Parents accompany children in the water, the class introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment through exploration and encourages them to enjoy themselves while learning about the water.

This program is great for summer league swimmers, Country Club swimmers, or children advancing out of swim lessons.  Our concentration will be on the correct stroke form of all four (4) competitive strokes as well as understanding how to use starting blocks.  This program is an “entry point” into our YMCA pathway that leads to the competitive swimming program. There are no swim meets for participants.

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

Stage 2: Students focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water while also continuing to practice how to safely enter and exit in the event of falling into a body of water.

Stage 4: Students in stage 4 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.

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

In Stage 2, 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.

In stage 3, 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 an integrated arm and leg action.