Level 1 Swimmer - Tadpoles

Parent and Infant Aquatics (6 months-18 months): In the Tadpole class, parents will learn basic water safety skills and proper holding techniques to adjust their infants to the pool in an environment that encourages social interaction and fun. Infants learn water entry/exit and develop swimming skills such as blowing bubbles, water submersion, kicking, and floating.

Target Age Group: 6 months - 14 months
Child Ability: The child has little or no experience in a pool environment.

Prerequisites for Swim Level

1. Parent or guardian participation is helpful in the water.
2. Child must be at least six months old.
3. Child must wear a County approved swim diaper to enter the water (NOTE: disposable swim diapers do not meet the County's requirements).

Primary Focus of Class

SWIMtasticnyc Level 1 Tadpoles course is designed for infants to begin the process of learning basic water safety skills to help them become comfortable and relaxed in a swimming pool environment. Parents will be introduced to a variety of teaching principles such as proper holding techniques, safe water entry/exit, breathing control and water buoyancy. This course will assist both the parent and the infant by introducing a number of critical water safety skills and encouraging social interaction and fun.

Swimming Skills Taught

1. Water Adjustment, Balance & Buoyancy
2. Safe Water Entry/Exit
3. Water Exploration and Submersion
4. Assisted Front Glide & Back Float
5. Water Survival Skills - Assisted Rollovers with Instructor or Parent
6. Water Safety Techniques for parents to educate their child

Goals for Swim Level

1. Child is comfortable in the pool water with parent or their swim instructor.
2. Child demonstrates breath control by blowing bubbles when asked.
3. Child is capable of grabbing on to the pool edge with parent or instructor assistance.
4. Child is capable of relaxing for a minimum of ten seconds on their back (ears in water) with parent or instructor assistance.
5. Child can perform a front glide off wall or steps with kicks for 3 seconds from instructor to parents.
6. Child is capable of performing back-to-front and front-to-back rollover survival technique with parent or instructor assistance.

Level 2 Swimmer - Minnows

Parent and Toddler Aquatics (18 months- 3 years): The Minnows class teaches parents water safety skills and proper holding techniques to adjust their toddlers to the aquatic environment. The class structure and skill set is similar to the Tadpoles class, but is tailored to the unique needs and increased muscular coordination of toddlers.

Target Age Group: 15 months - 36 months
Child Ability: The child may have some pool experience and meets the minimum age group requirement.

Prerequisite Swim Level

1. Parent or guardian participation is helpful in the water.
2. Child must be at least 15-months old.
3. Child must wear a County approved swim diaper to enter the water (NOTE: disposable swim diapers do not meet the County's requirements).

Primary Focus of Class

This class is designed specifically for toddlers and infants who have participated in SWIMtasticnyc Level 1 Tadpoles swim class. The class structure and skill set is similar to the Level 1 Tadpoles course, but is tailored to the unique child development needs and increased muscular coordination of a young toddler. Parents will learn advanced swimming skills, holding and other water survival techniques to adjust their toddler to the pool that encourages swimming readiness, breath control, balance, buoyancy and propulsion.

Swimming Skills Taught

1. Water Adjustment, Balance & Buoyancy
2. Safe Water Entry/Exit
3. Water Exploration and Submersion
4. Assisted Front Glide & Back Float
5. Water Survival Skills - Assisted Rollovers with Instructor or Parent
6. Water Safety Techniques for parents to educate their child

Goals for Swim Level

1. Child is comfortable in the pool environment.
2. Child demonstrates breath control by blowing bubbles with face fully submerged without assistance.
3. Child is capable of grabbing on to the pool edge and performs monkey walk along the wall for 10-feet unassisted.
4. Child is capable of relaxing for a minimum of 30-seconds on the back (ears in water) with parent or instructor assistance.
5. Child can perform an underwater front glide off wall or steps with kicks for 3 seconds.
6. Child is capable of performing back-to-front and front-to-back rollover survival technique assisted by parent or swim instructor.

Level 3 Swimmer - Frogs

Beginning swimming for children 30 month-3 years: This class is geared towards toddlers that have achieved a large measure of comfort in the water and are almost capable of swimming unassisted. The goal of the class is to facilitate the process of swimming without the parent and introduce skills such as streamlined "superman" arms that students would learn in more advanced classes.

Target Age Group: 24 months - 47 months
Child Ability: This child has a large measure of comfort in the water or meets the minimum age requirement.

Prerequisites for Swim Level

1. Parent participation may be required in the water.
2. Child must be at least 24-months old.
3. If child is not fully potty trained then child must wear a County approved swim diaper to enter the pool water (NOTE: disposable swim diapers do not meet the County's requirements).
4. Children under 36 months will need to be skill evaluated by a SWIMtasticnyc instructor before entering this level.

Primary Focus of Class

The goal of the class is to introduce and prepare the child for independent swimming. Parents participate in the water may be needed while the instructor prepares the child for their next step in becoming an independent swimmer.

Swimming Skills Taught

1. Advanced Water Adjustment, Balance & Buoyancy Skills
2. Assisted Front & Back Glide
3. Back Float
4. Water Survival Skills - Assisted Rollovers with Instructor or Parent
5. FUNdamental Freestyle (Arms Only)
6. Assisted Jump in and Return to the Wall
7. Assisted Elementary Backstroke (Arms Only)

Goals for Swim Level

1. Child is comfortable in the pool environment.
2. Child is capable of performing 3 consecutive bobs under water with bubbles.
3. Child is capable performing the monkey walk and will climb out of the pool unassisted.
4. Child is capable of performing back float with limited assistance for 20-seconds.
5. Child is capable of performing a front glide with kicks and a back glide for 5 seconds.
6. Child must be capable of performing back-to-front and front-to-back rollover survival technique.
7. Child is capable of jumping into pool, swims FUNdamental freestyle to instructor and returns to pool edge to climb out safely.
8. Child is capable of performing the Elementary Backstroke arms with limited assistance.

Level 4 Swimmer - Seahorses

Beginning swimming for children ages 4 years and up: Children in the Seahorses class begin learning to swim independently, learning front and back glides and kicks, front to back rollovers, floating, and retrieving objects. This level serves as a great foundation for children learning to swim.

Target Age Group: 4-years and older
Child Ability: The child must meet the minimum age requirement of four years old.

Prerequisites for Swim Level

1. Child must be at least four years old.
2. If child is not fully potty trained then child must wear a County approved swim diaper to enter the pool water (NOTE: disposable swim diapers do not meet the County's requirements).

Primary Focus of Class

This course is geared designed for the first time swimmer who is learning to swim independently. Instructors focus on building a strong foundation of core swimming skills that will make the child an effective swimmer. The FUNdamental swimming skills will teach the child to have confidence and respect for the water.

Swimming Skills Taught

1. Water Adjustment, Balance & Buoyancy
2. Water Exploration, Object Retrieval and Full Body Submersion
3. Unassisted Front and Back Glide
4. Unassisted Back Float
5. Water Entries, Swimming Back to Wall
6. Water Survival Skills - Unassisted Rollovers Front-to-Back and Back-to-Front Skills
7. Arms for the Elementary Backstroke
8. Arms and Kicks for the FUNdamental Freestyle Stroke

Goals for Swim Level

1. Child is comfortable in the pool water.
2. Child demonstrates breath control by blowing bubbles when asked.
3. Child is capable of relaxing for a minimum of 10 seconds on the back.
4. Child can perform a front glide off wall or steps with kicks for 5 seconds.
5. Child is capable of performing back-to-front and front-to-back rollover survival technique.
6. Child is capable of jumping into pool, swims FUNdamental freestyle to instructor and returns to pool edge to climb out safely.
7. Child is capable of performing the Elementary Backstroke arms with limited assistance.

Level 5 Swimmer - Starfish

Kids build on the skills learned in the Seahorse program and have mastered floating and the front-to-back and back-to-front rollover swimming method. They are introduced to freestyle arm and leg movements, elementary backstroke, and begin to build endurance.

Target Age Group: 4-years and older
Child Ability: The child can swim a short distance with minimal effort, yet the child's form and body coordination for swimming properly is not fully developed.

Prerequisites for Swim Level

1. Child should be at least four years old.
2. Parents will be required to grab and assemble child with the proper size fins prior to class starting.
3. Child must have successfully completed level 4 Seahorses skills.

Primary Focus of Class

The level 5 course focuses on helping the child master the coordination of arm and leg movements for Freestyle and Elementary backstroke. This course also begins to integrate fins to refine and strength the child's swimming ability while developing proper body position.

Swimming Skills Taught

1. Streamline Body Positions and Water Recovery Skills
2. Underwater Swimming and Exploration
3. Flutter Kicks - Front and Back
4. Elementary Back Stroke Kicks - Independently
5. Freestyle - Independently
6. Rhythmic Breathing / Side Breathing
7. Water Safety Techniques - Swimming while fully clothed with shoes

Goals for Swim Level

1. Child is swimming independently and recovers.
2. Child is capable of proper streamline techniques - Front and Back Positions.
3. Child is capable of swimming 6-feet underwater with eyes open.
4. Child is capable of performing proper flutter kicks on front without fins for 15-feet.
5. Child is capable of performing proper flutter kicks on back with fins for 15-feet.
6. Child is capable of performing Elementary Back Stroke Kicks - Independently for 15-feet.
7. Child is capable of performing Freestyle - Independently for 15-feet.
8. Child is capable of performing rhythmic breathing to side 15-feet.
9. Child is able to swim 15-feet fully clothed.

Level 6 Swimmer - Seals

Seals have obtained a significant measure of comfort in the water and are able to swim one width of freestyle across the pool. The class focuses on the coordination of arm and leg movements and developing proper body position while swimming. Students continue freestyle with rollover breathing, review elementary backstroke and are introduced to backstroke and side breathing.

Target Age Group: 4-years and older
Child Ability: The child can swim Freestyle for 15-feet, yet has not mastered rhythmic breathing (side-to-side) properly.

Prerequsite for Swim Level

1. Child must be able to swim 15-feet of Freestyle and Elementary Backstroke.

Primary Focus of Class

The level 6 Seals swim course is designed to develop the child into a more efficient swimmer by coordinating the arms, legs, breathing and body position. The child will refine Freestyle with rhythmic breathing and learn Backstroke. The child will be introduced to Breaststroke.

Swimming Skills Taught

1. Treading Water
2. Streamline Below Water
3. Rhythmic Breathing Coordination / Side Breathing performed with Freestyle
4. Backstroke Arm Positioning - Independently
5. Breaststroke Kicks - Independently

Goals for Swim Level

1. Child is capable of treading water independently for 30-seconds.
2. Child is capable of proper streamline below the water.
3. Child is capable of performing Freestyle with rhythmic breathing for 40-feet.
4. Child is capable of performing Backstroke - Independently for 40-feet.
5. Child is capable of performing Breaststroke with kicks for 20-feet.

Level 7 Swimmer - Sharks

Sharks can successfully swim half the length of the pool and can swim freestyle and backstroke independently. The class will focus on refining these two strokes, as well as introducing sidestroke.

Target Age Group: 4-years and older
Child Ability: The child can demonstrate Freestyle with rhythmic breathing and Backstroke for 40-feet and Breaststroke propulsion kick.

Prerequisites for Swim Level

1. Child must be able to swim Freestyle with rhythmic breathing and Backstroke for 40-feet.
2. Child must be able to demonstrating the proper leg position for breast stroke for 20-feet.

Primary Focus of Class

The level 7 course is designed to develope Breastsroke and refine Freestyle and Backstroke learned in previous levels. In addition the children will learn sidestroke and an introduction to butterfly kick.

Swimming Skills Taught

1. Breaststroke - Arms, Legs, Breathing and Body Position
2. Sidestroke - Arms, Legs and Body Position
3. Butterfly kick - Legs and Body Positioning
4. Freestyle Endurance
5. Backstroke Endurance
6. Open Turn With Underwater Streamline

Goals for Swim Level

1. Child is able to swim coordinated Breaststroke for 40-feet.
2. Child is able to swim Freestyle with rhythmic breathing for 80-feet.
3. Child is able to swim Backstroke for 80-feet.
4. Child is able to swim Sidestroke for 40-feet.
5. Child is able to kick butterfly with fins for 25-feet.
6. Child demonstrates open turns with underwater streamline.

Level 8 Swimmer - Stingrays

Students in the Stingray class are able to swim one width of freestyle with sidestroke and backstroke unassisted. In this level, swimmers are focused on refining these strokes and are introduced to basic breaststroke and butterfly arms and kicks. Swimmers are also introduced to USS Swimming Rules and open turns. Instructors work with children on proper execution, strength, and endurance.

Target Age Group: 4-years and older
Child Ability: A child can swim Freestyle and Backstroke for 80-feet, Breaststroke and Sidestroke for 40-feet.

Prerequisites for Swim Level

1. Child must be able to swim Freestyle for 80-feet.
2. Child must be able to swim Backstroke for 80-feet.
3. Child must be able to swim Breaststroke for 40-feet.
4. Child must be able to swim Sidestroke for 40-feet.

Primary Focus of Class

The level 8 course is designed to refine and strengthen each swimming stroke. The child will learn proper starting, turns, and breathing techniques to decrease time and ability for performing the stroke effectively.

Swimming Skills Taught

1. Mastery of Freestyle
2. Mastery of Back Stroke
3. Mastery of Breast Stroke
4. Mastery of Butterfly Stroke
5. Mastery Skills for Treading Water