Red Cross Parent-Child and Preschool Swim Lesson Course Descriptions

Parent-Child  (ages 6-36 months with parent or guardian)
Learn to enjoy the water safely with your child for ages 6 to 36 months accompanied by a parent or guardian in the water.

Registration tip: Children, at the age of 3, may register for Preschool Swim Lessons to be in a class without a parent.


Preschool Aquatics Level A (ages 3 to 5)
Preschoolers learn to enjoy water safely and perform basic skills. Preschoolers in the Parent Child class learn skills with the comfort of a parent or guardian in the water.

Skills performed with flotation include:

  • Enter and exit the water safely
  • Submerge and explore underwater
  • Glide and recover on front and back
  • Float on back
  • Roll over front to back, back to front
  • Swim on front and back, 5 yd.

Registration tip: Upon completion of required skills, children ages 3 to 5 should register for Preschool AquaticsLevel B. Children ages 5 and older should register for Learn to Swim Level 1.

If you completed Swim America Parent-Child or Pre-K and are at least 3 years old, children should register for Preschool Aquatics Level A or B.


Preschool Aquatics Level B (ages 3 to 5)
Preschoolers experience success with fundamental skills.

Skills performed with assistance include:

  • Jump into shoulder-deep water
  • Submerge and explore underwater
  • Float and glide on front and back
  • Roll over front to back, back to front
  • Tread water, 15 sec.
  • Swim on front and back, 5 yd.

Prerequisite: Students must have completed Preschool Aquatics Level A or have equivalent skills.

Registration tip: Upon completion of required skills, children ages 3 to 5 should register for Preschool Aquatics Level C. Children, ages 5 and older should register for Learn to Swim Level 2.

If you completed Swim America Parent-Child or Pre-K and are at least 3 years old, children should register for Preschool Aquatics Level A or B.


Preschool Aquatics Level C (ages 3 to 5)
Preschoolers build on the skills learned in Preschool Aquatics Level B.

Skills include:

  • Jump into shoulder-deep water
  • Holding hold breath under water, bobbing and rotary breathing
  • Float and glide on front and back
  • Tread water, 30 sec.
  • Change direction while swimming
  • Swim on front and back, 15 yd.
  • Challenge skills: front crawl and elementary backstroke

Prerequisite: Children must have completed Preschool Aquatics Level B or have equivalent skills.

Registration tip: Children, ages 5 and older that complete Preschool Aquatics Level C, should register for Learn to Swim Level 2.

If you completed Swim America Level 1 or Level 2 and are ages 3 or 4, children should register for Preschool Aquatics C. If you completed Swim America Pre-K and are 5 or older, children should register for Learn to Swim Level 1.