School Age Beginner LEVELS 1 & 2

Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills

At this level, the goal is to help children become comfortable in the water and learn basic skills that form the foundation for future swimming. Key skills include:

• Getting Comfortable in the Water: Children will start by learning how to enter and exit the water safely, whether it's by using the ladder or walking in from the shallow end.
• Floating and Gliding: Children will practice floating on their back and stomach, gaining a sense of buoyancy.
• Breath Control: They'll learn how to blow bubbles, submerge their face in the water, and eventually hold their breath for a short period.
• Kicking: Basic kicking (often with a kickboard) to help with propulsion in the water.
• Arm Movement: Introduce simple arm strokes, such as the front arm pull, while supported by the instructor or using flotation devices.

The focus is on water safety and building confidence, so swimmers can become more comfortable and familiar with the water environment.

Level 2 builds upon the comfort and basic skills learned in Level 1, with an emphasis on swimming short distances and refining techniques. Skills taught at this level include:

• Improved Kicking and Arm Strokes: Swimmers will practice more coordinated kicking with arm movements, such as the front crawl (freestyle) with a focus on rhythmic breathing.
• Front and Back Floating: Kids work on longer periods of floating and gliding on both their stomach and back, to improve buoyancy and control.
• Beginning Strokes: Introduction to more formal stroke techniques, including the elementary backstroke and possibly the back crawl.
• Breath Control and Breathing Techniques: Children will start learning how to breathe while swimming (side breathing for front crawl) and focus on improving their breath control.
• Water Safety Skills: Emphasis on the importance of treading water and basic self-rescue skills.

By the end of Level 2, kids should be able to swim short distances with some basic strokes and have a better understanding of water safety and swimming fundamentals.