SWIM LESSONS

Living in our lakefront community, swimming and water safety skills are a vital part of our mission. We offer a wide selection of infant and parent/child swim lessons to school-age and adult swim lessons. Our swim program teaches participants of all ages and abilities to become confident swimmers as they develop strong techniques, learn water safety, and enjoy swimming as a form of exercise. Private lessons are also available.

Swim Lesson FAQs

Need more information about the Y's swim program? Visit our frequently asked questions page!

Swim Lessons - Parent and Child

Parent/Child Swim Stage A Water Discovery (6 months – 3 years)

Infants and toddlers are introduced to the aquatic environment and encouraged to enjoy themselves while learning about the water. This class is for children who are not yet able to respond to verbal cues and jump on land. In this class, you’ll help your child:

  • Grab the pool wall
  • Roll from back to front and front to back
  • Move and float with their head on your shoulder
  • Move and float with their chin in the water
  • Blow bubbles on the surface of the water
  • Enter and exit the water

Parent / Child Swim Stage B Water Exploration (2 -3 years)

You will work with your child to explore body positions, floating, blowing bubbles and fundamental safety and aquatic skills. This class is for children who are not yet comfortable working with an instructor without a parent in the water. In this class, you’ll help your child:

  • Blow bubbles with mouth and nose submerged in the water
  • Move and float while blowing bubbles in the water
  • Move and float with their head on your chest
  • Roll from back to front and front to back
  • Monkey crawl
  • Enter and exit the water

Swim Lessons - Preschool

Preschool Swim Stage 1 Water Acclimation (3 - 5 yrs)

Preschoolers develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water. This class is for children who are not yet comfortable going underwater voluntarily. In this class, your child will:

  • Bob to submerge in the water
  • Front and back glide to the wall for five feet with help
  • Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
  • Roll from back to front and front to back with help
  • Jump, push, turn, grab with help
  • Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
  • Exit the water

Preschool Swim Stage 2 Water Movement (3 - 5 years)

Preschoolers focus on body position and control, directional change, forward movement in the water and continue to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water. This class is for children who are not yet able to do a front and back float on their own. In this class, your child will:

  • Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
  • Front and back glide to the wall for five feet
  • Front and back float for 10 seconds
  • Roll from back to front and front to back
  • Jump, push, turn, grab
  • Swim, float, swim five yards
  • Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
  • Exit the water

Preschool Swim Stage 3 Water Stamina (3-5 years)

Preschoolers learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than in previous stages. The class also introduces rhythmic breathing and integrated arm/leg action. This class is for children who are not yet able to swim 10-15 yards on their front and back. In this class, your child will:

  • Retrieve an object in chest-deep water
  • Swim on their front and back for 10 yards
  • Roll from back to front and front to back
  •  Jump, push, turn, grab 10 yards
  • Swim, float, swim 15 yards
  • Tread water for 30 seconds
  • Exit the water

Swim Lessons - School Age

School Age Swim Stage 1 Water Acclimation (6-13 years)

Youth develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water. This class is for children who are not yet comfortable going underwater voluntarily. In this class, your child will:

  • Bob to submerge in the water
  • Front and back glide to the wall for five feet with help
  • Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
  • Roll from back to front and front to back with help
  • Jump, push, turn, grab with help
  • Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
  • Exit the water

School Age Swim Stage 2 Water Movement (6-13 years)

Youth focus on body position and control, directional change, forward movement in the water and continue to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water. This class is for children who are not yet able to do a front and back float on their own. In this class, your child will:

  • Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
  • Front and back glide to the wall for 10 feet
  • Front and back float for 20 seconds
  • Roll from back to front and front to back
  • Jump, push, turn, grab
  • Swim, float, swim five yards
  • Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
  •  Exit the water

School Age Swim Stage 3 Water Stamina (6-13 years)

Youth learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than in previous stages. The class also introduces rhythmic breathing and integrated arm/leg action. This class is for children who are not yet able to swim 10-15 yards on their front and back. In this class, your child will:

  • Retrieve an object in chest-deep water
  • Swim on their front and back for 25 yards
  • Roll from back to front and front to back
  • Jump, push, turn, grab 10 yards
  • Swim, float, swim 25 yards
  • Tread water for one minute
  • Exit the water

School Age Swim Stage 4 Stroke Introduction (6-13 years)

Youth learn the front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke kick and butterfly kick. This class is for children who are not yet able to swim 15 yards of front and back crawl. In this class, your child will:

  • Swim the front crawl with rotary breathing for 15 yards
  • Breaststroke kick for 15 yards
  • Butterfly kick for 15 yards
  • Elementary backstroke for 15 yards
  • Dive from a sitting position
  • Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for one minute
  • Swim any combination of strokes for 25 yards

School Age Swim Stage 5 Stroke Development (6-13 years)

Youth work on stroke technique and learn the major competitive strokes. This class is for children who are not yet able to swim the front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke across the pool. In this class, your child will:

  • Swim the front crawl with bent-arm recovery for 25 yards
  • Breaststroke for 25 yards
  • Butterfly with simultaneous arm action and kick for 15 yards
  • Back crawl for 25 yards
  • Sidestroke for 25 yards
  • Dive from a kneeling position
  • Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for two minutes
  • Swim any combination of strokes for 50 yards

School Age Swim Stage 6 Stroke Mechanics (6-13 years)

Youth refine stroke technique on the major competitive strokes, learn about competitive swimming and discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle. This class is for children who are not yet able to swim the front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke across the pool and back. In this class, your child will:

  • Swim the front crawl for 50 yards and do a flip turn
  • Breaststroke for 50 yards and do an open turn
  • Butterfly for 25 yards
  • Back crawl for 25 yards and do a flip turn
  • Sidestroke or elementary backstroke for 50 yards
  • Dive from a standing position
  • Tread water for one minute and retrieve an object from the bottom of the pool
  • Swim any combination of strokes for 150 yards

School Age Swim Club (7-13 years)

Swim Club is perfect for advanced swimmers who want to refine their skills in a team environment without the pressure of competing. Swimmers will be trained in conditioning, speed and proper competition strokes. This program is designed as a recreational pathway or a bridge for those exploring interest and readiness in our competitive MYST swim team in the future. Youth should be at Stage 6 Stroke Mechanics or above. Stage 5 Stroke Development swimmers require leadership staff approval. This flexible program allows youth to swim one, two or three times per week with an intramural swim meet included every quarter.

Swim Lessons - Teen & Adult

Teen/Adult Swim Beginner (14 years+)

YMCA teen and adult beginner swim lessons are designed for those with little or no swimming experience. Skills will include water acclimation and comfort, proper floating, breathing techniques, and basic swim strokes including front crawl, back crawl and elementary backstroke.

Teen/Adult Swim Intermediate (14 years+)

YMCA teen and adult intermediate swim lessons are designed to build stroke introduction and endurance. Participants should be able to swim 25 yards continuously and be comfortable in deep water. Skills will include proper lap swimming etiquette, endurance, stroke refinement of front and back crawl, and introduce breaststroke, sidestroke, and treading water.

Swim Lessons - Private

Private & Semi-Private Lessons (Ages 3+)

The Y's private and semi-private swim lessons provide a more personalized learning experience to increase your skills and meet your goals. Enjoy individual attention with a certified YMCA swim instructor or sign up for semi-private lessons with a partner to benefit from additional savings. We offer multiple package options and flexible scheduling.

Swim Lesson Guidelines

We have established the following guidelines for participation in group swimming lessons at the McGaw YMCA.

Aquatics Center Guidelines

We have established the following guidelines for pool use and participation in swimming programs and activities.

We're Here to Help

If you need assistance or have questions about our pools or swim programs, please contact our Aquatics team.

847-475-7400 ext. 272

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