School Age Swim Lessons
School Age (age 5 & up) Swim Lessons
The goal of school-age swim lessons is to provide positive and developmentally appropriate learning experiences while building on skills. Caregivers should take into consideration their child’s comfort in the water, readiness for small group lessons, and ability to progress through a 30-minute lesson. Additionally, swimmers will receive training in basic water safety and emergency situations. Caretakers should reference the exit skills of the levels to help determine appropriate level placement.
Level: | Purpose: | Prerequisites: | Swimmer characteristics at this level: | Exit assessment skills: If your child can complete the skills in this column they are ready for the next level. |
School Age Level 1: Beginner (Indoors at The Essex Resort & Spa) | To begin developing positive attitudes, good swimming habits, and safe practices in and around the water starts. | Starts at 6 years of age | -Beginner swimmers with very little experience who are comfortable attending a class without their caregiver. -Swimmers may be uneasy or unsure in new situations or transitions. | WITH ASSISTANCE: -Enter independently, using either ramp, steps, or side, travel at least 5 yards, bob 5 times then safely exit the water (Participants can walk, move along the gutter, or “swim”). -Glide on front at least 2 body lengths, roll to a back float for 5 seconds, and recover to a vertical position. (This part of the assessment can be performed with assistance). |
(Indoors at The Essex Resort & Spa) School Age Level 2: Beginner (Outdoors at Sand Hill Pool) | To give participants success with fundamental skills, including learning how to float without support and to recover to a vertical position. | Completion of Level 1 OR successful demonstration of all level 1 exit skills. | -Successfully demonstrate the exit skills assessments from School Age Level 1. -Swimmers who are ready to work on floating and swimming without assistance or support. | -Step from the side into chest-deep water, push off the bottom, move into a treading or floating position for at least 15 seconds, and swim on front and/or back for 5 body lengths, then exit the water. -Move into a back float for 15 seconds, roll to front then recover to a vertical position. -Push off and swim using combined arm and leg actions on front for 5 body lengths, roll to back, float for 15 seconds, roll to the front then continue swimming for at least 5 body lengths |
(Indoors at The Essex Resort & Spa) School Age Level 3: Intermediate (Outdoors at Sand Hill Pool) | To build on the skills in Level 2 by providing additional guided practice in deep water. Stroke Development. | Completion of Level 2 OR successful demonstration of all level 2 exit skills. | -Successfully demonstrate the exit skills assessments from School Age Level 2. -Swimmers who have mastered floating and are ready to begin learning strokes. | -Jump into deep water from the side, recover to the surface, maintain position by treading or floating for 60 seconds, rotate one full turn then turn as necessary to orient to the exit point, level off, swim front crawl, and/or elementary backstroke for 25 yards then exit the water. -Push off in a streamlined position then swim front crawl for 15 yards, change position and direction as necessary, swim 15 yards elementary backstroke then exit the water. |
School Age Level 4: Intermediate (Indoors at The Essex Resort & Spa) | To develop the child’s confidence in strokes learned in Level 3 and to improve other aquatic skills. Stroke Improvement. | Completion of Level 3 OR successful demonstration of all level 3 exit skills. | -Successfully demonstrate the exit skills assessments from School Age Level 3. -Swimmers are able to swim front crawl/elementary backstroke for 15-25 yards. -Swimmers who continue to improve the efficiency and accuracy of their stroke technique. -Swimmers who are comfortable in deep water. | -Perform feet first entry into deep water, swim front crawl for 25 yards, change direction and position as necessary and swim elementary backstroke for 25 yards. -Swim breaststroke for 25 yards, change direction and position as necessary, and swim back crawl for 15 yards. -Submerge and swim a distance of 3-5 body lengths underwater without hyperventilation, return to the surface then exit the water. |
(Indoors at The Essex Resort & Spa) | To further learn how to coordinate and refine strokes. | Completion of Level 4 OR successful demonstration of all level 4 exit skills | -Successfully demonstrate the exit skills assessments from School Age Level 4. -Swimmers can swim front crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly for a minimum of 15 yards. -Swimmers are comfortable with feet first entry into the water. -Swimmers are comfortable submerging and swimming underwater short distances. | -Perform a shallow-angle dive into deep water at least 9 feet deep, swim front crawl for 50 yards, then swim elementary backstroke for 50 yards. Participants should change the direction and position of travel as necessary using appropriate and efficient turning styles throughout. -Swim breaststroke for 50 yards, change direction of travel as necessary and then swim backcrawl for 25 yards using appropriate and efficient turning styles throughout. |
(Indoors at The Essex Resort & Spa) | To further learn how to coordinate and refine strokes. Advance options: -Personal Water Safety -Fundamentals of Diving -Fitness Swimmer | Completion of Level 5 OR successful demonstration of all level 5 exit skills | -Successfully demonstrate the exit skills assessments from School Age Level 5. -Swimmers can surface dive and tread water. -Swimmers have refined their strokes and are ready to work on their endurance. | -Swim 500 yards continuously using any 3 strokes of your choice, swimming at least 50 yards of each stroke. |