HOW DO I KNOW WHAT LEVEL MY CHILD SHOULD BE IN?

The beauty of (semi)private lessons is that I can tailor them to meet each students' unique needs. However, it is helpful to use a level progression to have a general idea of where they are in their swimming ability, to be able to put them in small groups with children that are at a similar spot, and for you as parents to see a clear advancement through levels as their swimming ability improves.

Look through the level progressions outlined below and decide which description best suits what your child can already do and what they are ready to begin learning. It doesn't have to be an exact match, I differentiate each lesson to meet the kids exactly where they are at. If you are unsure about which level to sign your child up for, send me a message using the chat button below and I can help you decide which level is the best fit!

Level Progressions

Level 1

In this level, students will practice blowing bubbles, fully submerging in the water, kicking with assistance, back floating, and jumping from the side (being caught). For water safety, we focus on staying seated near the pool when not swimming with an adult.

Before this level, students must be able to sit on a step in shallow water and listen to instructions. Students at this level are no younger that 1 year old and no older than 4 years old.

Level 2

In this level, students will practice kicking with a kick board, flutter kicking independently (we call this superman), retrieving objects, fully submerging repeatedly (water bobs), and independently jumping into shallow water. For water safety, we focus on staying near an adult and staying away from deep water unless assisted by an adult.

Before this level, students should be able to submerge their face into the water, kick with assistance, and blow bubbles.

Level 3

In this levels, students will begin to learn the basics of forward arm strokes (freestyle), backstroke, treading, and diving. Being comfortable in deeper water and practicing how to get to safety (shallow water or the edge) is also a focus at this level.

Students must be able to flutter kick independently (superman) before moving on to this level.

Level 4

In this level, students will continue to practice and improve their forward arm strokes, backstroke, diving, and treading, as well as begin to learn breaststroke, butterfly, and swim team starts. Endurance and strengthening of techniques are main focuses of this level.