Most levels listed below have skills for beginner, intermediate and advanced students. At Swim-in Zone we will not put a child back to the beginning when they have advanced close to the end of a level just because a new session has started.

              LEVEL 1    Goal: a child who is happy in the water and will put his head underwater if the depth is shallow and they feel safe. They may start to “swim” on our steps. Sometimes level 1 seems to take forever to pass. Please help by giving your child showers at home, getting your child’s face wet and ears underwater in the tub. Make a point to come to our Friday night family swim because exposure to pools and water will help tremendously.

RED ZONE   Level 1 Beginner   ages 3, 4, 5   

“STOP be careful with me. I haven’t learned how to go underwater yet and I might be somewhat fearful. Help me fearful. Help me to learn to have fun in the water and respect it. “        

Objectives: Learn to have fun in the water, walk, crawl and move through the water. Learn that the water is OK. With help start to use noodles and flotation. Put chin and mouth in the water. Blow some bubbles.                                                                Safety: Take Mommy, Daddy or a grown-up’s hand to go into the pool.  

RED/ORANGE ZONE  Level 1 Intermediate ages 3, 4, 5     

“I’m interested. I’m starting to have fun in the water, where I can stand. I can walk and crawl

along on the steps. I am still worried about putting my face underwater, but I’ll try it in the tub.”

Objectives: Learn to trust teacher, put eyes underwater, blow bubbles and move on flotation independently.

Safety:  Never go swimming unless a grown-up is in the water first.  

ORANGE ZONE Level 1 Advanced  All ages                    

“Stay vigilant. I’m starting to have fun in the water, but I don’t trust it yet. I can go on a noodle

by myself. I can put my face underwater. I can’t swim yet, but I’m getting close.”

Objectives: Begin to understand about the buoyant properties of water. Learn how to go underwater

and stay happily underwater for 6 sec., keep water out of the nose, float with help. Learn to “swim” on the steps.

Safety: Use loud voices to help someone or get something out of the water. Never go yourself. 

LEVEL 2

Goal: a child who is happy underwater anywhere in our pool. They KNOW that the water has buoyancy

and will hold them up. They can turn over consistently from front to back to breathe.

 Enthusiasm + energy + no skills = dangerous children. So Swim-in Zone places lots of emphasis on safety skills

 like getting back to the side, rolling over to breathe, jump to safety, U-turns, treading water and going from treading

water to back floating.

ORANGE/YELLOW ZONE  Level 2 Beginner    

“GO SLOW, but I’m starting to get it. I can swim on the steps and almost float by myself.

 I can get rings underwater off the steps.”

Objectives:  Independent underwater swim, jump with little help, introduce elementary backstroke, learn about lifejackets,

push off from steps and swim out to teacher 3-5 ft. float independently on front and back.

Safety: Learn what to do if you are swimming and get tired.

YELLOW ZONE   Level 2 Intermediate    

 “Go a little faster. I get it. I can swim underwater on my own. I am starting to believe that the water

will hold little people, like me, up. Do you know that the water is fun? Jumping in is the best.”

Objectives: Independent floating front and back in X, Y, I, ball and pencil floating positions, elementary backstroke,

 jump to safety, become comfortable with underwater exhalation, independent jumping, U turns, rings off the bottom of the pool.

Safety: What if you get tired, swallow water or see someone who needs help. Diving safety.

YELLOW/GREEN ZONE  Level 2 Advanced     

“GO!!! I know that the water holds me up. I can float like the alphabet letters, X and Y on my back

 and tummy. I can go in 4ft. and get the rings off the bottom. I can jump in and get back to the wall.

I can almost turn over from my tummy to back to breathe, but I would rather doggie paddle for a breath.

 My mom says I am an underwater fish.”    

Objectives: Learn about roll-over breathing, back sculling, bobbing, underwater swimming and independent

elementary backstroke.

Safety: Swim and breathe. What can you do to help someone?

LEVEL 3   Goal: to learn stroking- Front and Back Crawl also known as Freestyle and Backstroke.

Interestingly, the USA and Australia teach front crawl first, whereas the rest of the world teaches breaststroke first!

In Level 3 the children also learn and practice flutter kicking on their front, side and back, breaststroke and dolphin

kicks and simple drills for all strokes.

GREEN ZONE   Level 3 Beginner

“Get out of my way. GO. FULL SPEED AHEAD. I’m so confident, I’m ready to try anything. If you put a

quarter on the bottom of 4 ft. I can get it. Oh yes, I get to keep it too.”

Objectives: Over-water arm strokes with nice body position, side breathing drills for front crawl, introduce breaststroke

kick, float vertically in 5 ft. area, body waves, tread water for 20+ sec., sit diving. Swim ½ length with big arms and roll over

breathing. Move ½ length on their back using flutter kicks.

Safety: Put on lifejacket in the water. Look carefully at the water and depth before jumping in or diving.        

GREEN / BLUE ZONE   Level 3 Intermediate   

“Swimming is so easy. I really like underwater swimming the best, but Mom says I have to learn to

swim the ‘right’ way. She calls it the crawl, a pretty silly name. I call it big arms and breaths to the side.”

Objectives: Flutter kicking on both sides with good body position for ½ length. Maintain good body position while

changing from front to side to back. Swim nice front crawl ½ length. Swim back crawl ½ length. Tread water 30 sec. 

Practice breaststroke kick and dolphin kicks.

Safety: How to rescue someone without going in. Pool rules. Diving board rules.

BLUE ZONE   Level 3 Advanced                    

“Just like an emergency vehicle siren, I say, get out of my way. My blue lights are flashing and I’m putting

 this whole side breathing thing together. I am super on my back. I can kick like a frog and swim without

using my arms like a fish. I can sit and kneel dive and tread water almost a whole minute. What is next?”

Objectives: Add distance to elem. backstroke, front and back crawl and improve technique. Introduce arm stroking

 for breaststroke and butterfly. Somersaults. Perfect streamlines. Jump, tread 1+ min., swim.

Safety: Staying warm in the water. HELP &  HUDDLE.