This program is for children enrolled in B.R. Ryall YMCA full-day summer camp. Start your camper’s day with a splash. Participants will learn water safety, stroke development and swimming techniques in groups based on skill level each camp day.

PLEASE NOTE: These lessons are held in the small pool. One parent must attend and get in the water. Children must wear a swim diaper.

Stage B: Water Exploration (parent with child ages 1-4)
In this stage, parents work with their children to explore body positions, floating, blowing bubbles, and fundamental safety and aquatic skills.

The goals of this stage include the following:

• Encouraging children to move purposefully in the water in response to visual and verbal cues and using toys and flotation devices
• Emphasizing basic aquatic safety to parents
• Building relationships among and between parents and children by providing opportunities for fun and interaction in the water

View our program overview and the required skills for each stage of learning.

Stage 1: Water Acclimation (parent with child ages 1-4)
Students develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water in Stage 1. This stage lays the foundation that allows for a student’s future progress in swimming.

Students in this stage focus on the following:

• Exploring the aquatic environment and personal skills with instructor help
• Developing basic skills to propel and glide through the water with instructor help
• Learning basic aquatic safety and accepting some of the responsibility for safe practices

View our program overview and the required skills for each stage of learning.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When registering, please register under your child’s name, not your own.

Stage 1: Water Acclimation
Students develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water in stage 1. This stage lays the foundation that allows for a student’s future progress in swimming.

Students in this stage focus on the following:

• Exploring the aquatic environment and personal skills with instructor help
• Developing basic skills to propel and glide through the water with instructor help
• Learning basic aquatic safety and accepting some of the responsibility for safe practices

View our program overview and the required skills for each stage of learning.

Stage 2: Water Movement
In this stage, students focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water while also continuing to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water.

Students in this stage focus on the following:

• Exploring the aquatic environment and personal skills without instructor help
• Developing basic skills to propel and glide through the water without instructor help
• Learning basic aquatic and boating safety and accepting some of the responsibility for safe practices

View our program overview and the required skills for each stage of learning.

Stage 3: Water Stamina
In this stage, students learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than in previous stages in the event of falling into a body of water. This stage also introduces rhythmic breathing and integrated arm and leg action.

Students in this stage focus on the following:

• Integrating arm action, leg action, and rhythmic breathing in back and front glides
• Developing forward movement on the front and back
• Practicing skills and safety techniques in deep water

View our program overview and the required skills for each stage of learning.

Stage 4: Stroke Introduction
Students in this stage develop stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl and learn the breaststroke kick and butterfly kick. Water safety is reinforced through treading water and elementary backstroke.

Students in this stage focus on the following:

• Developing the front crawl and back crawl
• Introducing components of the breaststroke and butterfly
• Practicing safety techniques in deep water

View our program overview and the required skills for each stage of learning.

Stage 5: Stroke Development
Students in this stage work on stroke technique and learn all major competitive strokes. The emphasis on water safety continues through treading water and sidestroke.

Students in this stage focus on the following:

• Developing stamina in the front crawl and back crawl
• Developing the breaststroke and butterfly
• Building endurance techniques for deepwater safety

View our program overview and the required skills for each stage of learning.

Stage 6: Stroke Mechanics
In this stage, students refine stroke technique on all major competitive strokes, learn about competitive swimming, and discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle.

Students in this stage focus on the following:

• Developing endurance in the competitive strokes
• Developing skills related to competitive swimming like flip turns
• Enhancing skills and building endurance in deep water

View our program overview and the required skills for each stage of learning.