Course Descriptions, Prerequisites, and Objectives
Accompanied Child
30 minutes
Teaches safe behaviors around the water and develops swimming readiness by leading parents and their children in water exploration activities with the objective of having fun and becoming comfortable on and around water.
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Level 1
Student Teacher Ratio: 1:8
Course Prerequisites: No skill prerequisites; Child must be at least 6 months old to enroll; Parent or other caregiver must accompany each child into the water and participate in each class.
Learning Objectives:
Provides experiences and activities for children so they—
• Learn to ask for permission before entering the water.
• Learn how to enter and exit the water safely.
• Feel comfortable in the water.
• Practice blowing bubbles.
• Explore submerging to the mouth, nose and eyes and completely.
• Explore buoyancy on the front and back position.
• Change body position in the water.
• Learn how to safely play in the water.
• Experience wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
• Plus age-appropriate water safety topics.
Level 2
Student Teacher Ratio: 1:8
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Course Prerequisites: It is recommended that Child has completed Parent & Child (Level 1) or have permission of instructor to participate. Child should be between 18 months and 4 years old to enroll; Parent or other caregiver must accompany each child into the water and participate in each class.
Learning Objectives:
Builds upon the skills learned in Parent & Child (Level 1) and provides experiences and activities for children so they—
• Understand the need for adult supervision around water.
• Learn more ways to enter and exit the water safely.
• Explore submerging in a rhythmic pattern.
• Glide on the front and back with assistance.
• Perform a rudimentary stroke using combined arm and leg actions on front and back with assistance.
• Change body position in the water.
• Experience wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket in the water.
• Plus age-appropriate water safety topics.
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Preschool Aquatics
45 minutes
Aims to promote the developmentally appropriate learning of fundamental water safety and aquatics skills by young children. Red Cross Preschool Aquatics teaches aquatic and safety skills in a logical progression through three levels of courses.
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Beginner
Student Teacher Ratio: 1:5
Course Objectives: Orients children to the aquatic environment and helps them gain basic aquatic skills.
Course Prerequisites: No skill prerequisites; Child must be between 3 year and 5 years old to enroll and be fully potty-trained.
Learning Objectives:
• Enter and exit water using ladder, steps or side
• Blow bubbles through mouth and nose
• Submerge mouth, nose and eyes
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
• Front and back glides
• Recover from a front glide to a vertical position
• Back float and recover to a vertical position
• Roll from front to back and back to front
• Tread with arm and hand actions
• Alternating and simultaneous leg actions on front and back
• Alternating and simultaneous arm actions on front and back
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
• Plus age-appropriate water safety topics
Intermediate
Student Teacher Ratio: 1:5
Course Objectives: Builds on the basic aquatic skills and water safety skills and concepts learned in Beginner.
Course Prerequisites: Child must have successfully completed Beginner Preschool or have instructor permission to participate (They should be comfortable getting their face wet and be able to swim independently with the support of our floatation devices and/or noodle); Child must be between 3 year and 5 years old to enroll.
Learning Objectives:
• Enter water by stepping in
• Exit water using ladder, steps or side
• Bobbing
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
• Front and back floats and glides
• Recover from a front and back float or glide to a vertical position
• Roll from front to back and back to front
• Tread water using arm and leg actions
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
• Finning arm action on back
• Plus age-appropriate water safety topics
Advanced
Student Teacher Ratio: 1:5
Course Objectives: Builds on skills learned in Intermediate. Participants are able to perform basic aquatic skills with greater proficiency for longer distances and times. Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be ready to enter the Learn to Swim Level 3 program.
Course Prerequisites: Child must have successfully completed Intermediate Preschool or have instructor permission to participate (They should be able to swim able to swim independently without the support of our floatation devices and/or noodle); Child must be between 3 year and 5 years old to enroll.
Learning Objectives:
• Enter water by jumping in
• Fully submerge and hold breath
• Bobbing
• Rotary breathing
• Front, jellyfish and tuck floats
• Recover from a front and back float or glide to a vertical position
• Back float and glide
• Change direction of travel while swimming on front or back
• Tread water using arm and leg actions
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
• Finning arm action on back
• Plus age-appropriate water safety topics
Learn-to-Swim
45 minutes
Designed to provide school-age children and young teens with a positive, developmentally appropriate aquatic learning experience, Red Cross Learn-to-Swim courses consist of a logical, six-level progression.
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Level 1- Introduction to Water Skills
Student Teacher Ratio: 1:5
Level Objective: Designed to orient participants to the aquatic environment and to help them gain basic aquatic skills. Participants may use our flotation device and/or a noodle if needed for support in the water.
Level Prerequisites: Must be six (6) years of age by the last scheduled lesson
Learning Objectives:
• Enter and exit water using ladder, steps or side
• Blow bubbles through mouth and nose
• Bobbing
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
• Front and back glides and floats
• Recover to vertical position
• Roll from front to back and back to front
• Tread water using arm and hand actions
• Alternating and simultaneous leg actions on front and back
• Alternating and simultaneous arm actions on front and back
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
• Plus age-appropriate water safety topics
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Level 2 - Fundamental Aquatic Skills
Student Teacher Ratio: 1:5
Level Objective: Builds on basic aquatic skills and water safety skills and concepts learned in Level 1. This level marks the beginning of independent aquatic locomotion skills. They do not use flotation devices at this level; only a noodle if needed, for support.
Level Prerequisites: Learn-to-Swim Level 1 Certificate or demonstrate all completion requirements in Level 1
Learning Objectives:
• Enter and exit water by stepping or jumping from the side
• Fully submerge and hold breath
• Bobbing
• Rotary breathing
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
• Front, jellyfish and tuck floats
• Front and back glides and floats
• Recover to vertical position
• Roll from front to back and back to front
• Change direction of travel while swimming on front or back
• Tread water using arm and leg actions
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
• Finning arm action
• Plus age-appropriate water safety topics
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Level 3 - Stroke Development
Student Teacher Ratio: 1:5
Level Objective: Builds on the skills in Level 2 through additional guided practice in deeper water.
Level Prerequisites: Learn-to-Swim Level 2 Certificate or demonstrate all completion requirements in Level 2. (They should be able to swim rudimentary stroke of combined arm and leg actions on both front and back for length of the pool.)
Learning Objectives:
• Enter water by jumping from the side, fully submerging and recovery
• Headfirst entries from the side in sitting and kneeling positions
• Bobbing while moving toward safety
• Rotary breathing
• Survival float
• Back float
• Change from vertical to horizontal position on front and back
• Tread water
• Flutter and dolphin kicks on front
• Scissors and breaststroke kicks
• Front crawl and elementary backstroke
• Plus age-appropriate water safety topics
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Level 4 - Stroke Improvement
Student Teacher Ratio: 1:5
Level Objective: Seeks to improve participants’ proficiency in performing the strokes that were introduced in Level 3. Participants perform these strokes with increased proficiency and are able to swim them for greater distances.
Level Prerequisites: Learn-to-Swim Level 3 certificate or demonstrate all completion requirements in Level 3. (They should be comfortable swimming a length of the pool on both front and back as well as know front crawl with rotary breathing.)
Learning Objectives:
• Headfirst entries from the side in compact and stride positions
• Swim under water
• Feetfirst surface dive
• Survival swimming
• Front crawl and backstroke open turns
• Tread water using 2 different kicks
• Front and back crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke and butterfly
• Flutter and dolphin kicks on back
• Plus age-appropriate water safety topics
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