YWCA St. Joseph

Red Cross Swim Lesson Levels:

Please look at the skills learned in each level to help place your child in the correct class. These lists are greatly abbreviated versions—additional skills may be needed to pass each level. Private lessons are also available at a variety of days and times. Two levels (such as level 1 and 2) may be combined into one class during some sessions. . Class maximums on Levels 1 & 2 are 4 students. Maximums for all other levels are 6 students. Classes will run with even one student enrolled, but may be cancelled one week before the session starts if there is no enrollment in order to provide more private lesson opportunities. For this reason, we ask that you sign up for classes at least two weeks before the start of the next session. Call us at 232-9099 for private lesson scheduling—many days and times are available.

Parent and Child A or B 

· No prerequisite skills needed—this class provides opportunities to use play to increase water adjustment and swim readiness skills.

· Children must be 6 months of age and with an adult.

· Level A is for students between 6 months and two years of age who have never had lessons or only one session.

· Level B is for students 18 months to two years of age who have had two or more sessions of lessons or for any students two to four years of age.

 

Preschool Aquatics Levels 1, 2 & 3 (combined in one class), ages 4-6

· Similar skills as Level 1, but adapted for preschoolers. If students successfully pass all three levels of preschool aquatics, they can enroll in Level 2 at age 6.

Level 1 —Introduction to Water Skills ages 6+ :  

· Enter and exit using a ladder

· Submerge mouth, nose and eyes

· Exhale (blow bubbles) underwater for 3 seconds

· Open eyes underwater, pick up a submerged

      object held at arms length two times

· Show comfort in a supported back and front float position for 5 seconds

· Roll over from front to back while supported

· Swim five feet on front and back using any arm and leg action while supported

 

Level 2 —Fundamental Aquatic Skills ages 6+:  

· Submerge entire head and do five bobs

· Front float and back float on own for five seconds

· Float with face in the water for five seconds

· Demonstrate a front and back glide

· Tread water in chest deep water

· Swim on own (any arm and leg movements) for 15 feet on both front and back

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Level 3 —Stroke Development:  

· Jump into deep water from the side

· Demonstrate a sitting and kneeling dive

· Demonstrate rotary breathing with body in a horizontal position five times

· Demonstrate a front glide and a back glide using two different kicks

·  Demonstrate front crawl, back crawl and butterfly (kick and  body motion) for 15 feet.

 

Level 4 —Stroke Improvement:   

· Demonstrate a dive on side of pool

· Tread water for one minute

· Swim underwater three body lengths

· Demonstrate front and back crawl for 25 yards

· Demonstrate butterfly, breaststroke and elementary backstroke for 15 yards

 

Level 5 —Stroke Refinement:  

· Demonstrate a shallow dive, glide two body lengths, and begin any front stroke

· Tread water for 2 minutes with two different kicks

· Demonstrate a flip turn from front or back

· Demonstrate front and back crawl for 50 yards

· Demonstrate butterfly, breaststroke, elementary backstroke, and sidestroke for 25 yards.

 

Level 6 — Water Safety or Fitness Swimming:

Develops skills to pass the Red Cross lifeguarding pretest when students reach age 15, or to pursue swimming as a way to stay in shape throughout their lives.

 

Swim Lesson Pricing:

Swim lesson pricing is per lesson, payable a month at a time. Depending on the month, there will be four or five lessons per monthly session.)

 

Group Lessons:

$8 member per lesson

$10 nonmembers

Private Lessons:

$9.50 members

$11.50 nonmembers