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.

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 1-3)
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.

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 5: Stroke Development
Students in this stage are introduced to Breaststroke and Butterfly.  This class reinforces water safety through treading water and sidestroke.

Students in this stage focus on the following important milestones:

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

If your participant can swim front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke across the pool sign up for Stage 6.

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

Please bring a Swimsuit, towel, and goggles (no mask goggles).

Stage 6: Stroke Mechanics
Students in this stage refine their stroke technique on all major competitive strokes and encourages swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Students in this stage focus on the following important milestones:

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

If your participant can swim front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke across the pool and back, sign up for our Aquatic Conditioning Class or reach out to our Swim Team at [email protected]

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

Please bring a Swimsuit, towel, and goggles (no mask goggles).

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

If your participant can swim 15 yards, independently, in both Front and Back Crawl sign up for Stage 5.

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

Please bring a Swimsuit, towel, and goggles (no mask goggles).

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.

Please bring a Swimsuit, towel, and goggles (no mask goggles).

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

If your participant can swim 10-15 yards on his or her front and back sign up for Stage 4.

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

Please bring a Swimsuit, towel, and goggles (no mask goggles).

Stage 3: Water Stamina Pre-K (Ages 3-5)
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

If your participant can swim 10-15 yards on his or her front and back sign up for Stage 4.

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

Please bring a Swimsuit, towel, and goggles (no mask goggles).

Stage 7: Aquatic Conditioning

Aquatic Conditioning is one offering from the competitive pathway students can pursue following YMCA Swimming Lessons.  This program focuses on continuing to build endurance and stroke technique on all major competitive strokes and encourages swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Students will focus on the following important milestones:

• Developing endurance in the competitive strokes
• Developing skills related to competitive swimming, such as flip turns, starts and finishes
• Enhancing skills and building endurance