This is a class for preschool children (ages 4-5) who are independent enough to participate in a swimming class without a parent but are not advanced enough for the large pool. Participants will learn how to be safe around water and begin working on floating, arm and leg movements, and confidence in the water where they can touch.
Participants will learn how to be safe around water, begin working on floating, arm and leg movements, and build confidence in the water where they can touch. The skills in this level are generally performed in water 2-4ft in depth, but may occasionally go into deeper water depending on the facility, weather conditions, and topics covered in the lesson.
Skill list:
- Using ramp or steps (if a pool has them)
- Using the side/slide in entry
- Using a ladder
- Jumping into water 3 ft or deeper (with assistance)
- Jumping into water 3 ft or deeper and submerging head (with assistance)
Water Exits:
- Using the ramp or steps (if the pool has them)
- Using the side/wall of the pool (student can pull themselves out of the pool without assistance)
- Using a ladder (without assistance)
Basic Aquatic Skills:
- Monkey crawling along the edge from shallow to deeper water
- Walking in shallow water from the edge to a designated point and back again
- Perform 10 bobs in shallow water submerging to at least the eyes
- Blow bubbles in the water for 5 seconds
- Submerge their head and retrieve a submerged object
Pre-Swimming Skills:
- Float with assistance on front and back for 3 to 5 seconds
- Change from front to back float with assistance while maintaining a horizontal position in the water
- Perform a front and back glide and recover to a standing position with limited assistance
- Perform arm and leg motions while in a vertical position (pre-treading water) with support
- Perform arm and leg movements in a horizontal position on the front and back (pre-swimming) with assistance, working toward alternating arm and leg movements.
Safety Lessons:
- Identifying drains and why they can be dangerous
- How to put on a lifejacket and tell if it fits properly
- What lifeguard's job is and where we find them
- Why we always look before jumping into water
- Staying safe around water by identifying water depth signs, lifeguard chairs, and knowing what an emergency is and what to do.
Level Exit Requirements:
- Enter the water independently and perform 10 bobs submerging the head to the eyes or further.
- Blow bubbles for at least 5 seconds
- Perform a front and back glide independently for 5 ft and recover to a standing position
- Perform alternating arm and leg movements for 10ft with assistance
