Swim Level Description

CLASS PLACEMENT GUIDE FOR AMERICAN RED CROSS SWIM LESSONS
The following guide has been prepared to assist parents in placing their youngsters in the proper class for the "Learn to Swim Program" for their level of aquatic ability. Your child will be tested at the beginning and end of each session. In order to receive the Red Cross card your child will need to attend the final testing and pass the test for the completed level.

Level 1 SWIM - Introduction to Water Skills: Helps participants feel comfortable in the water. Skills learned include: enter & exit water using side, ladder & steps), Blowing bubbles (nose and mouth), bobbing, opening eyes under water retrieving objects, front and back glides, back float, recover to vertical position, roll from front to back and back to front, tread water using arm and hand action, alternating and simultaneous arm and leg action (front & back)

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Level 2 SWIM - Fundamental Aquatic Skills: Gives participants success with the fundamental skills: Skills learned include: enter water by stepping or jumping, exit water (ladder steps & side), fully submerge holding breath, bobbing, front jellyfish and tuck floats, front and back glides and back float, recover to vertical, roll over from front to back and back to front, change direction of travel while swimming on front and back, treading water using arm and leg actions, combined arm and leg action on front and back, finning on back.

Level 3 SWIM - Stroke Development: Builds on skills with practice in deeper water. Skills learned include: enter by jumping in, head first entry (sitting & kneeling), bobbing to safety, rotary breathing, survival float, back float, change from vertical to horizontal positions (front & back), tread water, flutter, dolphin, and scissors kicks, front crawl & elementary back strokes.
Level 4 SWIM - Stroke Improvement: Develops confidence and improves skills. Skills learned include: headfirst entries from side in compact and stride positions, swim under water, feet first 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.

Level 5 SWIM - Stroke Refinement: Provides further coordination and refinement of strokes. Skills learned include: shallow-angle dive from the side, tread water, tuck and pike surface dives, submerge completely, front flip turn and backstroke flip turn while swimming, front and back crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke, and butterfly, and standard scull

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Level 6 SWIM - Swimming & Skill Proficiency: Refines strokes so participants swim with ease. Level 6 features menu options to prepare participants for advanced activities, including water safety instructor course, competitive swimming or diving. These menu options include: fitness swimmer, personal water safety, and fundamentals of diving.

Intro to Competitive Swimming: Designed to teach children who have an interest in swimming competitively in the future. It is designed primarily for the younger 5-8 year olds. Will not teach them to swim but rather teach better stroke mechanics for freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly. They should be able to swim one lap of the pool without stopping.

Please Note: All our swim lessons are group lessons with limited amount of one on one instruction. Although Red Cross recommends instructors to be in the water most of the time for only levels 1 & 2. Our instructors do spend a fair amount of time in the water for level 3, but not for levels 4, 5, 6.