YMCA Swim Lessons promote children’s health and safety. The program supports parents and encourages their participation in teaching kids valuable life skills.

Choosing the Correct Swim Lesson

Read the descriptions for each lesson category below! Start with your child’s age group and determine which skills they can perform. If your child has the skills listed, then register for that level. Remember, placing a child in the incorrect level will be a disservice to both the child and the other class members. If you are not sure which level to place your child in, request a YMCA Swim Level Lesson Placement and Evaluation. A swimming instructor will be available to evaluate your child’s skills for placement into the appropriate swim lesson level.

REGISTER ONLINE FOR SWIM LESSONS HERE!

Registration Dates

Weekday lessons are held twice weekly on Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Saturday swim lessons are a continuation of our traditional weekly Saturday morning lessons, with an emphasis on parent-child classes.

Cost of lessons is $68 for members, $102 for non-members. All sessions are 8 classes.

Information regarding expectations, responsibilities and frequently asked questions can be found HERE.

Please Follow New COVID-19 Policies:

We ask that all members over the age of 3 wear a mask into our facility and keep them on in all common areas and on the pool deck. Swim lesson participants may take them off just before getting in the water.
You may use the locker room, but please remember that face masks must be worn when in the locker room areas. Sanitizing stations are available throughout our building for your use.
You do not have to use the locker room and may enter the pool area from the lobby if you choose. You may also exit out the side door of the pool area to avoid crossing paths with the next class coming in.
Swim instructors may wear a clear plastic face shield for some of the lesson; however, keep in mind that swim lessons are a close contact activity.
Please try to maintain a 6-foot distance from others who are not in your group.

Lesson Category Descriptions

Swim levels along with a description of skill requirements and development are below. The lessons will be broken into three main categories:

Swim Starters

Recommended age range: 6 months to 3 years

Develops water enrichment and aquatic readiness in children.

In the two stages that make up this parent-child category, children learn to be comfortable in the water. Rather than teaching children how to survive in the water or become accomplished swimmers, Swim Starters focuses on developing swim readiness skills through fun and confidence-building experiences. Parents also learn essential skills in Swim Starters. Close supervision is the best way to prevent drowning. Parents learn how to supervise children in the water, how to prevent accidents, and how to plan for emergencies.

Stage A: Water Discovery (6 months - 3 years)

Parents accompany children in this stage, which introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment through exploration and encourages them to enjoy themselves while learning about the water. The goals of this stage include the following:

- Encouraging parents to set developmentally appropriate expectations for infants and toddlers enrolled in swim lessons
- Introducing and emphasizing basic water safety to parents and providing a positive family aquatic experience
- Building relationships among and between parents and children by providing opportunities for fun and interaction in the water

Stage B: Water Exploration (1-3 years)

In this stage, parents work with their children to explore body positions, floating, blowing bubbles, and fundamental safety and aquatic skills. Children should be able to walk before taking this class. The goals of this stage include the following:

- Encouraging children to move purposefully in the water in response to visual and verbal cues and using toys and flotation devices
- Emphasizing basic aquatic safety to parents
- Building relationships among and between parents and children by providing opportunities for fun and interaction in the water
- Preparing children to independently take lessons in a small group

Swim Basics

Classes offered for Preschool (3-5 years) & School Age (5-12 years)

Develops personal water safety and basic swimming skills in students of all ages.

Stage 1: Water Acclimation

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. Students in this stage focus on the following:

- Exploring the aquatic environment and personal skills with instructor help
- Developing basic skills to propel and glide through the water with instructor help
- Learning basic aquatic safety and accepting some of the responsibility for safe practices
- Comfortable putting eyes, ears and nose in water

Stage 2: Water Movement

In this stage, 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. Students in this stage focus on the following:

- Exploring the aquatic environment and personal skills without instructor help
- Developing basic skills to propel and glide through the water without instructor help
- Proficiency in floating on front and back
- Learning basic aquatic and boating safety and accepting some of the responsibility for safe practices

Stage 3: Water Stamina

In this stage, 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. Students in this stage focus on the following:

- Integrating arm action, leg action, and rhythmic breathing in back and front glides
- Developing forward movement on the front and back
- Practicing skills and safety techniques in deep water
- Able to swim 10-15 yards on own

Swim Strokes

Offered for Preschool (Stage 4 only) or School Age

Introduces and refines stroke technique in advancing students.

Stage 4: Stroke Introduction

Students in this stage 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. Students in this stage focus on the following:

- Developing the front crawl and back crawl
- Introducing components of the breaststroke and butterfly
- Learn rotary breathing
- Practicing safety techniques in deep water

Stage 5: Stroke Development

Students in this stage work on stroke technique and learn all major competitive strokes. The emphasis on water safety continues through treading water and sidestroke. Students in this stage focus on the following:

- Developing stamina in the front crawl and back crawl
- Developing the breaststroke and butterfly
- Introduction of turning techniques for competitive strokes
- Building endurance techniques for deep-water safety

Stage 6: Stroke Mechanics

In this stage, students refine stroke technique on all major competitive strokes, learn about competitive swimming, and discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle. Students in this stage focus on the following:

- Developing endurance in the competitive strokes
- Developing skills related to competitive swimming like flip turns
- Enhancing skills and building endurance in deep water
- Preparation for competitive, leadership or recreational swimming opportunities

Adult/Teen Beginner Lessons

For learning swimmers age 13 and up, we offer weekly lessons in a small group setting. Class instruction will be designed for the needs of the students in attendance with an emphasis on safety. Please check our lesson schedule for days, times and prices.

Beyond Level 6

Swimmers are encouraged to pursue aquatics in three different ways:

Competition

We offer swim teams for children ages 5 to 18 years at both our Bellefonte (including a summer team at Kepler Pool) and State College branches.

Leadership

We offer certification and employment opportunities for lifeguards and swim instructors ages 16 and up.

Find a lifeguarding certification class here - Bellefonte - State College
Swim instructors need CPR/AED/First Aid certification - find a class here - Bellefonte - State College
Already certified? Fill out an application HERE and return to your nearby YMCA of Centre County branch.

Recreation

We offer lap swimming times at our State College and Bellefonte branches so you can turn swimming into a lifelong fitness activity! Pool schedules are HERE FOR STATE COLLEGE and HERE FOR BELLEFONTE.

Adaptive Lessons

Swim lessons are available to children with special needs in our therapy pool. Instructor to student ratio is low. A water wheelchair and ramp into the pool are available. Since adapted lessons meet on Friday or Saturday, the session schedule will follow the Saturday scheduled dates. The Friday evening classes are one-to-one instructor/client and the Saturday class is one-to-three instructor/client. We recommend the Saturday classes for those who are capable of working in a small group.

Private Lessons

Our private swimming lessons are a very popular alternative to our group lessons. Private lessons are 30 minute, 1 to 1 lessons with an experienced swim instructor. Lessons are designed specifically for your swimmer's needs and can be scheduled at a time that is convenient for you. Adults are welcome! Please fill out the private-swim-lesson-request-fillable and submit either to the front desk of the YMCA or online to [email protected] so that we may match you up with an instructor who meets your skill and availability needs. You will pay for the lesson only after you have been contacted by the instructor to schedule your first lesson. Cost for a single lesson is $32 for members, $49 for non-members, or you can purchase lessons 4 at a time, for $112 for members, $166 for non-members.

For More Information

Contact Lori Lange ([email protected]) or Ray Carroll ([email protected]).

YMCA OF CENTRE COUNTY

State College Branch Swim Lessons