If you’re looking for a way to introduce your child to swimming or to help them progress beyond the basics – even if they aren’t looking to swim competitively – Greater Midland’s Learn to Swim series offers the perfect fit. Below, we’ll help you understand how the program works and progresses, so you know what to expect when you sign up.

Who Teaches Learn to Swim

Community Center swim instructors come from a wide range of backgrounds, which helps us find the best fit for each specific class. Instructors teaching our higher levels have competitive swimming experience, so they’re comfortable coaching the technical details of each stroke. Instructors teaching our beginner levels have experience working with children and know how to help young swimmers feel safe, confident and heard.

Every new instructor completes at least three hours of training on our program, skill instruction, and Greater Midland’s values and goals. From there, they shadow an experienced instructor, then lead classes with their trainer alongside until they’re ready to teach on their own.

How the Program Works

Learn to Swim is offered throughout the year as part of our seasonal program schedules, and as a Summer Camp option. While the name “Learn to Swim” is consistent across the board, your child’s specific class will focus on areas relevant to where they are in their development – it advances along with their skills from ages 3 to 17.

On the first day of any Learn to Swim class, your child is assessed by Greater Midland aquatics staff to see where they are in their skill set. They are then sorted into groups by age and ability, so their class provides the appropriate focus areas. Since our staff handles this assessment, you simply register for the day/time slot that is most convenient for your family’s schedule, and we do the appropriate organizing from there.

Classes are divided into P1-P2, and L1-L5:

P1-P2: Water comfort and confidence. For children who are getting acquainted with the water and need to become comfortable with being in the pool, having water on their face, and brief submersion. Instructors work on areas like blowing bubbles and floating. While this is often younger kids, it applies to any child beginning their swimming journey. As with any Learn to Swim class, water safety is covered as well.

L1-L2: Independence and basic skills. This is for children who are more comfortable in the water and can begin moving toward swimming on their own. Instructors work on areas like freestyle swimming, which begins as a “doggy paddle” and progresses toward alternating overhand arm strokes along with a flutter kick

L3: Stroke development. Here, children work on refining their freestyle swimming, understanding rotary breathing (turning your head to the side to breathe), and trying the backstroke.

L4-L5: Endurance and stroke mastery. For these top-level classes, children learn additional strokes (butterfly and breaststroke), work toward mastering the backstroke, and gain endurance so they can begin swimming independently for longer periods.

Options for the Youngest Swimmers

For babies and preschool age children, Greater Midland’s Aqua Babies, Guppies and Goldfish classes provide a head start on basic comfort and safety in the water. Aqua Babies and Guppies (covering up to age 2.5) require a parent or guardian present, while Goldfish (up to age 3) does not. These classes help prepare children to step into the Learn to Swim series.

How to Sign Up

Greater Midland’s Programs Page contains direct links to registration for all open aquatics programming. This page is also updated each Summer, Fall and Winter with a brochure of that season’s programs, which also contain direct registration links. Once you have created a login for Webtrac (our registration software), you can sign your child up for classes.

Every great swimmer starts somewhere, and Learn to Swim meets your child right where they are. Sign up today and watch their confidence grow.