Youth Group Lessons

Purpose 

To familiarize young children (from ages 6 months to about 3 years) with the water and prepare them to learn to swim in the American Red Cross Preschool Aquatics or Learn-to-Swim courses. It is not designed to teach children to become good swimmers or to survive in the water on their own.

Prerequisites

• No skill prerequisites.
• Child must be at least 6 months old to enroll.
• Parent or other caregiver must accompany each child into the water and participate in each class.

Learning Objectives

• Learn to ask for permission before entering the water.
• Learn how to enter and exit the water in a safe manner.
• Feel comfortable in the water.
• Explore submerging to the mouth, nose and eyes completely.
• Explore buoyancy on the front and back position.
• Change body position in the water with support.
• Learn basic water safety rules and how to avoid water hazards around the home.
• Learn about the importance of wearing a life jacket and experience wearing one.
• Learn how to stay safe in, on and around the water, including knowing how to stay safe in the sun and how to avoid recreational water illnesses.
• Learn how to call for help and the importance of knowing first aid and CPR.

Pre-School Aquatics Level 1

Purpose

To orient preschool-age children to the aquatic environment and to help them acquire rudimentary levels of basic aquatic skills.

Prerequisites 

• There are no skill prerequisites for Preschool Aquatics Level 1.
• Participants start at about 4 and 5 years old.

Learning Objectives

• Enter and exit water using ladder, steps or side
• Blow bubbles through mouth and nose
• Submerge mouth, nose and eyes
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
• Front and back glides and recover to a vertical position
• Back float and recover to a vertical position
• Roll from front to back and back to front
• Tread with arm and hand actions
• Alternating and simultaneous leg actions on front and back
• Alternating and simultaneous arm actions on front and back
• Experience wearing a life jacket in the water
• Learn how to stay safe, including recognizing an emergency and knowing how to call for help
• Learn how to stay safe in, on and around the water, including the use of a life jacket, recognizing lifeguards and sun safety.

Pre-School Aquatics Level 2

Purpose

To build on the basic aquatic skills learned in PSA Level 1.

Prerequisites 

• Successfully demonstrate the exit skills assessments from Preschool Aquatics Level 1.

Learning Objectives

• Enter water by stepping in
• Exit water using ladder, steps or side
• Bobbing
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
• Front and back floats and glides
• Recover from a front or back float or glide to a vertical position
• Roll from front to back and back to front
• Tread water using arm and leg actions
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back or back
• Finning arm action on back
• Learn how to stay safe, including recognizing an emergency and knowing how to call for help
• Learn how to stay safe in, on and around the water, including the use of a life jacket, recognizing lifeguards and sun safety

Pre-School Aquatics Level 3

Purpose

To increase proficiency and build on the basic aquatic skills learned in Levels 1 and 2 by providing additional guided practice with increased distances and times

Prerequisites 

• Successfully demonstrate the exit skills assessments of Preschool Aquatics Level 2

Learning Objectives

• Enter water by jumping in
• Fully submerge and hold breath
• Bobbing
• Front, jellyfish and tuck floats
• Recover from a front or back float or glide to a vertical position
• Back float and glide
• Change direction of travel while swimming on front and back
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
• Tread water using arm and leg actions
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
• Learn how to stay safe, including recognizing an emergency and knowing how to call for help
• Learn how to stay safe in, on and around the water, including the use of a life jacket, recognizing lifeguards and sun safety

Level 1 – Introduction to Water Skills

Purpose

To begin developing positive attitudes, good swimming habits and safe practices in and around the water

Prerequisites

• There are no skill prerequisites for Introduction to Water Skills.
• Participants start at about 6 years of age.

Learning Objectives

• Enter and exit water using ladder, steps or side
• Blow bubbles through mouth and nose
• Bobbing
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
• Front and back glides and floats
• Recover to vertical position
• Roll from front to back and back to front
• Tread water using arm and hand actions
• Alternating and simultaneous leg actions on front and back
• Alternating and simultaneous arm actions on front and back
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
• Learn how to stay safe, including recognizing an emergency and knowing how to call for help
• Learn how to stay safe in, on and around the water, including the use of a life jacket, recognizing lifeguards, and sun safety

 Level 2 – Fundamental Aquatic Skills

Purpose

To give participants success with fundamental skills, including learning how to float without support and to recover to a vertical position

 Prerequisites 

• Valid American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills certificate or successful demonstration of all certification requirements from Level 1

Learning Objectives

• Enter and exit water by stepping or jumping from the side
• Fully submerge and hold breath
• Bobbing
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
• Front, jellyfish and tuck floats
• Front and back glides and floats
• Recover to vertical position
• Roll from front to back and back to front
• Change direction of travel while swimming on front or back
• Tread water using arm and leg actions
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
• Finning arm action
• Learn how to stay safe, including recognizing an emergency, knowing how to call for help and perform
• simple non-swimming assists
• Learn how to stay safe in, on and around the water, including the use of a life jacket, recognizing lifeguards, and sun safety
• Learn to look carefully before entering the water
• Learn what to think about and do when exhausted or caught in a dangerous situation

 Level 3 – Stroke Development

Purpose

To build on the skills in Level 2 by providing additional guided practice in deeper water

Prerequisites 

• Valid American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Level 2: Fundamental Aquatic Skills certificate or successful demonstration of all certification requirements from Level 2

Learning Objectives

• Enter water by jumping from the side
• Headfirst entries from the side in sitting and kneeling positions
• Bobbing while moving toward safety
• Rotary breathing
• Survival float
• Back float
• Change from vertical to horizontal position on front and back
• Tread water
• Flutter, scissor, dolphin and breaststroke kicks on front
• Front crawl and elementary backstroke
• Learn to look carefully before entering the water
• Learn to perform simple non-swimming assists
• Learn to recognize, prevent and respond to cold water emergencies

 Level 4 – Stroke Improvement

Purpose

To develop participants’ confidence in the strokes learned in Level 3 and to improve other aquatic skills

Prerequisites 

• Valid American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Level 3: Stroke Development certificate or successful demonstration of all completion requirements from Level 3

Learning Objectives

• Headfirst entries from the side in compact and stride positions
• Swim under water
• Feet-first surface dive
• Survival swimming
• Front crawl and backstroke open turns
• Tread water using 2 different kicks
• Front and back crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke and butterfly
• Flutter and dolphin kicks on back
• Learn to look carefully before entering the water
• Learn what to think about and do when exhausted or caught in a dangerous situation
• Learn to perform simple non-swimming assists
•  Learn about recreational water illnesses and how to prevent them