Learn-To-Swim Lessons
The Learn-to-Swim program builds foundational aquatic skills and progresses participants toward independence, stroke development, and lifelong water safety.
Following American Red Cross guidelines, lessons combine skill development, guided practice, repetition, and water safety education in a supportive and engaging environment. Each class is intentionally designed to help participants build confidence, competence, and comfort in the water while developing skills that support safety and lifelong participation in aquatic activities.
Across all levels, swimmers progress from basic water adjustment to coordinated stroke development, endurance, and efficiency while learning to make safe decisions in and around the water.
Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills
Level 1 introduces participants to the aquatic environment and focuses on building comfort, confidence, and foundational skills.
Participants learn basic skills such as safe entry and exit, breath control, submerging, floating, gliding, and simple arm and leg movements on the front and back. Skills are often performed with support while swimmers gain familiarity and confidence in the water
Instruction emphasizes guided exploration, repetition, and positive experiences while introducing essential water safety concepts such as recognizing lifeguards and following safe behaviors.
Level 2: Fundamentals of Aquatic Skills
Level 2 builds on Level 1 and marks the transition toward greater independence and movement in the water.
Participants begin performing skills independently, including floating, gliding, and recovery to a vertical position. Swimmers develop combined and alternating arm and leg actions on the front and back, representing the beginning of true locomotion through the water.
Lessons incorporate engaging and challenging activities that build coordination, confidence, and consistency while reinforcing water safety knowledge and awareness.
Level 3: Stroke Development
Level 3 focuses on developing coordination, endurance, and foundational stroke skills while working toward water competency.
Participants learn front crawl and elementary backstroke at basic proficiency while developing survival skills such as floating, treading water, and returning to a safe position. Skills such as scissor and dolphin kicks, rotary breathing, and headfirst entry progression are introduced
At this level, swimmers work toward water competency—the ability to safely enter deep water, recover to the surface, maintain position by floating or treading water, rotate to orient themselves, and swim approximately 25 yards before exiting safely.
Instruction emphasizes guided practice, repetition, and skill-building activities that support both confidence and independence as swimmers transition from basic skills to coordinated, purposeful movement in the water.
Level 4: Stroke Improvement
Level 4 emphasizes improving stroke technique, coordination, and endurance while expanding proficiency across multiple strokes.
Participants refine previously learned strokes and begin developing back crawl, breaststroke, butterfly, and sidestroke. Swimmers increase distances and improve stroke efficiency and consistency.
Additional skills such as open turns, surface dives, and headfirst entries (in appropriate depth) are introduced, along with continued development of water safety awareness and decision-making.
Level 5: Stroke Refinement
Level 5 focuses on refining all major strokes while increasing endurance, efficiency, and technical consistency.
Participants swim longer distances using front crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, back crawl, and sidestroke while improving stroke quality, body position, and coordination. As endurance increases, swimmers are expected to maintain consistent technique over longer distances, including swimming front crawl and elementary backstroke for up to 50 yards.
Advanced skills such as flip turns, surface dives, and shallow-angle dives are introduced and practiced as swimmers continue to build confidence and control in deeper water.
Instruction emphasizes structured drills, guided practice, and continuous swimming to support endurance and technique development. At this level, expectations increase in both distance and skill performance, helping swimmers build the efficiency and confidence needed for advanced aquatic activities.
Level 6: Swimming & Skill Proficiency - Fitness Swimmer
Level 6 focuses on swimming as a lifelong activity, emphasizing fitness, endurance, and advanced skill proficiency.
Participants refine all strokes while swimming longer distances with increased efficiency, consistency, and control. Instruction introduces principles of fitness swimming, including pacing, interval training, stroke drills, and structured workouts designed to improve overall performance and endurance.
Swimmers build toward high-level endurance by completing continuous swims and applying multiple strokes over longer distances, while also demonstrating turns, efficient movement patterns, and an understanding of training techniques. These experiences help participants develop both physical fitness and the ability to evaluate and improve their own swimming performance.
This level supports the transition from structured lessons to independent swimming for fitness, recreation, and long-term wellness. It also prepares participants for continued involvement in aquatic activities, including advanced training, instruction, or lifeguarding pathways.
Level 6 may be repeated as swimmers continue to build endurance and refine technique, allowing participants to pursue different goals and continue progressing over time.
