Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Levels 1 to 6 (ages 5 and up) Course Descriptions
Level 1 (ages 5 and up) - Introduction to Aquatic Skills
Participants, ages 5 and up, become comfortable in the water learning basic skills.
Skills performed with assistance include:
- Enter and exit the water safely
- Submerge and explore underwater
- Glide on front and back
- Float on back
- Explore treading
- Roll over: front to back/back to front
- Swim on front and back 5 yd.
Exit Skills:
- Enter unassisted, move 5 yd., bob 4 times and exit the water.
- Front glide 2 yd., roll to back and float 5 sec., recover to vertical.
Registration tip: Upon completion of required skills register for Level 2.
If you completed Swim America Pre-K or Level 1 or 2 and are at least 5 years old, children should register for Learn to Swim Level 1.
Level 2 - Fundamental Aquatic Skills
Participants, ages 5 and up, experience success with fundamental skills.
Skills include:
- Jump into shoulder-deep water
- Breath control, bobbing and rotary breathing
- Float and glide on front and back
- Roll over: front to back/back to front
- Change direction while swimming
- Tread water, 15 sec.
- Swim on front and back, 15 yd.
Exit Skills:
- Jump into shoulder-deep water, tread water or float 15 sec., swim on front and/or back for 5 yd. and exit the water.
- Back float 15 sec., roll to front and recover to a vertical position.
- Swim on front 5 yd., roll to back and float 15 sec., roll to front and continue swimming 5 yd.
Prerequisite: Students must have completed Preschool 2 or Level 1 or have equivalent skills.
Registration tip: Upon completion of required skills register for Level 3.
If you completed Swim America Level 3 or 4 and are at least 5 years old, children should register for Learn to Swim Level 2.
Level 3 - Stroke Development
Participants, ages 5 and up, achieve basic swimming competency learning front crawl and elementary backstroke.
Skills include:
- Jump into deep water
- Kneeling dive
- Survival float, back float and tread water
- Breaststroke kick, dolphin kick, scissors kick, 25 yd. each
- Front crawl and elementary backstroke, 15 yd. each
Exit Skills:
- Jump into deep water, tread water or float for one minute, rotate one full turn and swim front crawl or elementary backstroke 25 yd.
- Swim front crawl, 15 yd. and elementary backstroke 15 yd.
Prerequisite: Students must have completed Level 2 or have equivalent skills.
Registration tip: Upon completion of required skills register for Level 4.
If you completed Swim America Level 5 and are at least 5 years old, children should register for Learn to Swim Level 3.
Level 4 - Stroke Improvement
Participants, ages 5 and up, improve swimming skills, increase endurance and learn back crawl, breaststroke, butterfly and sidestroke.
Skills include:
- Standing dive
- Feet-first surface dive and swim underwater
- Survival swim, 1 min.
- Tread water, 2 min.
- Front crawl and elementary backstroke, 25 yd. each
- Back crawl, breaststroke, butterfly and sidestroke, 15 yd. each
Exit Skills:
- Jump into deep water, swim front crawl 25 yd. and elementary backstroke 25 yd.
- Swim breaststroke 15 yd. and back crawl 15 yd.
- Swim underwater 5 yd.
Prerequisite: Students must have completed Level 3 or have equivalent skills.
Registration tip: Upon completion of required skills register for Level 5
If you completed Swim America Level 6 and are at least 5 years old, children should register for Learn to Swim Level 4.
Level 5 - Stroke Refinement
Participants, ages 5 and up, learn to swim with refined strokes and increased endurance.
Skills include:
- Shallow dive
- Head-first surface dive
- Tread water, 5 min. and using legs only, 2 min.
- Front crawl and elementary backstroke, 50 yd. each
- Back crawl, breaststroke, butterfly and sidestroke, 25 yd. each
Exit Skills:
- Perform a shallow dive, swim front crawl 50 yd. and elementary backstroke 50 yd.
- Swim breaststroke 25 yd. and back crawl 25 yd.
Prerequisite: Students must have completed Level 4 or have equivalent skills.
Registration tip: Those wishing to complete Level 6 of Red Cross swim lessons may do so as part of our REVolution Swimming program.
If you completed Swim America Level 7 or 8 and are at least 5 years old, children should register for Learn to Swim Level 5.
Level 6 - Swimming & Skill Proficiency
Participants refine their strokes to swim with greater efficiency, power and endurance over longer distances. Level 6 offers three focus areas: Personal Water Safety, Fundamentals of Diving, or Fitness Swimmer.
Personal Water Safety
- Stroke refinement for efficiency and distance
- Prevention of aquatic emergencies in various environments
- Self-rescue skills and survival techniques
Fundamentals of Diving
- Stroke refinement for efficiency and distance
- Introduction to fundamental springboard diving skills
Fitness Swimmer
- Stroke refinement for efficiency and endurance
- Development of fitness swimming routines and lap swimming skills
Exit Skills:
- Demonstrate all Level 5 exit skills with improved proficiency and endurance
- Swim strokes with increased efficiency over longer distances
Prerequisite: Students must have successfully completed Level 5 or demonstrate equivalent skills.
Registration tip: Level 6 participants may continue advancing their skills through our swimming program for extended training for competitive development or as a lifeguard and water safety instructor.
If you completed Swim America Level 9 or 10 and are at least 5 years old, children should register for Learn to Swim Level 6.