SCHOOL-AGE AQUATICS

5 years old and up

Provides school-age children and young teens with positive, developmentally appropriate aquatic learning experiences.

LEVEL 1 is designed to orient participants to the aquatic environment and to help them gain basic aquatic skills. In addition, participants start learning about how to be safe around water.

Level 1A - Intro to Water Skills (ages 5+)

Level 1B - Intro to Water Skills (ages 5+)

Level 1Rev - Intro to Water Skills (ages 5+)

LEVEL 2 builds on the basic aquatic skills and water safety skills and concepts learned in Level 1. Participants begin to perform skills at a slightly more advanced level and begin gaining rudimentary propulsive skills on both the front and the back. This level marks the beginning of independent aquatic locomotion skills.

Level 2A - Fundamental Aquatic Skills (ages 5+)

Level 2B - Fundamental Aquatic Skills (ages 5+)

Level 2En - Fundamental Aquatic Skills (ages 5+)

LEVEL 3 builds on the skills learned in Levels 1 and 2. Participants learn to swim the front crawl and elementary backstroke at rudimentary proficiency levels, and are introduced to the scissors and dolphin kicks. Participants learn the survival float and increase the time duration for treading water. Participants also learn the rules for headfirst entries and begin to learn to enter the water headfirst from a seated position at poolside (if the water is 9 feet deep or deeper). On successful completion of Level 3, participants have achieved basic water competency in a pool environment.

Level 3A - Stroke Development (ages 5+)

Level 3B - Stroke Development (ages 5+)

Level 3En - Stroke Development (ages 5+)

Level 3Rev - Stroke Development (ages 5+)

En = endurance: focus is on increasing strength & stamina while improving basic aquatic skills

Rev = review: focus is on reviewing skills, particularly when an extended period of time has passed since the last swim lesson

SCHOOL-AGE AQUATIC SKILLS INTRODUCED INCLUDE

WATER ADJUSTMENT, ENTRY & EXIT
-Pool entry & exit using, steps, side or ladder. Jumping-in in pre-k level 3

BREATH CONTROL AND SUBMERGING

-Blow bubbles

-Fully submerge and hold breath

-Submerge mouth, nose and eyes

-Bobbing

-Bobbing while moving toward safety

-Open eyes underwater and retrieve submerged objects

BUOYANCY ON FRONT

-Front glide

-Streamlining

-Recover from a front glide to a vertical position

-Front float

-Jellyfish float

-Tuck flot

BUOYANCY ON BACK

-Back glide

-Back float

-Recover from a back float or glide to a vertical position

CHANGING DIRECTION and POSITION and TREADING

-Roll from front to back

-Roll from back to front

-Arm and hand treading actions

-Treading water

SWIM ON FRONT

-Alternating leg action on front

-Simultaneous leg action on front

-Alternating arm action on front

-Simultaneous arm action on front

-Combined arm and leg actions on front

1. -Front crawl/freestyle
   

2. -Breaststroke kick
   

3. -Dolphin kick
   

SWIM ON BACK

-Alternating leg action on back

-Simultaneous leg action on back

-Alternating arm action on back

-Simultaneous arm action on back

-Combined arm and leg actions on back

-Finning arm action on back

-Back crawl/backstroke

SWIM ON SIDE

-Scissors kick

WATER SAFETY

-Staying safe around water

-Too much sun is no fun

-Recognizing the lifeguards

-Recognizing an emergency

-How to call for help

-Don’t just pack it, wear your jacket (when appropriate)

-Look Before You Leap

-Reach Or Throw, Don’t Go

-The danger of drains

-Developing breath control safely

-Making good decisions—choosing an exit point

LEVEL 4 - STROKE IMPROVEMENT

6 years old and up

Level 4. Students improve their aquatic skills and increase their endurance by swimming the strokes learned in Level 3 (i.e., front crawl, elementary backstroke) for greater distances and with more advanced proficiency. Participants add arm actions to the previously learned scissors kick and breaststroke kick to perform the rudimentary sidestroke and to learn the breaststroke. Participants also begin to learn the back crawl and butterfly, as well as the basics of performing a simple open turn at a wall.

Level 4A - Stroke Improvement, Open Turns, Diving (ages 6+)

Level 4B - Stroke Improvement, Open Turns, Diving (ages 6+)

Level 4En - Stroke Improvement, Open Turns, Diving (ages 6+)

Level 4Rev - Stroke Improvement, Open Turns, Diving (ages 6+)

*En = endurance: focus is on increasing strength & stamina while improving basic aquatic skills

*Rev = review: focus is on reviewing skills, particularly when an extended period of time has passed since the last swim lesson

LEVEL 5 - STROKE REFINEMENT

7 years old and up

Level 5. Students refine their performance of all six strokes (i.e., front crawl, back crawl, butterfly, breaststroke, elementary backstroke and sidestroke) and increase the distances that they swim. Participants also learn to perform flip turns on the front and back.

Level 5A - Stroke Refinement, Diving (ages 7+)

Level 5B - Stroke Refinement, Diving (ages 7+)

Level 5En - Stroke Refinement, Diving (ages 7+)

Level 5Rev - Stroke Refinement, Diving (ages 7+)

*En = endurance: focus is on increasing strength & stamina while improving basic aquatic skills

*Rev = review: focus is on reviewing skills, particularly when an extended period of time has passed since the last swim lesson

SWIM LESSON LEVEL DESCRIPTIONS

The swim lesson descriptions below are guidelines. Every swim lesson is customized to meet individual needs and moves at the students pace.

What level a student will be in is determined during the first lesson, which is part skills assessment and part lesson.

The focus of the program is to complete the skills in whichever level the student is in during each 16-lesson block (depends on student’s readiness to advance). But, please remember that every individual is unique; some students move quickly through the program, while others need more time to achieve the criteria and confidence in water required to move into the next level.

All skills from a particular level may or may not be completed within the predetermined number of swim lessons. Also, please note that young students do not learn linearly, so different skills from different levels may be taught during a child’s swim lesson.

Participation & cooperation are required in order for there to be progress. This program does not issue completion cards to students based on participation alone.

Submersion (going underwater) is strictly voluntary. For beginner students, going under happens only when they decide they are ready.

Scroll down to read more information on the different swim lesson levels.

LEVEL 6 - PERSONAL WATER SAFETY

7 years old and up

Level 6. Students refine their performance of all six strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, elementary backstroke, sidestroke) and increase the distances that they swim. Additional water safety skills are introduced. The focus is on continuing to refine skills, and preparing participants for other aquatic activities such as recreational swimming for fun & health, snorkeling, or even scuba diving.

Level 6A - Stroke Refinement, Endurance, Water Safety (ages 7+)

Level 6B - Stroke Refinement, Endurance, Water Safety (ages 7+)

Level 6En - Stroke Refinement, Endurance, Water Safety (ages 7+)

Level 6Rev - Stroke Refinement, Endurance, Water Safety (ages 7+)

*En = endurance: focus is on increasing strength & stamina while improving basic aquatic skills

*Rev = review: focus is on reviewing skills, particularly when an extended period of time has passed since the last swim lesson

LEVEL 7 - FITNESS SWIMMER

7 years old and up

The objective of this level is to refine strokes so participants swim them with greater efficiency and effectiveness over longer distances. The focus is on continuing to refine skills, and preparing participants for other aquatic activities such as recreational swimming for fitness & fun, competitive swimming, snorkeling or scuba diving.

SWIM TEAM PREPARATION TRAINING

Bridge Program/Pre Team/Pre Competitive/Continued Learning

7 years old and up. Participants must be able to perform butterfly, backstroke, breast stroke & freestyle swims.

In this program, participants practice and maintain their ability to perform all four competitive strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle) and other swims (elementary backstroke, sidestroke, recreational breaststroke, head-out/lifeguard freestyle) and increase or maintain the distances that they swim. Participants can prepare to join a swim team or continue becoming safer in water.

This program is an extension of swim lessons that offers further development of competitive strokes and water safety skills. Different techniques are offered with the intention of keeping the participant’s interest beyond swim lessons. By further developing competitive strokes and water safety skills, the participant will use different muscle groups, challenge their muscles and cardiovascular system, and will likely become safer in the water.