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 1 | Exit 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 3 | Exit 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 |

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