Learn To Swim Class Descriptions

The following are descriptions of American Red Cross Learn To Swim classes.

Parent & Child

Parents and children (ages 6 months up to 3 years) learn together to increase a child's comfort level in the water and build a foundation of basic skills, such as arm and leg movements and breath control.

Level 1 Introduction to Water Skills

• Enter and exit water safely
• Submerge mouth, nose and eyes
• Exhale underwater through mouth and nose
• Open eyes underwater, pick up submerged object
• Float on front and back Explore arm and hand movements
• Swim on front and back using arm and leg actions
•  Follow basic water safety rules
• Use a life jacket

Level 2 Fundamental Aquatic Skills

• Enter water by stepping or jumping from the side
• Exit water safely using ladder or side
• Submerge entire head
• Open eyes underwater, pick up a submerged object
• Float on front and back
• Perform front and back glide
• Roll over from front to back, back to front
• Swim on side
• Swim on front and back using combined strokes
• Tread water using arm and leg motions
•  Move in the water while wearing a life jacket

Level 3 Stroke Development

• Jump into deep water from the side
• Dive from kneeling or standing position
• Submerge and retrieve an object
• Bob with the head fully submerged
• Use rotary breathing in horizontal position
• Perform front and back glide
• Perform survival float
• Perform front and back crawl
• Butterfly kick and body motion
• Perform the HELP and Huddle position
• Perform a reaching assist Use
• Check-Call-Care in an emergency
•  Change from horizontal to vertical position on front and back

Level 4 Stroke Improvement

• Perform shallow dive or dive from stride position
• Swim underwater
• Perform feet-first surface dive
• Perform open turns on front and back using any stroke
• Tread water using sculling arm motions and kick
• Perform the following:
• Front and back crawl
• Breaststroke
• Butterfly
• Elementary backstroke
• Swim on side using scissors-like kick
•   Use safe diving rules
•   Perform compact jump into water from a height while wearing a life jacket
•   Perform a throwing assist & care for conscious choking victim

Level 5 Stroke Refinement

• Tread water with two different kicks
• Learn survival swimming
• Perform rescue breathing
• Perform the following:
• Standing dive
• Shallow dive, glide two body lengths and begin any front stroke
• Tuck surface dive
• Pike surface dive
• Front flip turn
• Backstroke flip turn
• Front and back crawl
• Butterfly
• Breaststroke
• Elementary backstroke
• Sidestroke