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Course Description and Pre-requisites
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INFANT, TODDLER AND TYKE LESSONS
3 months to 4 years old
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WELCOME TO A WATERY CLASSROOM WHERE LEARNING IS FUN!
Every child deserves joy, health and to be treated with kindness and respect.
We believe infants, toddlers and tykes benefit most through our
group classes, as they provide a positive learning experience through “peer learning” and an encouraging
social atmosphere. Our unique format with a parent in the water acting as
“co-teacher” for each child ensures security in the learner.
It also allows for maximum efficiency in class and correct home
practice later. Fun, bonding and family sharing occur side by
side with skill acquisition. Let the learning unfold at your child’s own pace
as we celebrate each
small step along the way.
The youngest age listed in each category is the age (with proper
pre-requisites) that your child can begin to comfortably learn the listed skills.
However, a few children swimming year-round may be able to
acquire these skills at a younger age. Just remember to allow it to occur, never
pushing or coercing.
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All courses are group format with parent or caregiver in the
water.
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Beginner Classes
Reading Learn to Swim and
viewing our video Diaper Dolphins
Volume I by both parent and child, would be
most beneficial for those enrolling in this course. Attending class 4 times per week is
highly recommended.
Water Adjustment & Basic Skills
(3 mos. - 4 yrs.)
This learning phase normally takes 16-48 lessons;
cautious, frightened or children traumatized by
survival swim programs
may take longer.
This is the foundation class for all parents and their young
swimmers. The 4 day a week format follows the natural
learning progression of the child – offering a little bit of
practice on a lot of days. Consistency is the key to safe and
happy acquisition of skills at these young ages. Not only are
the children learning, but the parents are gaining proficiency
in working with their children in the water. This course guides parents through Lifestyle’s compassionate,
gradual, learning progression, employing positive
reinforcement and a fun social atmosphere as motivation.
Not only are we teaching the skills of movement through water,
but also fostering exploration, curiosity, trust, joy,
wonder, confidence, grace
and endurance.
The first step of this class is to adjust your child socially to
the other children, parents and instructors in the group.
Parents will learn how to properly hold their child. The
children will learn pre-submersion water adjustment skills
including comfortably tolerating a stream of water poured over the face.
Children will also learn and practice the
above water skills of jumping, reaching, grabbing, blowing
bubbles, kicking, climbing out of the pool, shimmying along
the pool edge etc. Slowly, they will learn facial immersion,
coupled with learning to hold their breath using a
consistent cue. These classes
will begin to guide the parent and child through some
initial apprehension and basic skills, and will give you the
confidence to practice at home since these skills require your
year-round attention. For many children, simply overcoming
their fear of or aversion to the water will be the initial goal of this class,
and for others, the goal will be successfully propelling themselves several feet
through the water. And though we are setting the foundation
for learning skills that will eventually make your child safer
in the water, remember no child is ever “drown-proof.” Always
watch them diligently around the water. Within this class,
we wish to provide an enriching and healthy activity through
which your child will benefit in many ways. Children
will
remain at this level until they can kick through the water
for 5 seconds while comfortably holding their breath with
their face submerged in the water.
Following the swim they should be relaxed, comfortable, secure and happy.
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All courses are group format with parent or caregiver in the
water.
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Advanced Classes
Reading Learn to Swim and
viewing our video Diaper Dolphins Volume II — Safety
Techniques and Beyond,
would be most beneficial for those enrolling in Safety Techniques
I and II.
Safety Techniques I
(10 months to 4 years old)
Prerequisite:Teacher recommendation required. Children must have completed “Water
Adjustment and Basic Skills” and demonstrate the ability to propel themselves with a steady kick,
face submerged, holding their breath for 5 seconds without taking in water and enjoy it. They
must be comfortable.
The main goal of this advanced parent/child class is to further
increase your child’s confidence, endurance and awareness. Breath-holding,
body position, kicking, reaching and grabbing skills will be greatly
strengthened by swimming between teacher and parent, and to and from the wall. We also
introduce a 180 degree turn in the middle of the pool (at 14 months).
Breath holding will gradually be increased to a 7 second swim. We are thus
setting a strong foundation for Safety Techniques II where the children will tie
all of these skills together.
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Safety Techniques II
(19 months to 4 years)
Prerequisite:Teacher recommendation required. Children must have successfully
completed all skills in Safety Techniques I. They must demonstrate the ability to swim at least 7 seconds
through the water using a good kick with ease and confidence. They must be able to swim to the
wall comfortably and safely grab the wall and climb out. They must be able to demonstrate a
safe jump off the wall out to the parent. They must be able to perform a 180 degree turn in
the middle of the pool.
In addition to the skills learned in Safety Techniques I, these
advanced swimmers will learn the
critical safety skills of falling in and turning around and
swimming back to the wall or steps.
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Advanced Safety Techniques
(2½ years to 4)
Prerequisites:Teacher recommendation required. Can swim 10 feet holding breath
comfortably for at least 7 seconds. They must be able to jump in, turn around and swim back to the wall
with ease and confidence with parent spotting from the deck.
In addition to refining their previously acquired skills, these
swimmers will begin to learn the skill of lifting their head out of the water
for a breath (recovery for a breath) and return to a prone
position to continue their swim. They will also learn to retrieve a ring off the bottom of the pool
(with assistance if needed).
Assisted (non-coerced) back float will be introduced.
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Water Tykes
(3½ years to 4 years)
Prerequisites: Teacher
recommendation required. Can swim a distance
of 20 feet recovering up and down for a breath, can swim
holding breath at least 7 seconds, and can jump in and swim back to the
wall.
In addition to refining their previously acquired skills, this group will begin
to learn such skills as free floating on their backs,
kicking on their backs, rolling from back to front and
front to back.
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CK
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PRESCHOOL, KINDERGARTEN & ELEMENTARY School Age Levels
(4 - 12 years)
Summer session
1B only
All courses are group format with parent or caregiver in the water.
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We believe our students benefit most through our group classes
as they provide a positive learning experience through “peer learning” and an
encouraging social atmosphere. Our unique format with a parent in the water acting as
“assistant” for each child means no one “waits on the steps” for their turn.
Everyone gets one on one attention from their parent (under the direction of
the coach/teacher), no one shivers or gets bored waiting, everyone is active
the entire 30 minute class.
A parent’s presence is comforting and allows for more rapid and
efficient progress in class as well as correct home practice later.
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Level I – Getting Started:
(Ages 4-12 yrs.)
This course playfully guides beginning swimmers
and their parent through
our compassionate, interactive, and gradual learning
progression. Through a variety of creative and engaging
activities, children will learn comfort in the water,
breath control, facial immersion, pushing off the steps
and kicking. Eventually they will be propelling themselves
several feet through the water with their face submerged. They will also learn wall skills and front
floating.
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Level II – Recovering for a Breath & Pool
Wall Safety Skills: (Ages 4 - 12 yrs.)
Prerequisite: Children must be able to propel
themselves with a steady kick, face submerged, holding their breath for 5 seconds
without taking in water and enjoy it. They must be comfortable.
(With Parent)*
Iincreasing endurance, recovering for a breath
and learning to jump in the pool and return to the side are
the focus of this course. Front and back float will also
be covered.
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Level III – Kicking on Back and Body Rolls (Hot Dogs):
(Ages 4 1/2 -12 yrs.)
Prerequisite:Entrance by teacher
recommendation only. Children must be able to kick a
distance of 20 feet recovering up and down for a breath
and be able to hold their breath for at least 7 seconds. They
must be able to jump in and swim back to the wall. (With Parent)*
This course teaches correct body position and kick for swimming
on the back. Not only is this vital for safety but it also lays the foundation for
horizontal body rolls (Hot Dogs). Once proper form has been mastered on flutter kicking on the
back, the Hot Dog will be taught. This is our age appropriate short-cut to learning
freestyle breathing. Other skills such as treading water and surface dives will be covered.
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Level IV – Freestyle and Backstroke:
(Ages 5 -12 yrs.)
Prerequisite:Entrance by teacher
recommendation only.
Children must be
able to kick 30 feet, recovering up and down for a breath. Children must be
able to kick 20 feet, rhythmically rolling on their back to the
same side for a breath.
(With Parent)*
The straight arm stroke will be combined with rhythmic breathing
(1-2-3 breathe) and flutter kick to learn a long, smooth freestyle. No drowning
mosquitoes here. Back-stroke, fining, and sculling will also be introduced and safety skills
will be improved.
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Level V – More Stroking:
(Ages 5-12 yrs.)
Prerequisite:Entrance by teacher
recommendation only. Children must be able to swim 30
feet freestyle with rhythmic breathing (1-2-3-Breath). Children must be able to swim backstroke 30 feet. (With Parent)*
Here we will refine the freestyle and backstroke while
increasing endurance. Butterfly, breaststroke, elementary backstroke and sidestroke will be
introduced.
*If a parent/babysitter cannot get in the water in “parent
required” classes for ages 4 to 12, please contact Rob or Kathy about possible
alternatives.
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All visual and
written material copyright 1999-2008 Lifestyle Productions
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