Swim Lessons
At the Edwardsville YMCA, we build strong, confident swimmers as we help kids and adults reach their goals!
SUMMER LESSONS WILL RUN ON A DIFFERENT SESSION SCHEDULE!
Swim Starters (6 months - 3 years)
Accompanied by a parent, infants and toddlers learn to be comfortable in the water and develop swim readiness skills through fun and confidence-building experiences, while parents learn about water safety, drowning prevention, and the importance of supervision.
**Disposable diapers are not permitted in pools. Swim diapers are required to be worn by children not yet potty trained.**
1 Time A Week • 7 Week Session • Niebur Center
Fall 1 • August 25th – October 12th • No Classes September 1st
Fall 2 • October 20th – December 14th • No Classes November 24th – 30th
Water Discovery (6 - 18 Months)
Parents accompany children in stage A, which introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment through exploration and encourages them to enjoy themselves while learning about the water.
Water Exploration (16 - 36 Months)
In stage B, you will help your child explore the water and introduce basic water skills like kicking, blowing bubbles, and assisted floating on the front and back. Safety skills will be reinforced including asking permission to enter the water, and exiting the water independently.
Swim Basics (2 - 12 Years)
Students learn personal water safety and achieve basic swimming competency by learning two benchmark skills:
- Swim, float, swim—sequencing front glide, roll, back float, roll, front glide and exit
- Jump, push, turn and grab
1 Time A Week • 7 Week Session • Niebur Center
Fall 1 • August 25th – October 12th • No Classes September 1st
Fall 2 • October 20th – December 14th • No Classes November 24th – 30th
Water Acclimation (Toddlers: 2-3 Years & Preschool: 3-5 Years)
Students develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water in stage 1. This stage lays the foundation that allows for a student’s future progress in swimming.
*TODDLER PARENT NEEDS TO BE IN THE WATER
Water Movement (Preschool: 3-5 Years & Youth: 5-12 Years)
In stage 2, students focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water while also continuing to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water.
Water Stamina (Preschool: 3-5 Years & Youth: 5-12)
In stage 3, students learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than in previous stages in the event of falling into a body of water. This stage also introduces rhythmic breathing and integrated arm and leg action.
Swim Strokes (5 - 12 years)
Having mastered the fundamentals, students learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique, developing skills that prevent chronic disease, increase social-emotional and cognitive well-being, and foster a lifetime of physical activity.
1 Time A Week • 7 Week Session • Niebur Center
Fall 1 • August 25th – October 12th • No Classes September 1st
Fall 2 • October 20th – December 14th • No Classes November 24th – 30th
Stroke Introduction (Youth: 5-12 Years)
Students in stage 4 develop stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl and learn the breaststroke kick and butterfly kick. Water safety is reinforced through treading water and elementary backstroke.
Stroke Development (Youth: 5-12 Years)
Students in stage 5 work on stroke technique and learn all major competitive strokes. The emphasis on water safety continues through treading water and sidestroke.
Stroke Mechanics (Youth & Teens: 5-12+ Years)
In stage 6, students refine stroke technique on all major competitive strokes, learn about competitive swimming, and discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle.
Teen & Adult Swim Lessons
1 Time A Week • 7 Week Session • Niebur Center
Fall 1 • August 25th – October 12th • No Classes September 1st
Fall 2 • October 20th – December 14th • No Classes November 24th – 30th
Teen and Adult 1: Beginner (Ages 13+)
Starting with the basics in Teen/Adult Level 1, students learn personal water safety and achieve basic swimming competency by learning two benchmark skills:
- Swim, float, swim—sequencing front glide, roll, back float, roll, front glide and exit
- Jump, push, turn and grab
This is a great class for beginners, or anyone who has not taken any type of formal lessons before!
Stages: 1: Water Acclimation & 2: Water Movement
Register Online ›Teen and Adult 2: Intermediate (Ages 13+)
After mastering the basics, Level 2 is more about building endurance to swim multiple lengths of the pool at a time, with a brief introduction to all four strokes. Students learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique.
This level is great for those who can swim maybe a half a length of the pool to a full length of front crawl, or have some basic swimming skills like treading water or ability to float on their stomachs/backs.
Stages: 3: Water Stamina & 4: Stroke Introduction
Register Online ›Teen and Adult 3: Advanced (Ages 13+)
Level 3 is for those who can swim full laps and would like more in depth instruction…but are not quite ready to take on a Masters Swimming practice yet. Level 3 class works to build endurance and stroke technique, develop skills that prevent chronic disease, increase social-emotional and cognitive well-being, and foster a lifetime of physical activity.
Stages: 5: Stroke Development & 6: Stroke Mechanics
Register Online ›NOTICE: Not all classes are offered each session. Please check the schedules and fee listing to ensure that your class of interest is currently being offered. If you do not see your class of interest as an option, be assured it will be available at a later date.
