Dive into Fun: Unpacking Youth Swim Lesson Levels in Northampton, MA

Parent and Child:

Recommended for children aged 18 months – 3 years

• For parents and their children engaging together in preparation for preschool lessons. This course is crafted to foster a sense of comfort in the water for both parent and child.
• Fundamental skills are introduced with a focus on creating an enjoyable atmosphere that keeps children eager for more! Activities include kicking while seated on the pool’s edge, gentle floating, blowing bubbles with their face in the water, rolling from front to back, reaching, and pulling.
• Children who are not fully potty trained must wear a swim diaper.

Preschool/Pre-Lessons:

• Preschool children acquire basic swimming skills through songs, games, and playful activities. The focus of this course is to ensure that children feel at ease in the water and receive an introduction to our swim lesson program.
• Skills emphasized in this segment include: using flotation devices, entering and exiting the water safely and on their own, understanding water safety, blowing bubbles, submerging mouth/nose/eyes, comfort in front and back positions, flutter kick, and front crawl arm motions.

Beginner Level 1:

• This class begins at the foundational level and serves as an ideal introduction to swim lessons for beginners.
• Skills targeted in this level encompass: using flotation devices, safely entering and exiting the water independently, grasping water safety principles, blowing bubbles, submersion of mouth/nose and eyes, floating and gliding on front and back, flutter kick in both positions, front crawl arm techniques featuring an introduction to rotary breathing (rhythmic breathing), and elementary backstroke.

Beginner Level 2:

Recommended for swimmers aged 5+ who can swim 10 yards independently in both front and back positions.

• This class continues from the skills acquired in Beginner Level 1. Children will have more opportunities for independent swimming and begin to focus on stroke development.
• Skills learned in this segment include; underwater exploration, an introduction to deep-end swimming, flutter kick in both front and back positions, front crawl, back crawl, and elementary backstroke, all while reviewing and improving upon skills learned in Level 1.

Intermediate Level 3:

Recommended for swimmers who can swim 15 yards in both front crawl and back crawl.

• This class is a continuation of the skills developed in Beginner Level 2. Children will swim independently while working on their stroke development.
• Skills targeted in this level include; underwater exploration involving retrieval of items from various depths, front crawl with rotary breathing, elementary backstroke, introduction to diving techniques encompassing sitting, kneeling, and standing dives, introductory breaststroke kick, and water safety practices.

Intermediate Level 4:

Recommended for swimmers who can swim 25 yards in both front and back crawl. Swimmers should feel at ease in deep water. The focus will remain on stroke development while building endurance.

• Skills incorporated in this level include; refinement of front crawl with rotary breathing, breaststroke techniques, standing dive practices, underwater exploration which includes retrieval of items from deep water and swimming underwater, treading water, open turns, sidestroke kick, and water safety principles.

Advanced Level 5:

Recommended for swimmers capable of swimming 50 yards in front crawl with rotary breathing, 25 yards in back crawl, and 25 yards in breaststroke.

• Swimmers will enhance their endurance over longer distances while continuing to develop proper stroke techniques.
• Skills taught at this level involve refinement of breaststroke, sidestroke, butterfly techniques, standing dives from the blocks, open turns, and introductory flip turns, as well as tuck and pike surface dives, and water safety protocols.

Pre – Swim Team:

Recommended for swimmers who have successfully acquired the skills taught in Levels 1 – 5.

• Swimmers should be proficient in all four strokes; front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, and butterfly. The goal will be to refine their stroke technique and build endurance to prepare them for future swim team participation.
• Skills acquired in this level include; racing dive from the block, the ability to read and follow a ‘set’, understanding the pool clock, executing front and back flip turns, and refining the four competitive strokes; freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.

Adult:

Recommended Ages – 18+

• This class is tailored for adults (older teens) who wish to boost their confidence and enhance their swimming abilities. The skills covered will be customized according to the individual requirements of the participants.