Water Safety

Infant Programs

These classes are also very popular with working parents or when a new baby joins the family and can be promoted as a way to give the older child “special” time. Some benefits that parents can take advantage of include:

• Warm pool
• Safe program
• Enthusiastic, caring, mature instructors who work well with babies and parents
• A way for parents to learn water safety and help teach their children to develop basic swimming and water safety skills
• A positive, fun program that fosters the parent-child relationship
• Availability of financial aid

Preschool Programs

Parents of children in beginner levels have high anxiety about their children accidentally drowning and thus feel it’s necessary for their children to learn to swim. The children in the beginner levels may be either dangerously fearless or fretful and clingy. In either case, safety and a caring instructor who understands young children are very important.

Parents at the more advanced levels may begin to have swim team aspirations for their children and want to see them learn and become proficient at swimming skills. An instructor who knows how to correct a child’s stroke while preserving the child’s self-esteem and yet be developmentally appropriate is very important. Using songs and games to teach skills is very motivational for this age group.

YMCA Swim Lessons—Youth Ages 6-18

Through the teacher’s guidance and easy-to-follow steps, young people learn the proper techniques for swimming, water sports, and boating and water safety.

Children range in swimming level and all children develop at different rates, so the instructor must make sure to teach in a caring, fun manner that enhances children’s self-esteem. This group can become easily bored or discouraged. As children learn the basics of swimming and the skills within all the core components of the program, the instructor gives children opportunities to use these skills to reduce boredom, improve retention, and enrich the program.

Adult Swim Lessons

Adults who do not know how to swim fall into two categories: those who were traumatized or developed a fear of water as children and never went near the water again, and those who never had the opportunity to take swim lessons. With fearful adults, instructors take great care to show respect, caring and competence. Building trust is very important.

Adults who are comfortable in water want to improve their strokes and techniques. Their skills range from beginner to advanced, including triatheletes who would enjoy a sophisticated adults stroke clinic or a masters program.