Swim Lesson Stage Descriptions
The YMCA categorizes each level of swimming instruction into Stages of competency. Below are summaries of the skills covered in each Stage and Benchmark Skills, which are visible skills instructors hope to help your student achieve at that level.
Group Lessons
This type of Swim Lesson is structured in a group setting, typically featuring a Swim Instructor that works with between 4 and 6 students, depending on the age group. Skills are explained, demonstrated, and practiced either as a group or individually, one at a time.
INFANT/TODDLER
These are Parent/Child participatory classes, where the parent will be in the water and maintain control of their child at all times. This structure is a great bonding opportunity and a safe and healthy way to introduce your child to the water! Students must be between the ages of 6 months - 3 years old.
Stage A: Water Discovery
Description: Introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment.
Benchmark Skills: parent & child enter and exit the water together.
Stage B: Water Exploration
Description: Focuses on exploring body positions, blowing bubbles, and fundamental safety and aquatic skills.
Benchmark Skills: child enters and exits with assistance.
PRESCHOOL
These are student-only classes, where the parent/guardian will be required to observe from the pool deck while the class is in session. Each location will use the shallow end of its pool or have structures that create shallow sections of its pool. Students must be between the ages of 3-5 years old.
Stage 1: Preschool
Description: Increases comfort with underwater exploration and introduce basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance.
Benchmark Skills: jump, push, turn, grab wall assisted. Swim, float, swim assisted - 10 ft.
Register Now (filter results by adding the child's age to the filter section)
Stage 2: Preschool
Description: Encourages forward movement in the water and basic self-rescue skills performed independently.
Benchmark Skills: jump, push, turn, grab. Swim, float, swim - 5 yds.
Register Now (filter results by adding the child's age to the filter section)
Stage 1&2: Preschool
Description: Increases comfort with underwater exploration and introduce basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance. It also encourages forward movement in the water and basic self-rescue skills performed independently.
Benchmark Skills: jump, push, turn, grab. Swim, float, swim - 5 yds.
Register Now (filter results by adding the child's age to the filter section)
Stage 3: Preschool
Description: Develops intermediate self-rescue skills performed at longer distances than in previous stages.
Benchmark Skills: jump, swim, turn, swim, grab - 10 yds. Swim, float, swim - 15 yd.
Register Now (filter results by adding the child's age to the filter section)
Stage 4: Preschool
Description: Introduces basic stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl and reinforces water safety through treading water and elementary backstroke.
Benchmark Skills: endurance training, 25 yds. of any stroke or combination of strokes.
Register Now (filter results by adding the child's age to the filter section)
Stage 3&4: Preschool
Description: Develops intermediate self-rescue skills performed at longer distances than in previous stages. Introduces basic stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl and reinforces water safety through treading water and elementary backstroke.
Benchmark Skills: endurance training, 25 yds. any stroke or combination of strokes.
Register Now (filter results by adding the child's age to the filter section)
SCHOOL AGE
These are student-only classes, where the parent/guardian will be required to be somewhere in the facility while the class is in session. Each location will use an appropriate section of its pool depending on the Stage of the course. Students must be between the ages of 5-12 years old.
Stage 1: School Age
Description: Increases comfort with underwater exploration and introduce basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance.
Benchmark Skills: jump, push, turn, grab assisted. Swim, float, swim assisted - 10 ft.
Register Now (filter results by adding the child's age to the filter section)
Stage 2: School Age
Description: Encourages forward movement in the water and basic self-rescue skills performed independently.
Benchmark Skills: jump, push, turn, grab. Swim, float, swim - 5 yds.
Register Now (filter results by adding the child's age to the filter section)
Stage 1&2: School Age
Description: Increases comfort with underwater exploration and introduce basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance. It also encourages forward movement in the water and basic self-rescue skills performed independently.
Benchmark Skills: jump, push, turn, grab. Swim, float, swim - 5 yds.
Register Now (filter results by adding the child's age to the filter section)
Stage 3: School Age
Description: Develops intermediate self-rescue skills performed at longer distances than in previous stages.
Benchmark Skills: jump, swim, turn, swim, grab - 10 yds. Swim, float, swim - 15 yd.
Register Now (filter results by adding the child's age to the filter section)
Stage 4: School Age
Description: Introduces basic stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl and reinforces water safety through treading water and elementary backstroke.
Benchmark Skills: endurance training, 25 yds. any stroke or combination of strokes.
Stage 3&4: School Age
Description: Develops intermediate self-rescue skills performed at longer distances than in previous stages. Introduces basic stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl and reinforces water safety through treading water and elementary backstroke.
Benchmark Skills: endurance training, 25 yds. any stroke or combination of strokes.
Stage 5: School Age
Description: Introduces breaststroke and butterfly and reinforces water safety through treading water and sidestroke.
Benchmark Skills: endurance training, 50 yds. any stroke or combination of strokes.
Stage 6: School Age
Description: Refines stroke technique on all major competitive strokes and encourages swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Benchmark Skills: endurance training, 150 yds. any stroke or combination of strokes.
Stage 5&6: School Age
Description: Introduces breaststroke and butterfly and reinforces water safety through treading water and sidestroke. Refines stroke technique on all major competitive strokes and encourages swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Benchmark Skills: endurance training, 150 yds. any stroke or combination of strokes.
Competitive Swimming
All Competitive Swimming groups focus on drills that enhance and improve swimmers' skills to a level that continues to exceed their personal best and, in some cases, exceed the personal best of others. Participants have either completed all Stages of Lessons at the YMCA or scheduled a tryout to prove a strong knowledge and ability of the Benchmark Skills in all Stages of Group Lessons at the YMCA. Students must be between the ages of 6-17 years old.
Swim Club
Develop stroke techniques on all major competitive styles. Learn about competitive swimming. Discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle.
Swim Team
This group of advanced youth swimmers is very comfortable with all four competitive strokes. Swimmers refine strokes and learn racing skills like starts and flip turns.
Private Swim Lessons
Private swim lessons provide individual instruction, enhance personal abilities, and improve stroke technique, endurance, and strength. Classes are taught according to your ability and skill level. Each lesson is 45 minutes.
Final Note
If you are still unsure about which swim activity would be appropriate for your child, rest assured the first class of every session is an assessment day. If the instructor determines your child needs to complete a different Stage, they will advise you on which Stage would be more appropriate to their current level.
If a Program Transfer is needed, please submit a ticket below.