Parent & Child Aquatics (Level 1 &2)

DESCRIPTION: Parent and Child Aquatics Level 1 introduces you and your child to basic skills. As parents, you learn how to safely work with your child in the water, including how to appropriately support and hold your child in the water and how to prepare and encourage your child to participate fully and try the skills. In addition, you are introduced to several water safety topics. Your child receives an introduction to basic skills that lay a foundation for learning to swim. Milestones for successful completion of this course include: 

• Feel comfortable in the water. 

• Enter and exit the water safely. 

• Explore breath control and submerging. 

• Explore floating on the front and back. 

• Change body position in the water. 

• Play safely in the water. 

• Experience wearing a life jacket. 

Parent & Child Aquatics (Level 2)

** This course builds upon skills learning in Parent & Child Aquatics, Level 1 

DESCRIPTION: Parent and Child Aquatics Level 2 continues to expose you and your child to basic skills. As parents, you continue to learn how to safely work with your child in the water, including how to appropriately support and hold your child in the water and how to prepare and encourage your child to participate fully and try the skills. In addition, you are introduced to several water safety topics. Your child receives an introduction to basic skills that lay a foundation for learning to swim. Milestones for successful completion of this course include: 

• Learn more ways to enter and exit the water safely. 

• Retrieve objects below the surface and submerged objects with eyes opened. 

• Glide on the front and back. 

• Change body position in the water. 

• Explore combined arm and leg actions to begin experiencing swimming.

Preschool Aquatics (Level 1) 

DESCRIPTION: In Preschool Aquatics Level 1, your child is introduced to basic skills. These skills lay the foundation for developing water competency and the future skill development of swimming strokes. In addition, your child starts to develop positive attitudes and safe practices around the water. Milestones for successful completion of this course include: 

○ Entering the water independently using ramp, steps or 

○ side and travel at least 5 yards. 

○ Submerging mouth and blowing bubbles for at least 3 seconds. 

○ Exiting the water safely. 

○ Gliding on front for at least 2 body lengths with support. 

○ Rolling to back and floating for 3 seconds with support. 

○ Recovering to a vertical position with support. 

Preschool Aquatics (Level 2) 

**This course builds upon skills learning in Preschool Aquatics, Level 1

DESCRIPTION: This level continues laying the foundation for developing water competency and further skill development. Preschool Aquatics Level 2 marks the beginning of independent aquatic locomotion skills. Children continue to explore using simultaneous and alternating arm and leg actions on the front and back to gain greater proficiency in preparation for performing strokes. Milestones for successful completion of this course include: 

○ Continue to build skills necessary for 

○ water competency. 

○ Learn to float with assistance. 

○ Learn to recover to a vertical position. 

○ Explore combined arm and leg actions 

○ on the front and back. 

○ Learn more self-help and basic rescue skills. 

Learn to Swim (Level 1) Introduction to Water Skills

DESCRIPTION: In Level 1 - Introduction to Water Skills, your child is introduced to basic skills as the foundation for future skills and the development of water competency (the basic minimum skills needed for water safety). Milestones for successful completion of this course include:

○ Entering the water independently using the ramp, steps or side. 

○ Traveling at least 5 yards, bobbing 5 times and then safely exiting the water. 

○ Opening eyes underwater and retrieving submerged object. 

○ Gliding on front with assistance at least 2 body lengths. 

○ Rolling to a back float for 5 seconds with assistance. 

○ Recovering to a vertical position with assistance. 

○ Combined arm and leg actions on front and back with assistance. 

○ Alternating and simultaneous arm and leg actions on front and back with assistance. 

Learn to Swim (Level 2) Fundamental Aquatic Skills 

**This course builds upon skills learning in Learn to Swim, Level 1

DESCRIPTION: Level 2—Fundamental Aquatic Skills builds on skills learned in Level 1. Your child begins to perform skills at a slightly more advanced level and begins gaining rudimentary propulsive skills on both the front and the back. This level marks the beginning of independent aquatic locomotion skills. 

○ Stepping from the side into chest-deep water. 

○ Fully submerging and holding breath. 

○ Pushing off the bottom, moving into a treading or floating position for at least 15 seconds, swimming on front and/or back for 5 body lengths and then exiting the water. 

○ Moving into a back float for 15 seconds, rolling to front and then recovering to a vertical position. 

○ Pushing off and swimming using combined arm and leg actions on front for 5 body lengths, rolling to back, floating for 15 seconds, rolling to the front and then continue swimming for 5 body lengths.

Learn to Swim (Level 3) Stroke Development

**This course builds upon skills learning in Learn to Swim, Level 2

DESCRIPTION: Level 3 —By now your child is starting to gain some substantial swimming and water safety skills. But there is still a long way to go. American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim is made up of six levels of swimming and water safety instruction. As participants progress through the levels and develop these skills, they become better and safer swimmers.

○ Jumping into deep water from the side.

○ Swimming the front crawl for 15 yards.

○ Maintaining position by treading or floating for 30 seconds.

○ Swimming the elementary backstroke for 15 yards.