Our Progressive Curriculum Gently Guides Students through 4 Phases of Learning to Swim 

The LifeCycle Aquatics Youth Progressive Curriculum offers developmentally appropriate swim lessons for ages six months through approximately age fifteen. Beginner through advanced levels provide a caring environment for kids to grow physically, intellectually, socially and emotionally. ​Personal safety and community responsibility are at the core of everything we teach. Well-trained teachers produce progress for all ages and abilities, and help develop a lifetime enjoyment of water activities.

​Program levels are easy to understand, with clearly defined and motivating goals at each benchmark. We highly recommended that students complete the full program, ensuring maximum confidence, stroke efficiency and a lifetime enjoyment of aquatic experiences.

Even though a student may have passed a level, skills and confidence can regress if not practiced. It's important for kids to take consistent lessons throughout childhood, and to make pool-time part of a family's regular activities. 

BABY & TODDLER SWIM LEVELS

WATER DISCOVERY

Quick Look

• 6-18 Months
• ​Guardian-assisted
• Private / Semi-private or
• Max 6 Pairs : 1 Teacher​
• ​30 Minutes
• Swim diapers required

Water Safety Education, Acclimation and
​Beginner Survival for Baby

A gentle water acclimation and survival class designed for babies 6-18 months and their guardians. Learn  how to safely support and hold the littlest ones, and how to prepare and encourage them to try skills. Songs and toys make this class fun and engaging for children and caregivers. There are no forceful submersions - each guardian/child pair will learn at a pace suited to them. Guardians are introduced to safety strategies that help keep children safe in, on and around water. Teachers provide critical information about personal flotation devices so that parents can understand how and when to use them. Babies must wear three layers: disposable swim diapers against their skin, re-usable swim diapers as a second layer, and finally a bathing suit.

Baby Discovery Goals

• Educate parents about water safety.
• Enjoy a special bonding time between baby and guardian.
• Learn how to safely hold, support and cue babies in the water.
• Safely enter and exit water.
• Safely experiment with survival skills: rolling over and back float.
• Safely experiment with submersion and buoyancy.
• Safety experiment with arm and leg action.

TODDLER SURVIVAL

Quick Look

• 12-36 Months
• Guardian-assisted
• Private / Semi-private
  

or

• Max 6 Pairs : 1 Teacher
• ​30 Minutes
• If not toilet trained, swim diapers required

​Water Acclimation & Survival
​for Toddler - Guardian Assisted

A fun, splashy, developmentally appropriate water acclimation class for toddlers. Learn how to safely support and hold toddlers, and how to prepare and encourage them to try the skills. Songs, water toys, flotation equipment and incentives are used to engage and encourage water independence. Students practice an age appropriate SafetyCycle, to help protect against accidental or unsupervised water entry. Guardians are introduced to safety strategies that help keep children safe in and around water. Teachers provide a review of the often confusing array of flotation devices so that parents can choose the appropriate one for their toddler and when to use it. Non toilet-trained students must wear three layers of protection: disposable swim diapers against the skin, re-usable swim diaper as a second layer, and then their bathing suit.

Toddler Explorer Goals

• Teach parents about water safety.
• Enjoy a special bonding time between toddler and guardian.​
• Safely hold, support and cue toddlers in the water.
• Safely enter and exit water.
• Develop survival skills: rolling over, back float,  and SafetyCycle: Jump in > Turn around > Grab wall > Climb out.
• Safely experiment with breath-holding and bubbles.
• ​Experiment with rudimentary propulsion.​

PRESCHOOL BUBBLE BUDDIES

Quick Look

• 3-5 Years
• Private/Semi-private (30-min)

or

• 2 Student: 1 Teacher (30min)
  
• Students develop comfort and can perform SafetyCycle

Independent Water Acclimation & Survival for Older Toddlers and Preschoolers

Our first non-guardian-assisted class where preschool age children can develop an independent, positive attitude about water. Students learn safe practices in, on and around water, with special emphasis on how to avoid accidental entries, and what to do if one happens, introducing our SafetyCycle drill to students.  Children learn how to safely enter and exit the water.  Students learn breath control, floats and arm and leg action. All teaching techniques are developmentally appropriate. Students should be potty trained.

Bubble Buddy Goals

• Develop comfort in the water.
• Learn developmentally appropriate water safety. and self-survival skills.
• Blow bubbles and submerge.
• Safely enter and exit water.
• Execute our SafetyCycle: Jump in > Turn around > Grab wall > Climb out.
• Float on back and front.
• Success with foundational propulsion skills using arms and legs.
• Introduce rudimentary propulsion on belly and back.

OLDER KID SWIM LEVELS

ENROLL BY AGE AND ABILITY.

LEVEL 1:  FLOATERS

Quick Look

• 4-7 Years
• No previous experience required.
• Private / Semi-private (30min) or
• 3-Student:1Teacher (30min)
  
• ​Students learn to float, and perform the SafetyCycle

Introduction to Basic Survival Skills and Fundamental Water Skills

Students develop a positive attitude about water in private, semi-private or our fun, mini-group atmosphere.  They'll apply their growing attention span and coordination skills to learning to swim, executing skills at a more refined level than Bubble Buddies.  They'll learn basic survival aquatic skills, with an emphasis on bubbles and back floating for survival. Parents learn safe practices in and around water. No prior experience required. Students must achieve the class goals before advancing to Paddle Pals.

Floater Goals

• Develop comfort in the water.
• Learn developmentally appropriate water safety.​
• Blow bubbles and submerge.
• Safely enter and exit water.
• Execute our SafetyCycle: Jump in > Turn around > Grab wall > Climb out.
• Float on back and front.
• Success with foundational propulsion skills using arms and legs.​

LEVEL 2:  PADDLE PALS

Quick Look

• 5-7 Years
• Private / Semi-private (30min) or
• 3-Student : 1 Teacher (30min)
  
• Students can perform the SafetyCycle and swim 10 yards
• Students must be able to do Level 1 skills to enroll.

Building Independent Survival and Propulsion

In private lessons or our fun mini-group, students will develop simple, safe, independent locomotion. They'll learn to glide and float without support, leading to independent movement on back and front. They'll apply their growing coordination and attention skills to more coordinated movements, laying the foundation to learn formal, more difficult strokes later. Our SaferSooner method lets each child develop a propulsion method as soon as possible, suited to their natural abilities. Some will swim on their back first, and some will swim on their front first. Regardless of how they swim first, students must learn the swim-float-swim sequence before advancing. Students must achieve class goals before advancing to Deep Divers.

Paddle Pal Goals

• ​Jumping SafetyCycle - independent
• Front and back Safety glides (glide from wall > roll over)
• Paddle stroke, 10 yards.
• Rudimentary elementary backstroke, 10 yards
  
• Swim-Float-Swim sequence
  
• Tread for 20 seconds
• Learn developmentally appropriate water safety.​​

LEVEL 3:  DEEP DIVERS

Quick Look

• 6+ Years
• Private / Semi-private (30min) or
• 3-Student:1 Teacher 30min) 
  
• ​Students achieve Basic Water Competency
• Students must be able to do Level 2 skills to enroll.

Introduction to Deep Water Survival, Safety Swimming and Freestyle

In private lessons or our fun Mini-group, students are introduced to freestyle, the most efficient and practical face-in-the-water stroke.  Students will improve their form on previously learned skills such as elementary backstroke, streamline glides, floating and treading. Water safety drills hone students' decision-making in the water so that kids learn to avoid accidents and exhaustion which can lead to serious consequences. Students learn how to link skills together, and how to extract themselves from negative situations. This is the first class students experience deep water. It's highly recommended that at a minimum, all students pass Deep Diver to achieve Basic Water Competency. We highly recommended that students take additional swim levels to improve coordination, further increase confidence and learn more strokes. Students must achieve class goals before advancing to Swim Jam.

Deep Diver Goals

• ​Jumping SafetyCycle: jump in deep water & submerge > re-surface > tread and/or survival float for 1-minute > turn 180 > orient to an exit > swim calmly on belly or back 25 yards > exit the pool without using steps or ladder.
• Freestyle, 15 yards.
• Elementary backstroke 15 yards.
  
• Tread 30 seconds
• Tread/Survival float for 60 seconds
• Sitting dive  ​
• Learn developmentally appropriate water safety.​​

 Basic Water Competency is achieved after reaching these goals.

LEVEL 4:  SWIM JAM

Quick Look

• 6+ Years
• Private / Semi-private (30min)

or

• Max 4 Student Group (40min)
  
• 1 Teacher​
• Students improve coordination of 3 strokes, and learn breaststroke
• Students must be able to do Level 3 skills to enroll.

Stroke Introduction & Development; Building Stamina; Intermediate Safety

In private lessons or our fun small group, students will further develop freestyle, and refine backstroke and elementary backstroke. As these strokes improve, their confidence leaps ahead, helping them to learn breaststroke, and dolphin kick for butterfly. By knowing additional strokes swimming becomes safer and more fun. Students will continue their diving progression, advancing to kneeling dive. Water safety skills are amped up, and they'll build stamina to swim for longer distances.

Swim Jam Goals

• ​Refine freestyle, backstroke and elementary backstroke.
• Breaststroke, 15 yards
  
• Dolphin kick, above and under water
• Learn swimming etiquette.
• Kneeling dive.
• Tread for 90 seconds.
• Swim 50 yards using two different strokes.

LEVEL 5:  HYDRO-BOOST

Quick Look

• 7+ Years
• Private / Semi-private (30min)

or

• Max 5 Students:1 Teacher (40min)​​
• Students improve coordination of 4 strokes, and learn butterfly.
  
• Students must be able to do Level 4 skills to enroll.
  

Stroke Introduction & Development; Building Endurance; Advanced Safety

In private lessons or our fun, small group, students will further refine freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and elementary backstroke. Students learn butterfly, integrating the dolphin kick introduced in Swim Jam. Strokes at this level will be more coordinated and smooth. Students will learn more advanced diving skills. Water safety skills are amped up, and their endurance will improve. Students must achieve class goals before advancing to Aqua-Racers.

Hydro-Boost Goals

• Further refine freestyle, backstroke, elementary backstroke and breaststroke.
• Butterfly, 25 yards
  
• Tread for 2 minutes.
• Standing dive.
• ​Swim 75 yards using any 3 strokes.
  

LEVEL 6:  AQUA-RACERS

Quick Look

• 8+ Years
• Private / Semi-private (30min)

or

• Max 6 Students : 1 Teacher (40min)
• Students learn what it's like to be on a swim team and continue to refine strokes.
  
• Students must be able to do Level 5 skills to enroll.
  

Stroke Refinement, Introduction to Racing & Building Endurance; Advanced Safety

In private lessons or our fun group atmosphere, students will further refine all four racing strokes, aiming for efficiency and endurance. Students will get an introduction to formal racing, learning technical skills such as diving from a block, flip-turns, open turns and pull-outs.  Students will learn swim team practice techniques such as sprints and kickboard drills.  Students learn how to use a pace clock, and check their heart rate. Advanced water safety includes an introduction to safe practices when open water swimming. Students must achieve class goals before advancing to Aqua Power.

Aqua-Racer Goals

• Further refine freestyle, backstroke, elementary backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.
  
• Learn racing techniques such as flip turn, open turn and pull-outs
• Tread for 3 minutes
• Competitive dive from block
• ​Swim a 100IM using all proper turns and pull-outs
  
• Swim 200 yards, using at least three strokes.
  

LEVEL 7:  AQUA POWER

Quick Look

• 8+ Years
• Private / Semi-Private (30min)

or

• Max 6 Students : 1 Teacher​ (45 Min)
• ​Students refine all racing strokes and skills, aiming for power and efficiency.
  
• Students must be able to do Level 6 skills to enroll.
  

Advanced Stroke Refinement & Endurance; Intro to Lifeguarding Safety

In private lessons or our fun group atmosphere, students will further refine all racing strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Advanced hydrodynamics will be explained and students will be challenged to improve their efficiency and power, aiming for speed and increased endurance. Students will also refine competitive dive and racing turns. Students will get an introduction to lifeguard skills such as sidestroke and surface dives.

Aqua Power Goals

• Further refine freestyle, backstroke, elementary backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.
  
• Introduce sidestroke
  
• Tread for 2 minutes.
  
• Refined dive from the block
  
• Feet & headfirst surface dives
  
• ​Swim 200IM using all proper turns and pull-outs.
• Swim 300 yards using at least 3 strokes.