Swimming Lessons
The Water Ventures Program offers a great environment for children’s swim lessons featuring small, fun, and effective class sizes. We also offer individual adult swim lessons and for the already advanced swimmer put your flippers on and become certified in scuba! Age restrictions do apply; please confirm proper age for course prior to enrollment.
Let our aquatics staff help you or your child with your swimming goals and needs. Lessons are designed for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced swimmer as well for those who may be fearful of the water.
- Click here to see the Fall 2009 Swim Lessons Schedule
- Learn more about Adult Private Swim Lessons here.
- Learn more about Children's Private Swim Lessons here.
- Click here for the Parent Questionaire and find our what level your child should be enrolled in.
- Click here for the Private Lesson Assignment form (.pdf)
- Levels
- Skills Definitions
Click the links below or scroll down to see descriptions of levels 1-5.
Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills (Ages 4+)
Children must be at least 4 years old to participate. This class is designed to help students feel comfortable in the water and learn a variety of fundamental skills such as arm and leg movements, floats, and blowing bubbles. Participants will learn how to:- Enter and exit water safely
- Submerge mouth (head) independently
- Exhale underwater through mouth and nose
- Open eyes underwater, pick up submerged object at least 2 times
- Float on front and back with support
- Swim on front and back using arm/leg actions
- Rollover front to back, back to front w/support
- Treading – explore arm and hand movements in chest-deep water
- Follow basic water safety rules, helping others
- Use a life jacket
Level 2: Fundamental Aquatic Skills
Children will learn how to swim independently with the fundamental skills learned in Level 1. They should be comfortable submerging their head and being in the water by themselves. Participants will learn how to:
- Enter water independently, jumping from the side, in chest deep water
- Exit water safely using ladder or side
- Swim on side
- Submerge entire head, at least 5 seconds
- Rhythmic pattern of exhaling while head is submerged (bobs)
- Open eyes underwater, pick up a submerged object, at least 3 times in shallow water
- Float on front and back unsupported
- Perform front and back glide, unsupported
- Roll over from front to back, back to front
- Swim on front and back using combined strokes, at least 15 feet unsupported
- Treading using arms and legs unsupported in chest-deep water
- Water safety rules, helping others, swim while wearing a life jacket
Level 3: Stroke Development
Children will build on the skills learned from Level 2. Students should be able to swim on their own with out the support of the instructor. This level is designed to further develop strokes through additional guided practice. Participants will learn how to:
• Jump into deep water from the side
• Dive from kneeling or standing position, in water at least 9 feet deep
• Perform front & back float at least 30 seconds
• Submerge and retrieve an object
• Bob with the head fully submerged, chest deep
• Perform front & back glide w/2 different kicks
• Use rotary breathing in horizontal position
• Perform front and back crawl, 15 yards
• Butterfly - kick and body motion, 15 feet
• Perform the HELP and Huddle position
• Change from horizontal to vertical position on front and back
• Water safety rules, perform a reaching assist
Level 4: Stroke Improvement
Students will develop the confidence, endurance, and strength to improve skills learned in previous levels. They will be introduced to new aquatic skills such as the butterfly, turns, and surface dives. Participants will learn how to:
• Shallow dive or dive from stride position, in at least 9 feet of water
• Swim underwater, 3 body lengths
• Front and back float, survival float, 1 minute
• Perform feet-first surface dive
• Perform open turn on front/back using any stroke
• Tread water using sculling arm motions and various kick, 1 minute
• Use safe diving rules, water safety rules, perform a throwing assist
• Care for conscious choking victim
• Perform compact jump a height while wearing a life jacket
• Perform the following:
o Front and back crawl, 25 yards
o Breaststroke & Elementary backstroke, 15 yards
o Butterfly, 15 yards
o Swim on side w/scissors kick, 15 yards
Level 5: Stroke Refinement
Students will continue to further their coordination and refinement of the different strokes learned in Level 4. They should be able to perform front and back crawl proficiently and will be swimming further distances. Participants will learn how to:
• Tread water w/ two different kicks, 2 minutes
• Learn survival swimming, 2 minutes
• Survival floating, 2 minutes
• Water safety, helping others, rescue breathing
• Perform the following:Standing dive, Shallow dive, glide two
body lengths and begin any front stroke
o Sidestroke, elementary backstroke 25 yds
o Tuck & pike surface dive
o Front and back flip turns
o Front and back crawl, 50 yards
o Butterfly, breaststroke 25 yards
Introduction to Water Skills
Helps participants feel comfortable in the water.
Fundamental Aquatic Skills
Builds on the skills learned in level 1 and gives participants success with fundamental skills such as floating and basic locomotion.
Stroke Improvement
Develops confidence in the skills learned and improves other aquatic skills.
Stroke Refinement
Provides further coordination and refinement of strokes.
Swimming & Skill Proficiency
Refines the strokes so participants swim them with ease, efficiency, power and smoothness over greater distances.
- Pick Your Level:
- Personal Water Safety
- Fitness Swimmer
- Fundamentals of Diving
Phone: 414-229-3914
Email: learn-to-swim@uwm.edu