Learn To Swim Programs
Swim Lesson Descriptions (printable)
Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture Aquatics Division is excited to offer swimming instruction to individuals from infant through adult. Classes are offered throughout the year at the Indoor Aquatic Center and Outdoor Aquatic Center. Classes are taught by certified American Red Cross Water Safety Instructors.
All of the levels contain age/level appropriate safety skills. To complete a level, the participant must be able to complete all skills and exit skills assessments.
Parent-Child (6 month to 3 years): The foundation of this American Red Cross class is a set of basic skills that prepare young children to be comfortable in the water. This course will not make your child an independent swimmer, but it will prepare him/her to enter the Learn-to-Swim Program. Skills learned include getting adjusted to the water environment; showing comfort on both their front and back positions with assistance; submerging with assistance; and changing body positions in the water.
Aqua Tots (Ages 3-4 years): This class bridges the Parent/Child class to the Learn-to-Swim Program and is designed for preschool age children who have never been in a swim class but are ready to hold on to the wall and be in the pool without a parent. This class focuses on the fundamentals of freestyle and floating. In order to move to the next class, students must be comfortable putting their faces in the water for 3 or more seconds.
Preschool (Ages 4 years old): Preschool Aquatics teaches age-appropriate water and safety skills in a positive, logical progression beginning with fundamental water safety and aquatic skills. Skills learned in this level are the same fundamental skills that are taught in levels 1 and 2 of the Learn-to-Swim program. These skills include independent water entry, front and back glides, and combined arm and leg actions in the water. Children are required to stay in the Preschool program until they turn 5 years of age.
Level 1 (Ages 5-6 years): This introductory course develops comfort in the water and independent entry and exists in the pool Skills learned include blowing bubbles; getting the head and face wet; floating on front and back with support then recovering to a standing position; and both alternating and simultaneous arm and leg motion on front and back.
Level 2 (Ages 5-7 years): Participants combine the skills developed in Level 1 to master the fundamental skills necessary for basic swim strokes. Skills learned include unsupported front and back floats with recovery to a standing position; front and back glides; and combined arm and leg actions on front and back.
Level 3 (Ages 5-12 years): Young swimmers are introduced to basic swim strokes and other fundamentals of swimming. Skills learned include survival and back floats, treading water for 30 seconds, and swimming on front for 3-5 body lengths.
Level 4 (Ages 6-13 years): Participants improve on swimming skills and increase endurance on strokes learned in previous levels, including front and elementary backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke with scissor kick, and the butterfly. Skills learned include head first entries, survival swimming, and treading water using 2 kicks.
Level 5 (Ages 6-13 years): This higher-level course focuses on increased endurance, coordination, and refinement of all strokes, including the front crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, back crawl, butterfly, sidestroke and flip turns.
Level 6 (Ages 6-13 years): . Proficient swimmers refine their stroke in order to swim with more ease, efficiency, power and smoothness over greater distances. Various sections of Level 6 focus on other aquatic activities, including Personal Water Safety, Diving, and Fitness Swimming. Each option is designed to prepare the students to participate in other advanced aquatic courses.
Junior Swim (Ages 9-16 years):This course is designed for those who feel too old for a traditional learn-to-swim class but would like to learn the basic swimming skills needed to safely enjoy the water.
Adults (Ages 14 years and Up): This swim program is geared toward the achievement of individual participant goals. For some that may mean personal water safety; for others it may be learning to swim the basic strokes to be used for fitness swimming. Individual needs are discussed at the beginning of class.
Adults 2 (Ages 14 years and Up):14 years and up. This advanced adult course is targeted to those who already have basic swimming skills but want to improve their endurance and stroke proficiency for fitness swimming or triathlon competition.
Adaptive: Class for mentally handicapped and physically disabled youth and adults.