Early Childhood Aquatics

The YMCA helps children safely become aware of the differences between moving through water and on dry land.

 

Parent/Child Swim Classes (6-36 months)

The primary objective is to get both the parent and child comfortable in the water. Classes are designed to allow the child to have fun in the water while the parent guides him or her in orientation and water safety. The child will be exposed to games that use basic movements in the water such as kicking, arm strokes, and breath control.

  • Shrimp (6-8 months): This is an introduction to the aquatic environment for parents and their infants.  Parents are encouraged to develop appropriate expectations for their children’s performance in the water.  They learn basic aquatic safety and have a positive experience with their children that can help them grow closer.
  • Kipper (9-12 months): This level continues to provide positive aquatic experiences for parents and infants.  The infants learn basic water skills and have fun playing with toys and flotation devices.  Parents review and learn more about basic aquatic safety.
  • Inia (13-18 months): Children do more independent exploration of the aquatic environment with help from parents.  The parents again review and learn additional information about aquatic safety.  The program provides opportunities for parent-child teams to socialize with each other.
  • Perch (19-36 months): Children start moving more independently through the water under their parents’ guidance.  Parents learn more about aquatic and boating safety, and children begin to learn something about these topics as well.  At this point the instructor begins to prepare the children to work directly with an instructor on their own.

 

Preschool Swim Classes (3-5 years)

This is a child’s first experience in the pool without parental assistance.  The children are taught the basic skills that are the building blocks of swimming.  They also learn about pool safety, boating safety, and the use of personal flotation devices.

  • Pike: At this level, children usually begin attending classes without their parents.  This level helps children develop safe pool behavior, adjust to the water, and develop independent movement in the water.  It is designed for new swimmers, teaching basic paddle stroke and kicking skills, pool safety, and comfort in holding their faces in the water while blowing bubbles and swimming.
  • Eel: This advanced beginner level reinforces Pike skills.  It is for children who are comfortable in the water.  They are taught to flutter kick, dive, float, and perform the progressive paddle stroke.  Children can swim across the pool without assistance by the end of this level.
  • Ray: At this level children review previous skills, improve stroke skills, build endurance by swimming on their front and back, and learn to tread water and perform more progressive diving skills.  Children can swim across the pool on their front and back without assistance by the end of this level.
  • Starfish: Children at this level review previously learned skills and refine their crawl and back strokes and floating skills.  They also learn underwater swimming skills.  Children can swim the length of the pool on the front and back at the end of this level.