Swim Lessons

Parent & Child Swim Lessons

Stage A: Water Discovery | Parent & Child Swim Lessons

Parents/guardians accompany children, encouraging them to enjoy themselves while learning about the water.

• Blow Bubbles on surface, assisted
• Front Tow chin in water, assisted
• Water Exit parent & child together
• Water Entry parent & child together
• Back Float assisted, head on shoulder
• Roll assisted
• Front Float chin in water, assisted
• Back Tow assisted, head on shoulder
• Wall Grab assisted

Stage B: Water Exploration | Parent & Child Swim Lessons

Parents/guardians work with their children to explore body positions and fundamental safety and aquatic skills.

• Blow Bubbles mouth and nose submerged, assisted
• Front Tow blow bubbles, assisted
• Water Exit assisted
• Water Entry assisted
• Back Float assisted, head on chest
• Roll assisted
• Front Float blow bubbles, assisted
• Back Tow assisted, head on chest
• Monkey Crawl assisted, on edge, 5 ft.

Preschool Swim Lessons (Ages 3-5)

Stage 1: Water Acclimation | Preschool Swim Lessons

Develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water.

• Submerge bob independently
• Front glide assisted, to wall, 5 ft.
• Water exit independently
• Jump, push, turn, grab assisted
• Back glide assisted, at wall, 5 ft.
• Front float assisted, 10 secs., recover independently
• Swim, float, swim assisted, 10 ft.
• Back float assisted, 10 secs., recover independently
• Roll assisted, back to front & front to back

Stage 2: Water Movement | Preschool Swim Lessons

Focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water.

• Submerge look at object on bottom
• Front glide 5 ft.
• Jump, push, turn, grab
• Front float 10 secs.
• Roll back to front & front to back, float 10 secs.
• Tread water 10 secs., near wall, & exit
• Back glide 5 ft.
• Swim, float, swim 5 yd.

Stage 3: Water Stamina | Preschool Swim Lessons

Learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than in previous stages. Also introduces integrated arm and leg action.

• Submerge Retrieve object in chest-deep water
• Swim on Front 10 yd.
• Water Exit independently
• Jump, Swim, Turn, Swim, Grab 10 yd.
• Swim on Back 10 yd.
• Tread Water 30 secs. & exit
• Swim, Float, Swim 15 yd.

Stage 4: Stroke Introduction | Preschool Swim Lessons

Develop stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl and learn the breaststroke kick and butterfly kick.

• Endurance any stroke or combination of strokes, 25 yd.
• Front Crawl rotary breathing, 15 yd.
• Back Crawl 15 yd.
• Dive sitting
• Resting Stroke elementary backstroke, 15 yd.
• Tread Water scissor & whip kick, 1 min.
• Breaststroke kick, 15 yd.
• Butterfly kick, 15 yd.

School Age Swim Lessons (Ages 5-12)

Stage 1: Water Acclimation | School Age Swim Lessons

Develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water.

• Submerge bob independently
• Front glide assisted, to wall, 5 ft.
• Water exit independently
• Jump, push, turn, grab assisted
• Back glide assisted, at wall, 5 ft.
• Front float assisted, 10 secs., recover independently
• Swim, float, swim assisted, 10 ft.
• Back float assisted, 10 secs., recover independently
• Roll assisted, back to front & front to back

Stage 2: Water Movement | School Age Swim Lessons

Focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water.

• Submerge look at object on bottom
• Front glide 10 ft.
• Water exit independently
• Jump, push, turn, grab
• Front float 20 secs.
• Roll back to front & front to back Back float 20 secs.
• Tread water 10 secs., near wall, & exit
• Back glide 10 ft.
• Swim, float, swim 5 yd.

Stage 3: Water Stamina | School Age Swim Lessons

Learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than in previous stages. Also introduces integrated arm and leg action.

• Submerge Retrieve object in chest-deep water
• Swim on Front 15 yd.
• Water Exit independently
• Jump, Swim, Turn, Swim, Grab 10 yd.
• Swim on Back 15 yd.
• Roll
• Tread Water 1 min. & exit
• Swim, Float, Swim 25 yd.

Stage 4: Stroke Introduction | School Age Swim Lessons

Develop stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl and learn the breaststroke kick and butterfly kick.

• Endurance any stroke or combination of strokes, 25 yd.
• Front Crawl rotary breathing, 15 yd.
• Back Crawl 15 yd.
• Dive sitting
• Resting Stroke elementary backstroke, 15 yd.
• Tread Water scissor & whip kick, 1 min.
• Breaststroke kick, 15 yd.
• Butterfly kick, 15 yd.

Stage 5: Stroke Development | School Age Swim Lessons

Work on stroke technique and learn all major competitive strokes with the addition of water safety by learning new treading techniques and sidestroke.

• Endurance any stroke or combination of strokes, 50 yd.
• Front Crawl bent-arm recovery, 25 yd.
• Back Crawl pull, 25 yd.
• Dive kneeling
• Resting Stroke sidestroke, 25 yd.
• Tread Water scissor & whip kick, 2 mins.
• Breaststroke 25 yd.
• Butterfly simultaneous arm action & kick, 15 yd.

Stage 6: Stroke Mechanics | School Age Swim Lessons

Refine stroke technique on all major competitive strokes, learn about competitive swimming, and incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle.

• Endurance any stroke or combination of strokes, 150 yd.
• Front Crawl flip turn, 50 yd.
• Back Crawl pull & flip turn, 50 yd.
• Dive standing
• Resting Stroke elementary backstroke or sidestroke, 50 yd.
• Tread Water retrieve object off bottom, tread 1 min.
• Breaststroke open turn, 50 yd.
• Butterfly 25 yd.

Teen & Adult

Private or Group Lessons ages 13+ | Teen & Adult

Whether you are two or 92, the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati can help you learn to swim. The Y offers swim lessons for children, adults, and those with special needs. For over 130 years, the Y has been a pioneer in swimming education. Low student-to-instructor ratio help individuals learn to swim and feel a sense of achievement from mastering a new life-long skill.

Private Lessons

Private Lessons

Private or semi-private swim lessons allow the participant to work at a personalized level to achieve swim goals. Private swim lessons are good way to help swimmers focus on a particular skill, or to help overcome a fear of the water. Private swim lessons are available by appointment only.
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Adapted Swim Lessons

Ages 3 & Up | Adapted Swim Lessons

This is a course designed for those who have a disability. The class provides special attention that may be difficult to get in a group lesson. Individual or small group lessons are provided by both paid and volunteer staff. Instruction is based on the needs of the participant.