Group Swim Lessons

SMAC Group Swim Lesson Header

SMAC Group Swim Lesson Picture 5SMAC Group Swim Lesson Picture 4SMAC Group Swim Lesson Picture 3SMAC Group Swim Lesson Picture 2SMAC Group Swim Lesson Picture 6SMAC Group Swim Lesson Picture 1

Group Swim Lessons

Johnson County Parks and Recreation District Aquatics offers a safe and fun environment for participants of all ages to learn to swim year round. From 6 months to adults, beginners to swim team ready, there is a level to suit your needs. Trained instructors guide students through natural skill progression building water competency and comfort. Students will work on water adjustment, swimming fundamentals, and water safety, in our heated Instructional Pool reserved just for lessons. Water depth and an array of swimming equipment allows students to also independently practice so every minute of the 30-minute 8 class lesson will be productive. The pool is guarded by a certified lifeguard and equipped with a movable floor which means our water depth is ideal for any level. 

Swim Lesson Sessions are Offered

  • Monday/Wednesday Evenings
  • Weekday Mornings (Summer Only)

Registration

  • Registration for sessions opens 3 weeks prior to start of session on Monday at 8:30 am.
  • Registrations closes the Thursday prior to the start of the session.
  • If courses are full, please register for waiting list. If pool space allows and instructors are available, additional classes will be added.

Group Swim Lesson Level Assessment Button

If unsure about which swim lesson level to register your swimmer for, please click the above link to take the Group Swim Lesson Level Assessment. This tool will help guide you to register your swimmer for the correct level. 

Swim Lesson - Register Online Button


SMAC Group Swim Lesson Levels Offered and Descriptions Header

Gold Fish

Baby and Me

Ages: 

6 months - 2 years old (with adult caregiver participating in the water)

Purpose:
 

To provide water orientation for adult caregiver and child through numerous water adjustment activities emphasizing fun and water safety.

Description:  

Designed for children 6 months to 2 years of age, this program builds swimming readiness by emphasizing fun in the water. Adults and children participate in eight 30-minute lessons that help participants become comfortable and safe in the water. Skills include water entry, bubble blowing, front kicking, back kicking, back floating and underwater exploration. Non toilet trained participants must wear a swim diaper during lessons.  

  Baby and Me: Skills


Water Adjustment
  • Entering and exiting the water safely (with support)
  • Various holding techniques
  • Safely moving in the water (with support)
  • Introducing bobs
  • Water comfort

Breath Control

  • Introduction to bubbles
  • Underwater exploration

Buoyancy

  • Front float (with support)
  • Back float (with support)
  • Rolling from front to back (with support)

Swimming

  • Front kicking (with support)
  • Back kicking (with support)
  • Reaching arms (with support)


Orange Fish

Tot and Me

Ages: Children between the ages of 1.5 and 3 years old.
(with adult caregiver participating in the water)

Purpose: To provide water orientation for adult caregiver and child through songs and activities emphasizing fun and water safety.

Description:  Designed for children 1.5 to 3 years of age, this program builds swimming readiness by emphasizing fun in the water. Adults and children participate in eight 30-minute lessons that help participants become comfortable and safe in the water.  Skills include water entry, bubble blowing, front kicking, back kicking, front floating, back floating, arm reaching, combining skills and underwater exploration. Non toilet trained participants must wear a swim diaper during lessons.  

 Tot and Me Course Skills 

Water Adjustment

  • Entering and exiting the water safely independently
  • Jumping into the pool from the side (with support)
  • Various holding techniques
  • Safely moving in the water independently
  • Bobbing (with minimal support)
  • Water comfort

Breath Control

  • Mouth and nose bubbles
  • Underwater exploration

Buoyancy

  • Front float (with support)
  • Back float (with support)
  • Rolling from front to back (with support)

Swimming

  • Flutter kicking on front (with support)
  • Front kicking while holding on to pool wall
  • Back kicking (with support)
  • Alternating reaching arms (with support)
  • .Combined front kick and arm reaching (with support)
  • Introduction to back arms
  • Gliding off the wall
  • Passing participant to instructor

Red Fish

Preschool Level A

Ages: Preschool age (3 - 5 years old) swimmers.

Purpose: Participants learn through games and songs that incorporate basic water skills.

Description: Preschool Level A is designed for preschool age swimmer's first swimming lesson without an adult caregiver in the water with them. Skills introduced include entering and exiting the water independently, submerging face, blowing bubbles, front and back float glide with support, flutter kicking, and an introduction to life jackets. Non toilet trained participants must wear a swim diaper during lessons.  

Preschool Level A Skills

Water Adjustment

  • Entering and exiting the water safely independently
  • Jumping into the pool from the side (with support)
  • Safely moving in the water independently
  • Proper and safe use of life jackets
  • Water comfort
  • Submerge face underwater

Breath Control

  • Mouth and nose bubbles (3 seconds)
  • Underwater exploration
  • Bobbing 3 times (with support)

Buoyancy

  • Front float for 3 seconds (with support)
  • Front glide independently
  • Back float 5 seconds (with support)
  • Back glide
  • Rolling from front to back (with support)

Swimming

  • Flutter kicking on front (with support of flotation devices or side of the pool)
  • Freestyle arm movement (with support)
  • Freestyle with combined arm and leg movement on front (2 yards with support)
  • Flutter kicking on back (with support)
  • Backstroke arm movement (with support)
  • Backstroke with combined arm and leg movement on back (2 yards with support)

           

Light Blue Fish

Preschool Level B

Ages: Preschool age (3 - 5 years old) swimmers. 

Suggested for: Preschool aged swimmers that are comfortable in the water, submerging, and ready to swim with some support.

Purpose: Participants learn basic swim skills and safety through games that incorporate basic water skills.

Prerequisite: Preschool Level A certificate or the ability to demonstrate competency in Preschool Level A skills.

Description:
Preschool Level B is designed to build on the skills taught in Preschool Level A.  Participants will focus on learning independence in blowing bubbles, retrieving underwater objects, floating, arm and leg movement, jumping into water over their head, and water safety. Non toilet trained participants must wear a swim diaper during lessons.      

Preschool Level B Skills

Water Adjustment

  • Entering and exiting the water safely independently
  • Jumping into the pool and returning to the side
  • Safely moving in the water independently
  • Proper and safe use of life jackets
  • Introduction to treading water 10 seconds independently
  • Water comfort

Breath Control

  • Mouth and nose bubbles for 5 seconds
  • Underwater exploration
  • Bobbing (10 times)

Buoyancy

  • Front float  independently (5 seconds)
  • Front glide with face in the water independently  (5 yards)
  • Back float independently (10 seconds)
  • Back glide independently (5 yards)
  • Rolling from front to back independently

Swimming

  • Front kicking independently
  • Freestyle arms, with out of water arm recovery
  • Combined arm and leg movement on front with face in the water (5 yards)
  • Back glide with kicking
  • Backstroke arm movement
  • Combined arm and leg movement on back (5 yards)

Dark Blue Fish

Level 1

Ages:  Participants must be a minimum of 5 years old. 

Suggested for: Beginner school age swimmers that are not independently swimming.

Purpose: Participants learn basic swimming skills that can be built on as they progress through the swim lesson program.

Prerequisite: Participants must be a minimum of 5 years old.

Description:
Level 1 is designed for school age swimmers who have little to no previous swim lesson experience.  Participants learn to fully submerge their face in the water, picking up submerged object, float independently, gliding through water, basic stroke mechanics, and basic water safety skills. Non toilet trained participants must wear a swim diaper during lessons.      

Level 1 Skills

Water Adjustment

  • Entering and exiting the water safely independently
  • Jumping into the pool and returning to the side
  • Safely moving in the water independently
  • Proper and safe use of life jackets
  • Introduction to treading water
  • Water comfort

Breath Control

  • Mouth and nose bubbles (5 seconds)
  • Underwater exploration
  • Bobbing (10 times)

Buoyancy

  • Front float (5 seconds)
  • Front glide with face in the water (5 yards)
  • Back float (10 seconds)
  • Back glide (5 yards)
  • Rolling from front to back

Swimming

  • Flutter kicking on front independently
  • Freestyle arms, with out of water arm recovery
  • Freestyle with combined arm and leg movement on front with face in the water independently (5 yards)
  • Back glide with kicking interdependently (5 yards)
  • Backstroke arm movement
  • Backstroke with combined arm and leg movement on back independently (5 yards)

Green Fish

Level 2

Ages:  Participants must be a minimum of 5 years old. 

Suggested for: Swimmers that are comfortable and can fully submerge in the water, back float for five seconds independently, and swim short distances on their own.

Purpose: To build on the aquatic locomotion, safety and safety skills of participant.

Prerequisite:  A Level 1 or Preschool Level B certificate or ability to demonstrate competency in Level 1 or Preschool Level B skills.

Description:
Level 2 is designed for school age swimmer who is comfortable in the water, submerging and swimming without support. Building off the basic skills in the previous level, participants learn freestyle, backstroke and rhythmic breathing without support. 

Level 2 Skills

Water Adjustment

  • Jumping into the pool and returning to the side
  • Retrieve submerged objects
  • Treading in deep water (30 seconds)

Breath Control

  • Underwater swimming
  • Bobbing (15 times)
  • Rhythmic side breathing (15 times)

Buoyancy

  • Front float (10 seconds)
  • Front glide with face in water (5 yards)
  • Back float (30 seconds)
  • Back glide (5 yards)
  • Rolling from front to back

Swimming

  • Freestyle with rhythmic breathing and out of water arm recovery (10 yards)
  • Backstroke (10 yards)

Gray Fish

Level 3 

Ages:  Skill based program, participants must be a minimum of 6 years old. 

Suggested for: Intermediate swimmers that are capable of swimming 10 yards on both front and back and are comfortable in deep water but may not have great technique with the different swimming strokes.

Purpose: To improve stroke technique for freestyle, backstroke, rhythmic breathing, deep water skills and to gain endurance.

Prerequisite:  A Level 2 certificate or ability to demonstrate competency in Level 2 skills.

Description:
Swimmers in Level 3 begin to develop more advanced skills including rotary breathing, diving, breast and dolphin kicks.  

Level 3 Skills

Water Adjustment

  • Jumping into the pool and returning to the side
  • Introduction to head first entries
  • Retrieve submerged objects
  • Treading in deep water (1 minute)
  • Introduction to open turns

Breath Control

  • Underwater swimming (2 yards)
  • Bobbing (15 times)
  • Rhythmic side breathing (15 times)

Buoyancy

  • Back float (1 minute)
  • Rolling from front to back

Swimming

  • Freestyle with rhythmic breathing (15 yards)
  • Backstroke (15 yards)
  • Breaststroke kick (10 yards)
  • Dolphin kick (10 yards)

Navy Fish

Level 4

Ages: Skill based program, participants must be a minimum of 6 years old.

Suggested for:  Strong swimmers that are capable of swimming multiple lengths of the pool without tiring and have basic knowledge and skills with multiple swimming strokes.

Purpose: To develop confidence, competency and endurance in aquatic locomotion.

Prerequisite: A Level 3 certificate or demonstrated competency in Level 3 skills.

Description: Swimmers in Level 4 refine the front and backstrokes, develop breaststroke and butterfly, improve diving ability and build endurance. 

Level 4 Skills

Water Adjustment

  • Head first entries from a standing position
  • Retrieve submerged objects
  • Treading in deep water (2 minutes)
  • Turns
  • Surface dives

Breath Control

  • Underwater swimming (2 yards)
  • Bobbing (15 times)
  • Rhythmic side breathing (25 yards)

Buoyancy

  • Back float (1 minute)
  • Rolling from front to back

Swimming

  • Freestyle with rhythmic breathing  (25 yards)
  • Backstroke (25 yards)
  • Breaststroke (25 yards)
  • Butterfly (15 yards)