Parent and Child Aquatics familiarizes children from the ages of 6 months to 3 years to the water and prepares them for American Red Cross Preschool Aquatics courses. This course is not designed to teach children to become good swimmers or survive in the water on their own. Parent and Child Aquatics gives parents safety information and teaches techniques to help orient children to the water. It also provides direction regarding water safety and supervising water activities in a responsible manner. 

In all Parent and Child Aquatics courses, a parent or guardian must be present for each child enrolled to maintain a one-on-one parent to child ratio. In a lower enrolled class, if two parents want to participate with one child that can be allowed on a case-by-case basis. To inquire about this, please contact the Aquatic Coordinator. 

Parent and Child Aquatics introduces basic skills including how to appropriately support and hold children in the water and how to prepare and encourage children to participate fully and try all skills. Children are introduced to basic skills that lay a foundation to help them learn to swim. Several water safety topics are also introduced that are directed to parents.

Schedule: Classes are 30 minutes each, once per week for six weeks.

Fee: $50 (per 6-week session)

Registration details listed above.

American Red Cross Preschool Aquatics, consisting of three levels, is an integral part of the overall Red Cross instructional aquatic and water safety program. The primary objective of Preschool Aquatics is to promote developmentally appropriate learning of fundamental water safety and aquatic skills by young children.

Level 1 – The objectives of Level 1 are to learn the most elementary aquatic skills, the foundation for the participant to continue to build on as their progress through the Preschool Aquatics and Learn-to-Swim levels. Participants are introduced to the water and start developing good attitudes and safe practices around the water.

Level 2 – The objectives of Level 2 are to build on the aquatic skills learned in Level 1 and to gain further successes. Skills from Level 1 are performed at a more advanced degree, but most skills are still performed with assistance. This level marks the beginning of independent aquatic locomotion skills where participants continue to explore using simultaneous and alternating arm and leg actions to gain more proficiency for future strokes.

Level 3 – The objectives of Level 3 are to build on previous skills with adding guided practice of basic aquatic skills at slightly more proficient performance levels and greater distances and times. Skills at this level are performed independently, with emphasis on improving coordination and combined simultaneous arm and leg actions. This level gets participants ready to begin the Learn-to-Swim program.

Schedule: Classes are 30 minutes each, once per week for six weeks.

Fee: $50 (per 6-week session)

Registration details listed above. 

American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim teaches aquatic and personal water safety skills in a logical progression. Participants in Level 1 are orientated to the aquatic environment and gain some basic skills in each category. Throughout the levels, participants build on their basic skills to learn various propulsive movements on the front, back, and side. As the levels increase, participants learn to refine the different strokes and build endurance. Each level includes exit skills assessments that put together many of the skills learned in the level.

Level 1 – Introduction to Water Skills 

The objectives of Level 1 are to learn basic personal water safety information and skills, to help participants feel comfortable in the water and to enjoy the water safely. In Level 1, elementary aquatic skills are taught, with participants focusing on development of positive attitudes, good swimming habits, and safe practices in and around the water.

Level 2 – Fundamental Aquatic Skills 

The objectives of Level 2 are to give participants success with fundamental skills. Participants learn to float without support and to recover to a vertical position. This level marks the beginning of true locomotion skills. Participants will further develop simultaneous and alternating arm and leg actions on the front and back that lay the foundation for future strokes. Additional safety skills and comprehension of previous knowledge will also be a focus.

Level 3 – Stroke Development 

The objective of Level 3 is to build on previously learned skills by providing additional guided practice. Participants learn survival float, the front crawl and elementary backstroke and introduction to the scissors and dolphin kicks as well as building on the fundamentals of treading water. Participants will also learn rules for head first entries and begin them for the first time from the pool side. Participants that successfully complete Level 3 have achieved basic water competency in a pool environment. 

Level 4 – Stroke Improvement 

The objective of Level 4 is to develop participants' confidence in the strokes learned thus far and to improve other aquatic skills. The goal is for participants to improve their skills and increase their endurance by swimming familiar strokes for greater distances. Participants add arms to the scissors kick to do sidestroke, as well as learn the breaststroke, back crawl, and butterfly, and the basics of turning at the wall.

Schedule: Classes are 45 minutes each, once per week for six weeks.

Fee: $60 (per 6-week session)

Registration details listed above. 

The objective of Pre-Competitive is to bridge the gap between swim lessons and competitive swimming. Participants focus on developing proper technique in all four competitive strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly) while building endurance and confidence in the water. Competitive diving progression, open turns, and flip turns are introduced and refined, along with swimming skills that support future swim team participation. Emphasis is placed on stroke efficiency, endurance building, and learning the fundamentals of competitive swimming in a fun and encouraging environment.

Lessons will take place in deep water (Competition Pool and Diving Well) after the first day. 

Schedule: Classes are twice per week for an hour for six weeks.

Fee: $85 (per 6-week session)

Registration details listed above.

The American Red Cross Adult Lesson Program consists of two levels, to cover all ability levels from beginner to advanced. Whether you are just starting out with the basics or looking to advance your training and endurance with your strokes, there is a level for you.

Adult Level 1 – Learning the Basics

This class introduces basic aquatic skills, concepts to stay safe around the water, and introduces elements of the following strokes: front crawl, elementary backstroke, sidestroke, and breaststroke. Other skills focused on include treading water and survival floating. This level is for beginners.

Adult Level 2 – Improving Skills and Swimming Strokes

This class improves participant’s proficiency in basic water skills, all six strokes are focused on in this level: front crawl, back crawl, butterfly, breaststroke, elementary backstroke, and sidestroke. Distance and endurance skills are improved on. Flip turns on the front and back, as well as headfirst entries from the side of the pool are focused on. This level is for intermediate swimmers that feel comfortable in the water.

Schedule: Six lessons, 45 minutes - one instructor for every six participants.

Fee: $60 (per 6-week session)

Registration details listed above.