Youth Aquatics

Ages 6 months–2 years – Parent participation required. Provides experiences and activities for parents with children in the water, at least 6 months through 2 years to:

• Learn to ask for permission before entering water
• Learn how to enter and exit water safely
• Feel comfortable in water
• Explore submerging face into water
• Learn buoyancy on front and back
• Learn how to play safely

Little Dippers

Ages 6 months–2 years – Active adult participation required. An introductory class that familiarizes children to the water and teaches swimming readiness skills. Provides safety information for caregivers and teaches techniques that can be used to orient children to the water.

Shrimp Dip

Ages 3–4 Years – Active adult participation required. Builds upon skills learned in Little Dippers. To prepare children for preschool or youth lessons, this class provides a bridge to independent swimming by gradually decreasing adult support in the water.

Swim With Me

Ages 5–13 Years – Active adult participation required. A transition class for youth who are not quite ready for (or do not want) independent instruction. Instructors work with each family individually on a transition plan into youth swim lessons. Youth learn basic swimming strokes and about water safety, closely following Red Cross Level 1 skills. 

*Swim With Me is not instruction for adults who want to learn how to swim (please see Teen/Adult Swim Instruction). 

Preschool – Ages 3–5

Preschool classes are designed for independent participation. A variety of swim aids are utilized to assist in skills development and encourage the discovery of independent movement through the water, based on the child’s developmental age and swim readiness. If your child isn’t ready to participate without an adult in the water, consider a Child + Adult class. Prerequisite: must be toilet trained and comfortable without an adult in the water. 

Youth – Ages 5–13

MSCR is a licensed American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim provider. A variety of swim aids are utilized in all class levels to encourage the discovery of independent movement through the water and to assist in building endurance.

INTRODUCTION TO WATER SKILLS
No swimming skills necessary. Introduces basic aquatics skills. Begin developing positive attitudes, effective swimming habits and safe practices in and around the water.

FUNDAMENTAL AQUATIC SKILLS
Gives participants success with fundamental and locomotion skills in the water, including how to float and glide without support and recover to a vertical position.

STROKE DEVELOPMENT
Builds on previous skills by providing additional guided practice in deeper water. Example skills: rotary breathing, treading, elementary backstroke and headfirst entries in deep water.

STROKE IMPROVEMENT
Helps develop confidence in the strokes learned in previous levels and improves other aquatic skills. Example skills: back crawl, sidestroke, breaststroke, butterfly and surface dives.

STROKE REFINEMENT
Teaches how to coordinate and refine strokes. Example skills: flip turns, sculling and shallow-angle dives.

SKILL AND PROFICIENCY
Works on refining strokes with greater efficiency and effectiveness over longer distances. Example skills: circle swimming, using a pace clock, using a pull buoy, and turns.

PRE-COMPETITIVE – Ages 8–13
Must be age 8 and have passed Stroke Improvement (Red Cross Level 4). Pre-competitive is a challenging class that focuses on gaining a better understanding of stroke mechanics and techniques using a variety of swimming drills. The concentration is on performing legal strokes, turns, starts & finishes 25 yards at a time. Swimmers learn how to use a pace clock, circle swim and lane-sharing etiquette.

For current listings check the MSCR Program Guide.