PRE-SCHOOL AQUATICS

PRE-SCHOOL AQUATICS (3 – 6 YEARS)

American Red Cross Pre-school Aquatics courses offered at the Cumming Aquatic Center target children from approximately 3 to 6 years of age.  The American Red Cross Pre-school Aquatics program consists of 3 levels that teach fundamental water safety and aquatic skills, and we have added a bonus level here at the Aquatic Center (Pre-school 4) for children who are able to complete levels Pre-school 1 through 3 but are still too young to advance to the Learn To Swim courses.  The purpose of the Pre-school Aquatics program is to promote the developmentally appropriate learning of fundamental water safety and aquatic skills by young children.  The program allows participants to move seamlessly into Learn-To-Swim courses as they get older and progress through the levels.   

All Pre-School classes are 30 minutes long.  Sessions vary between 6 and 9 lessons.  Participants must be 3 to 6 years of age.

How Do I Know Which Level to Register For?

Pre-School 1:  I am a beginner looking forward to learning fundamental skills of swimming, such as floating, gliding, kicking, and submerging.

Pre-School 2:  I am comfortable putting my face in the water and can float/swim with some assistance.  I need to practice floating and swimming longer durations with some assistance, and begin working on independence.

Pre-School 3:  I am comfortable submerging underwater, and have practices swimming short durations by myself.  I need to practice swimming with my arms and legs on my front and back independently and with improved coordination.

Pre-School 4:  I can float by myself and swim Front Crawl and Back Crawl independently for a short distance.  I need to practice breathing properly and swimming further distances.

For a complete list of exit skills for each Pre-School level, please scroll down to view the skill charts.  Participants should enroll in the lowest level they cannot complete all of the exit skills in.

View the tables below to  review the exit skills required to complete each Pre-School level. 

Pre-School 1Exit Skills
Independently enter & exit the water using the ramp, ladder, side
Blow bubbles with support
Submerge mouth, nose, eyes, with support
Open eyes underwater, retrieve object with support
Roll from front to back & back to front
Explore arm/treading actions in chest-deep water, with support
Alternating & simultaneous arm & leg action on front & back, 2 body lengths with support
Combined arm & leg actions on front & back, 2 body lengths
Front & back glide, assisted
Back float 3 sec, assisted
Recover from front & back glide to vertical position, assisted
Enter water, blow bubbles 3 sec, exit water, assisted
Glide on front, roll to back, recover to vertical position, assisted
Various water safety topics
Pre-School 2
Exit Skills
Step in to shoulder deep water
Exit water using ladder & side
Bobbing, 5 times
Open eyes underwater, retrieve object in chest deep water
Front & back glide, 2 body lengths, assisted
Front float 3 sec, assisted
Back float 5 sec, assisted
Recover from front & back glides to vertical position in chest-deep water, assisted
Roll front to back & back to front, assisted
Tread water 15 sec, assisted
Combined arm & leg action on front & back, 3 body lengths, assisted
Finning arm action on back, 3 body lengths, assisted
Front glide, roll to back, float, recover to vertical, assisted
Back glide, roll to front, recover to vertical, assisted
Swim using arms & legs on front, roll to back, float, roll to front, continue swimming, assistd
Various water safety topics
Pre-School 3Exit Skills
Various water safety topics
Tread water 30 sec
Swim on front using arms & legs 5 body lengths, roll to back, float 15 sec, roll to front, swim 5 body lengths
Submerge, hold breath 10 sec
Step in side, push off bottom, tread/float 15 sec, swim on front/back 5 body lengths, exit water
Rotary breathing, 5 times
Recover from front & back float or glide to vertical position
Jump in shoulder deep water
Front float, 10 sec
Finning arm action on back, 5 body lengths
Change direction of travel while swimming on front or back
Bobbing 10 times, chest deep water
Back glide, 3 body lengths
Back float, 15 sec
Back float 15 sec, roll to front, recover to vertical
Pre-School 4
Exit Skills
Continue to work on PS3 skills to increase strength & endurance
Head-first entry from the side in a sitting & kneeling position
Bobbing while moving to safety, 10 times
Rotary breathing, 10 times
Front float, 20 sec
Back float, 1 min
Front crawl with rotary breathing, 10 yards
Demonstrate elementary backstroke, 10 yards
Jump in to deep water, recover, tread or float 30 sec, rotate 1 full turn, swim 15 yards, exit water
Push off streamlined, swim front crawl 10 yards, change position/direction, swim elementary backstroke 10 yards
Various water safety topics