Swimming Lesson Skills Taught

• Skills Taught Outline

American Red Cross Parent & Child Aquatics is designed to orient young children (from age 6 months to about 3 years) to the water. It is not designed to teach children to become good swimmers or even to survive in the water on their own. Parent & Child Aquatics gives parents safety information and teaches techniques to help them orient their children in the water.

• Appropriate support while holding child in the water.
• How to prepare and encourage child to participate fully and try the skills.
• Water safety topics
• Adjustment and water exploration
• Choose and use a lifejacket
• Blow bubbles
• Supported front and back float

The objective of Preschool is to help children feel comfortable in the water and to enjoy the water safely. Elementary aquatic skills are taught which children build on as they progress through the Learn to Swim Program.

• Front and Back Movement
• Water Exploration
• Front and Back Float (with support)
• Front and Back Glide (with support)

Exit Skills: Preschool skills can be performed with support.

- Enter independently, using either the ladder, steps or side, travel at least 5 yards, submerge to mouth and blow bubbles for at least 3 seconds then safely exit the water. (Children can walk, move along the gutter or "swim.")
- While in shallow water, glide on front at least 2 body lengths, then roll to back and float on back 3 seconds then recover to a vertical position.

Learn To Swim Level 1 is designed to learn basic personal water safety information and skills, to help participants feel safe and comfortable in the water and to enjoy water safely. In Level 1, participants learn elementary aquatics skills, which they build upon in later levels.

• Front Glide, 2 body lengths
• Back Glide, 2 body lengths
• Roll From Front to Back
• Alternating Arm and Leg Action On Front, 2 body lengths
• Alternating Arm and Leg Action On Back, 2 body lengths

Exit Skills: Level 1 skills can be performed with support.

- Enter independently, using either the ladder, steps or side, travel at least 5 yards, submerge to mouth and blow bubbles for at least 3 seconds then safely exit the water. (Children can walk, move along the gutter or "swim.")
- While in shallow water, glide on front at least 2 body lengths, then roll to back and float on back 3 seconds then recover to a vertical position.

The objective of Level 2 is for participants to gain success with fundamental skills. This level marks the beginning of true locomotion skills. Participants continue to explore simultaneous and alternating arm and leg actions on the front and back to lay the foundation for future skills.

• Fully submerging and holding breath for 5 seconds
• Combined arm and leg actions on front, 5 body lengths
• Combined arm and leg actions on back, 5 body lengths
• Treading using arm and leg action, 15 seconds

Level 2 Exit Skills:

- Step from side into chest-deep water, move into a front float for 5 seconds, roll to back, float for 5 seconds then return to a vertical position.
- Move into a back float for 5 seconds, roll to front then recover to a vertical position.
Push off wall and swim using combined arm and leg actions on front for 5 body lengths, float for 15 seconds, roll to front then continue swimming for 5 body lengths.

The objectives of Level 3 are for participants to learn survival float, the elementary backstroke and to coordinate the front crawl. Participants also learn rules for headfirst entries and begin to learn to enter the water headfirst from the side of the pool.

• Front Crawl, 15 yards
• Elementary Backstroke, 15 yards
• Tread Water, 30 seconds
• Rotary Breathing, 10 times
• Headfirst entry from the side in a kneeling position

Level 3 Exit Skills:

- Jump into deep water from side, swim front crawl for 15 yards, maintain position by treading or floating for 30 seconds and swim elementary backstroke for 15 yeards.

The objectives of Level 4 are to develop confidence in the strokes learned in previous levels and to improve other aquatic skills. Participants improve their skills and increase their endurance by swimming strokes learned in previous levels for a greater distance. The back crawl and the breaststroke are introduced, as well as basics of turning at a wall.

• Front Crawl, 25 yards
• Breaststroke, 15 yards
• Butterfly, 15 yards
• Front Crawl Open Turn
• Backstroke Open Turn

Level 4 Exit Skills:

- Perform a feet-first entry into deep water, swim front crawl for 25 yards, change direction and position as necessary and swim elementary backstroke for 25 yards.
- Swim breaststroke for 15 yards, change direction and position as necessary and swim back crawl for 15 yards.

The objectives of Level 5 are to coordinate and refine strokes. Participants refine their performance of all the strokes and increase their distance. Flip turns on the front and back are also introduced.

• Front flip turn while swimming
• Front Crawl, 50 yards
• Breaststroke, 25 yards
• Butterfly, 25 yards
• Elementary backstroke, 50 yards
• Back Crawl, 25 yards

Level 5 Exit Skills:

- Perform a shallow-angle dive into deep water, swim front crawl for 50 yards, change direction and position of travel as necessary and swim elementary backstroke 50 yards.
- Swim breaststroke for 25 yards, change direction and position as necessary and swim back crawl for 25 yards.

The objectives of Level 6 Personal Water Safety are to refine strokes so participants swim them with more ease, efficiency, power and smoothness over greater distances.

• Front Crawl, 100 yards
• Back Crawl, 50 yards
• HELP Position, 2 minutes
• Survival Float, 5 minutes
• Huddle position, 2 minutes

Level 6 Personal Water Safety Exit Skills:

- Swim 500 yards continuously using any 3 strokes of your choice, swimming at least 50 yards of each stroke.
- Jump into deep water, perform a survival float for 5 minutes, roll onto back and perform a back float for 5 mintues.
- Perform a feet-first surface dive, retrieve an object from the bottom of the pool at a depth of 7-10 feet, return to surface and return to starting point.

The objectives of Level 6 Personal Water Safety are to refine strokes so participants swim them with more ease, efficiency, power and smoothness over greater distances.

• Front Crawl, 100 yards
• Back Crawl, 50 yards
• Circle Swimming
• Using A Pace Clock
• Demonstrates Various Training Techniques

Level 6 Fitness Swimmer Exit Skills:

- Swim 500 yards continuously using any 3 strokes of your choice, swimming at least 50 yards of each stroke.
- Perform the Cooper 12-minute swim test and compare results with the pre-assessment results.