Life Skills That Start in the Water
Our YMCA Swim Lesson programs promote children’s health and safety while encouraging parent participation in teaching valuable life skills. YMCA Swim Lessons stress positive values and give children the opportunity to practice them — promoting growth in self-esteem and self-worth while they have a great time. From the very first splash to competitive stroke refinement, we have a class for every age and every ability level.
Find the Right Program
Our swim lesson programs are organized into four levels — from infants and toddlers in the water for the first time to experienced swimmers building advanced stroke technique. Each level builds on the last, creating confident, capable swimmers for life.
Parent & Child
Swim Starters (Ages 6 months–3 years)
Accompanied by an adult, infants and toddlers learn to be comfortable in the water and develop swim readiness skills through fun, confidence-building experiences — while parents learn about water safety, drowning prevention, and the importance of supervision around water. Stage A: Water Discovery (Ages 6 months–1 year) — Skills include blowing bubbles, front and back tow with assistance, water entry and exit, front and back float with assistance, and roll with assistance. Stage B: Water Exploration (Ages 1–2 years) — Same foundational skills with increasing independence. Water Discovery and Water Exploration classes may be taught together. Formerly Goldfish. Stage C: Water Independence (Ages 2–3 years) — Skills include independent submersion, front and back float and glide with assistance, assisted roll, and jump in with assistance. Child must be able to stand in the shallow end at 2’6″. Formerly Sunfish.
Preschool
Swim Basics & Swim Strokes (Ages 3–5 years)
Recommended skills for all to have around water. Students learn personal water safety and achieve basic swimming competency by learning two benchmark skills: Swim-Float-Swim and Jump, Push, Turn, Grab. Stage 1: Water Acclimation — Develop comfort with underwater exploration; learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water. Stage 2: Water Movement — Focus on body position and control, directional change and forward movement, and how to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water. Stage 3: Water Stamina — Learn to swim to safety from a longer distance; introduction to rhythmic breathing; integrated arm and leg action. Stage 4: Stroke Introduction — Stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl; breaststroke kick and butterfly kick; treading water; elementary backstroke.
School Age
Swim Basics & Swim Strokes (Ages 6–12 years)
Students begin by mastering the fundamentals, then learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique — developing skills that prevent chronic disease, increase social-emotional and cognitive well-being, and foster a lifetime of physical activity. Stage 1: Water Acclimation — Develop comfort with underwater exploration; learn to safely exit the water. Stage 2: Water Movement — Body position and control, directional change and forward movement, safe water exit. Stage 3: Water Stamina — Swim to safety from a longer distance; rhythmic breathing; integrated arm and leg action. Stage 4: Stroke Introduction — Front crawl and back crawl technique; breaststroke and butterfly kicks; treading water; elementary backstroke. Stage 5: Stroke Development — All major competitive strokes; treading water; sidestroke. Stage 6: Stroke Mechanics — Refined technique on all major competitive strokes; introduction to competitive swimming; swimming as a healthy lifestyle practice.
Swim Specialty
Swimmers who love the water and want further instruction for future aquatics activities enjoy participating in our Specialty Programs — focused on leadership, competition, and recreation. Competition — Aquatic Conditioning & Swim Team 101: Learn more about competitive swimming. Leadership — Jr. Lifeguard Program: Start learning the skills needed to become a lifeguard. Recreation — Endurance Sports & Games: Try advanced water activities including snorkeling, rescue, and lifeguard skills.
Why Y Swim Lessons?
More than swimming — YMCA swim lessons build the whole child.
Water Safety First
Every level of Y swim lessons is grounded in personal water safety skills. We teach children how to be safe in and around water from their very first class.
Structured Progression
Our lesson stages are carefully designed so each skill builds on the last. Children advance when they’re ready — not before — building true confidence in the water.
Positive Values
YMCA Swim Lessons reinforce the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. Kids don’t just learn to swim — they grow as individuals.
Parent Partnership
Especially in our youngest classes, parents are partners in the learning process. We help families understand how to continue building water safety skills at home.
For Every Age & Ability
From 6-month-old beginners to school-age competitive swimmers, we have a class designed specifically for your child’s stage of development.
Not Sure Which Class Is Right?
Use our Swim Lesson Selector to find the right level for your child. If you still have questions, our aquatics staff is happy to help — just stop by Member Services at any Y location.
