This class is designed for children 7 years of age or older.  Builds on the skills in Level 2 through additional guided practice in deeper waters.

• Jumping into deep water from the side, recovering to the surface, maintaining position by treading or floating, rotating one full turn, and then turning as necessary to orient to the exit point, leveling
• off, swimming front crawl and/or elementary backstroke, and then exiting the water.
• Pushing off in a streamlined position, then swimming front crawl, changing position and direction as necessary, swimming elementary backstroke, and then exiting the water.
• Entering headfirst from the side in a sitting and kneeling position.
• Bobbing while moving toward safety.
• Rotary breathing.
• Survival floating on front, back floating, and treading water.
• Pushing off in a streamlined position on front then begin flutter kicking.
• Pushing off in a streamlined position on front then begin dolphin kicking.
• Scissors, flutter, breaststroke, and dolphin kicking.

STROKE IMPROVEMENT — Develops confidence in the skills learned and improves other aquatic skills.

• Performing a feet-first entry into deep water, swimming front crawl, changing direction and position as necessary and swimming elementary backstroke.
• Swimming breaststroke, changing direction and position as necessary and swimming back crawl.
• Submerging and swimming underwater without hyperventilation, returning to the surface, then exiting the water.
• Entering headfirst from the side in a compact position and stride position.
• Feet-first surface diving, submerging completely.
• Survival swimming.
• Treading water using 2 different kicks (modified scissors, modified breaststroke or rotary).
• Butterfly and sidestroke swimming.
• Pushing off in a streamlined position on back and begin flutter kicking.
• Pushing off in a streamlined position on back and begin dolphin kicking.
• Open turning on the front and back.

STROKE REFINEMENT — Provides further coordination and refinement of strokes

• Performing a shallow-angle dive into deep water, swimming front crawl, changing direction and position of travel as necessary and swimming elementary backstroke.
• Swimming breaststroke, changing direction and position of travel as necessary and swimming back crawl.
• Shallow-angle diving, gliding, and beginning any front stroke.
• Tuck and pike surface diving, submerging completely.
• Front flip and Backstroke flip turning while swimming.
• Treading water.
• Swimming the butterfly, sidestroke, and skulling.
  
   

SWIMMING AND SKILL PROFICIENCY — Refines the strokes so participants swim them with ease, efficiency, power, and smoothness over greater distances.

• Swim 500 yards continuously using any 3 strokes of your choice, swimming at least 50 yards of each stroke.
• Swimming the front crawl, elementary backstroke, back crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke, and butterfly.
• Front crawl and backstroke open turning while swimming.
• Front and backstroke flip turning while swimming.
• Sidestroke, butterfly, and breaststroke turning while swimming.
• Surface diving to retrieve object from the bottom.

Note: Additional exit assessments are required, depending on the course option selected.

The adult classes provide participants with a safe and comfortable environment to feel safe in and around the water and to learn the fundamentals of swimming.