Swim Lessons

Tiny Tots (3 1/2 - 4 years old)

This class is for children with little swimming experience. Goal is to build up confidence and independence in the water. The children will experience blowing bubbles, kicking and floating.

Level 1 Introduction to Water Skills 

(Must be 5 years old by first day of class)

Participants learn to feel comfortable in the water and enjoy the water safely. Fundamental aquatic skills are taught to develop good swimming habits and safe practices in and around the pool. Participants learn to:

• Blow bubbles and submerge face
• Float on front and back with support
• Swim on front and back with support
•  Retrieve submerged object
• Basic water safety rules

Level 2 Fundamental Aquatic Skills

This level marks the beginning of true locomotion skills. Students are performing skills without support and developing arm and leg actions that lay the foundation for future strokes. Participants learn to:

• Submerge entire head
• Swim on front and back 5 body lengths
• Roll over front to back, back to front
•  Float and glide on front and back
• Swim on front and back alternating arm action

Level 3 Stroke Development

Increase proficiency and build on the aquatic skills learned in Level 2 by providing additional practice with increased distances and times. Participants learn to:

• Jump into deep water and tread water 30 seconds
• Diving from a sitting and kneeling position
• Rotary breathing
•  Front crawl, back crawl, elementary backstroke, sidestroke 15 yards
• Swim using the dolphin kick for 3-5 body lengths

Level 4 Stroke Improvement

Participants improve skills worked on in Level 3 and endurance for front crawl, back crawl, elementary backstroke, sidestroke and breaststroke. Participants learn to:

• Swim front crawl and elementary backstroke for 25 yards each
• Swim sidestroke, back crawl, breaststroke and butterfly 15 yards
• Perform open turns on front and back
•  Dive from a standing position
• Perform a feet-first surface dive and swim underwater

Level 5 Stroke Refinement

Participants refine their performance of all the strokes and increase distances. Participants learn to:

• Perform a long shallow dive
• Perform tuck and pike surface dives
• Perform flip turns
•  Swim front crawl and elementary backstroke for 50 yards
• Swim butterfly, back crawl, breaststroke and sidestroke for 25 yards

Level 6 Swimming and Skill Proficiency

Personal Water Safety, Lifeguard Readiness and Fitness Swimmer

Participants swim strokes with more ease, efficiency, power and smoothness over greater distances. Participants learn to:

• Swim front and back crawl for at least 100 yards
• Swim butterfly, elementary backstroke, breaststroke and sidestroke for 50 yards
• Perform flip turns while swimming
• Rescue breathing
•  Survival swimming with rescue tube
• Care for conscious, choking victim/ back boarding
• Compact jump

Junior Life Guard 

(Ages 11-14) - Not Offered 2020 Season

This course will teach water safety and introduce participants to the duties and responsibilities of a lifeguard; however, this course will not certify anyone to be a lifeguard. It will build a foundation of knowledge, attitudes and skills preparation for the American red Cross Lifeguarding course when the student turns 15 years of age.

Junior Swim & Fitness Club

Not Offered 2020 Season

Students with water instruction of level four and above are welcome to join our junior swim team. Through this four week course our team will participate in exercises in and out of the pool focusing mainly on improving competitive swimming techniques and overall physical fitness. 

At the end of the course the swimmers will compete in semi-competitive races and competitions to show skills that we have practiced the summer. Through the Belle Plaine Junior Swim and Fitness Club swimmers will be encouraged to work closely with other team members through problem solving activities and how to participate in an active and healthy lifestyle.

•  Improve competitive swimming techniques
• Improve overall physical fitness