tadpole/otter
· porpoise/seal
·
level 1
· level 2 · level 3 · level 4 · level 5
Pre-School learn-to-swim
Preschoolers
will learn to get comfortable in the water and have use of a floatation
device. They will learn to float, glide
and swim on their front and back.
Tadpole skills
Š Water adjustment
Š Blow bubbles
Š Put face in the water
Š Kick with the board (with assistance)
Š Width swimming on front without assistance (Partial vertical
position permitted)
Š Width swimming on back with limited assistance
Š Jump to instructor in shallow water with/without assistance
Otter skills
Š Front float-5 seconds (prone position with face in)
Š Back float-5 seconds (supine position with ears in)
Š Kick with kickboard- width front without assistance
Š Kick with kickboard- width back without assistance
Š Width swimming on front without assistance in a horizontal
position
Š Width swimming on back without assistance in a horizontal
position
Š 5 bobs (no air exchange necessary)
Š Length swimming on front
Š Length swimming on back
Š Treading water – 30 seconds
Š
Jump to instructor in shallow water w/o assistance
Preschoolers
who are comfortable in the water and do not need a floatation device. They will learn basic swimming skills and strokes
with some support, but not have the use of a floatation device.
Porpoise skills
Š Front float-10 seconds-with cube
Š Back float-10 seconds-with cube
Š Prone glide with kick-3 body lengths with
cube
Š Prone glide with kick-3 body lengths with
cube
Š Kick with kickboard- width front
without cube
Š Kick with kickboard- width back
without cube
Š Width swimming on front without cube
Š Width swimming on back without cube
Š Shows air exchange while swimming
(blow bubbles)
Š 10 bobs (no air exchange necessary)
Š Length swimming on front with cube
Š Length swimming on back with cube
Š Treading water – 1 minute-with cube
Š Intro to diving
Š Jump into deep water with/without
cube
Seal skills
Š Width with kickboard on stomach
Š Width with kickboard on back
Š Floats-10 seconds front turning to
10 seconds on back
Š Length swimming on front
Š Length swimming on back
Š Front & back glides- 3 body
lengths
Š Shows beginning of overarm recovery in front crawl
Š Shows beginning of back crawl
Š 10 bobs away from wall with air
exchange
Š Survival float-30 seconds
Š Combine: Head first entry, roll onto back, swim
length on back
Š Combine: Jump into deep water, tread
1 minute, swim length on front
Š Head first entry
Ages 5-13 learn-to-swim
No
prerequisites
Skills to be taught:
Š Submerge
mouth, nose and eyes, open eyes under water, pick up submerged object at arms
length
Š Bubble blowing- 3 seconds
Š Supported float on front/back and recovery- 5 seconds
Š Roll over from front to back supported and vice versa
Š Enter and exit water independently-Demonstrate (ladder, steps,
or side)
Š Change direction of travel while walking or paddling
Š Intro to alternating arm action and alternating leg action
Š Supported swim on front using any combination of arm and leg
action (5 feet)
Š Supported swim on back using any combination of arm and leg
action (5 feet)
Š Treading in chest
deep water with support
Š Enter unassisted, move 5 meters, bob 5
times to chin level and safely exit the water (participants can walk, travel
along the gutter or swim)
Š Float on front with support for 3 seconds, roll over onto
back (with assistance), float on back with support for 3 seconds
Level 1
certification or be able to:
Skills to be taught
Š Submerge entire head (5 seconds)
Š Open eyes under water, pick up
submerged object (3 times)
Š Blow bubbles, while submerging head in rhythmic pattern
(bobbing)(5 times)
Š Front float with face in the water (5 seconds) and recover
to standing position
Š Front glide/Back Glide (2 body lengths)
Š Recover from back float to standing position, unsupported
Š Enter/Exit water independently by jumping or stepping from
the side
Š Change direction of travel while paddling on front or back
Š Roll over from front to back, vice versa
Š Tread water, using arm and leg motions, in chest deep water
Š Swim on front unsupported (15 feet)(combined
arm and leg action)
Š Swim on back unsupported (15 feet)(finning, sculling, and alternating leg/arm action)
Š Swim on side unsupported (5 feet)(alternating
leg and arm action)
Š Step from pool side into chest-deep water, move into a front
float for 5 seconds, roll over to a back float, return to standing position,
then move into a back float for 5 seconds and return to a standing position
Š Push off and swim using a combination of arm and leg
movements for 15 feet on the front, push off and swim using a combination of
arm movement for 15 feet on the back5 bobs (no air exchange necessary)
Š Length swimming on front, length swimming on back
Š Treading water – 30 seconds
Š Jump to instructor in shallow water w/o assistance
Level 2
certification or be able to:
Skills to be taught
Š Submerge and retrieve an object from chest deep water (3
seconds)
Š Bob with head fully submerged, in chest deep water (5 times)
Š Jump into deep water from the side
Š Demonstrate a head-first entry from the side in a sitting or
kneeling position
Š Demonstrate rotary breathing with body in horizontal
position (5 times)
Š Demonstrate a front glide using 2 different kicks (2 body
lengths)
Š Tread in deep water (30 seconds)
Š 15 meters of front crawl
Š 15 meters of back crawl
Š 15 feet of butterfly- kick and body motion
Š 15 meters breaststroke kick
Š Demonstrate survival float in deep
water (30 seconds)
Š Demonstrate back float in deep water (30 seconds)
Š Move from vertical to horizontal position on front and back
Š Jump into chest-deep water from the side, swim front crawl
for 15 meters with face in the water and rhythmic breathing pattern (to front
or side), maintain position by treading or floating for 30 seconds and swim
back crawl for 15 meters.
Level 3 certification or be able to:
Skills to be taught
Š Survival float in deep water (1
minute)
Š Back float in deep water (1 minute)
Š Demonstrate a dive from a compact or stride
position on the side of the pool
Š Demonstrate a feet-first surface dive and
submerge completely
Š Swim underwater (3 body lengths)
Š Tread water using a modified scissors, breaststroke or rotary
kick and sculling arm motions (1 minute)
Š Front crawl-25 meters
Š Back crawl-25 meters
Š Butterfly-15 meters
Š Elementary backstroke- 15 meters
Š Swim on side using scissor kick- 15 meters
Š Breaststroke- 15 meters
Š Open turn using any stroke on front/back and push off in a
streamlined position
Š Feet-first entry into chest-deep water, swim front crawl for
25 meters, maintain position on back 1 minute in deep water (float or
sculling), and swim elementary backstroke for 15 meters
Š Swim breaststroke 15 meters, tread water for 1 minute, swim
back crawl 25 meters
Level 4 certification or be able to:
Skills to be taught
Š Survival float in deep water (2
minutes)
Š Back float in deep water (2 minutes)
Š Demonstrate a shallow dive from the side
Š Demonstrate tuck and pike surface dive, submerging
completely
Š Tread water using two different kicks (scissors, modified
breast, or rotary kick) (2 minutes)
Š Front crawl-50 meters
Š Back crawl-50 meters
Š Butterfly-25 meters
Š Elementary backstroke- 25 meters
Š Sidestroke- 25 meters
Š Swim underwater- 15 meters
Š Breaststroke- 25 meters
Š Flip turn while swimming on front/back
Š Perform a shallow dive into deep water, swim front crawl 50
meters, maintain a back float position for 2 minutes in deep water (float or
scull) and swim elementary backstroke for 25 meters.
Š Swim breaststroke for 25 meters, tread water for 2 minutes
and swim back crawl for 50 meters
(717) 334-9171
Updated: April 2008