Swim Lessons at the South Shore YMCA

The South Shore YMCA swim programs offer the area’s very best in water safety education and swim instruction, with Swim Lessons for everyone, from infants to adults, powered by the American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety Program. The Y is “America’s Swim Instructor” and, at the South Shore YMCA, each swimmer develops the swim and water safety skills needed throughout every stage of life, helping children and adults enjoy a lifelong love of swimming safely.

Swim Lessons Parent Child Swim Starters

PARENT/CHILD AQUATICS

4 months – 4 years

Designed for children ages 4 months to 4 years and their parent or caregiver, these classes build water comfort and confidence through songs, games, and guided activities. As children progress, they become more comfortable in the water through activities such as glides, coordinated arm and leg movements, and underwater exploration. These lessons provide the foundation for future aquatic skills and positive water experiences, preparing them for Preschool Aquatics.

Parent-child swim lessons are free for South Shore YMCA household members.

Level	Ages	Overview
Level 1	4 Months - 4 Years	30 Minutes. Designed for children ages 4 months-4 years and their parent or caregiver, this class helps young children become comfortable and confident in the water through songs, games, and guided activities. Parents learn safe ways to support their child while exploring floating with support, breath control, safe entries and exits, and basic water movement. The program focuses on water adjustment, safety, and positive experiences, providing the foundation for future aquatic skills.
Level 2	4 Months - 4 Years	30 Minutes. Designed for children ages 4 months-4 years and their parent or caregiver who have completed Parent & Child Aquatics Level 1, this class builds on water comfort and confidence through songs, games, and guided activities. Parents safely support their child while practicing supported glides and floating, coordinated arm and leg movements, retrieving submerged objects, changing body positions, and safe water entry and exit. These lessons build the foundation for future aquatic skills and positive water experiences.

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PRESCHOOL AQUATICS

3 years – 5 years

Designed for children ages 3–5, this program introduces foundational swimming and water safety skills in a fun, supportive environment. As swimmers progress, they build confidence and independence while developing floating, gliding, rolling, coordinated arm and leg movements, treading water, and endurance through increasingly independent swimming. Children advance at their own pace as they develop the skills needed to transition into Learn-to-Swim levels.

Stage	Preschool	Overview
Level 1	3+	30 Minutes. Designed for children ages 3+ with little or no prior swim experience, this class introduces foundational swimming and water safety skills in a fun, encouraging environment. Skills include safe entries and exits, blowing bubbles, submerging, front and back glides, floating, and recovering to a standing position while building comfort, confidence, coordination, and independence in the water.
Level 2	4+	30 Minutes. Designed for children ages 4+ who have completed Preschool Aquatics Level 1, this class builds on foundational swimming skills while developing greater confidence and independence in the water. Swimmers practice front and back glides, floating, rolling from front to back and back to front, coordinated arm and leg movements, and short distances of independent swimming, with all skills performed using light assistance, while improving water competency, balance, and coordination.
Level 3	4+	30 Minutes. Designed for children ages 4+ who have completed Preschool Aquatics Level 2, this class builds greater independence, endurance, and confidence in the water. Swimmers practice independent floating, treading water, rolling between front and back floats, and swimming longer distances using coordinated arm and leg movements. All skills are performed independently while building water competency and preparing swimmers for the Learn-to-Swim program.

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Youth Aquatics: Learn-to-Swim

Ages 6 – 14

Having mastered the basics of Preschool Aquatics, the Learn-to-Swim program helps children build confidence, water safety skills, and strong swimming techniques. Classes progress from beginner water skills through advanced stroke development, allowing swimmers to advance at their own pace while developing lifelong swimming ability.

Stage	Age	Overview
Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills	6+	30 Minutes. Designed for swimmers ages 6 and up with little or no prior swim experience, this beginner class builds comfort, confidence, and foundational water safety skills. Swimmers learn water acclimation, floating, gliding, underwater exploration, and basic arm and leg movements using full assistance while working toward light assistance to build confidence and proper movement patterns as they prepare for Level 2.
Level 2: Fundamental Aquatic Skills	6+	30 Minutes. Designed for swimmers who have completed Level 1, this class builds on the foundational skills introduced in Introduction to Water Skills while continuing to develop water competency, confidence, and safety in the water. Swimmers practice breath control, floating, treading water, rolling, coordinated arm and leg movements, and short distances of swimming, with skills performed with light assistance as needed. Through fun, engaging activities, swimmers strengthen independence and begin refining coordinated swimming movements while preparing for Level 3.
Level 3: Stroke Development	6+	30 Minutes. Designed for swimmers who have completed Level 2, this class helps swimmers build stronger endurance, coordination, and confidence while introducing more advanced swimming skills and stroke techniques. Swimmers practice front crawl, elementary backstroke, treading water, deep-water skills, and introductory breaststroke and dolphin kicks, all completed independently, while increasing swimming distances and preparing for Level 4.
Level 4: Stroke Improvement	6+	30 Minutes. Designed for swimmers who have completed Stroke Development, this class focuses on refining stroke technique, building endurance, and increasing confidence and efficiency in the water. Swimmers practice front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, butterfly, sidestroke, open turns, and deep-water skills, all performed independently, while continuing to develop coordination, stamina, and overall stroke performance as they prepare for Level 5.
Level 5: Stroke Refinement	6+	45 Minutes. Designed for swimmers who have completed Level 4, this class focuses on improving endurance, efficiency, and precision across all major swim strokes while introducing more advanced aquatic skills. Swimmers refine front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, butterfly, elementary backstroke, and sidestroke, and practice flip turns, surface dives, headfirst entries, and longer-distance swimming while building confidence in deeper water as they prepare for Level 6. An evaluation is required prior to entering this stage.
Level 6, Option 1: Personal Water Safety	6+	45 Minutes. Fitness Swimmer is designed for swimmers who have completed Level 5 and are looking to build endurance, improve stroke proficiency, and develop lifelong fitness through swimming. This level focuses on advanced conditioning across all six strokes while introducing key principles of aquatic fitness and self-training. An evaluation is required prior to entering this stage.
Level 6, Option 2: Fitness Swimmer	6+	45 Minutes. Personal Water Safety is the final level of the program and focuses on advanced stroke performance, endurance, and essential personal water safety skills. Swimmers refine all major strokes while building strength, efficiency, and confidence through longer distances and more challenging aquatic activities. An evaluation is required prior to entering this stage.

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Teens & Adult Swim Lessons

Designed for teens and adults of all experience levels, these classes help participants build confidence, improve swimming skills, and develop lifelong water safety. Whether you’re learning to swim for the first time, refining your technique, or swimming for fitness, classes provide a supportive environment to help you achieve your goals.

Program	Age	Overview
Beginner: Learning the Basics	Teen: 13-17 Adult: 18+	45 Minutes. Designed for teens and adults with little or no prior swim experience. Skills include water acclimation, floating, gliding, breath control, treading water, basic arm and leg movements, and water safety. Participants build confidence and the skills needed to swim safely and independently.
Improving Skills & Stroke Development	Teen: 13-17 Adult: 18+	45 Minutes. Improve your crawl stroke, backstroke and breaststroke as well as treading water, diving and endurance swimming.
Swimming for Fitness	Teen: 13-17 Adult: 18+	45 Minutes. Designed for teens and adults who are comfortable swimming multiple strokes. This class focuses on stroke refinement, lap swimming, endurance, efficient turns, and structured workouts. Ideal for participants looking to improve fitness, build stamina, and make swimming part of a lifelong healthy lifestyle.

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Swim Evaluations

Not sure which swim lesson is the best fit for your swimmer? Join us for a free swim evaluation! Our aquatics staff will assess your swimmer’s current skills, answer questions, and recommend the appropriate lesson level. Evaluations take approximately 15 minutes. Please note: evaluations are not held on holidays.

Emilson YMCA – Hanover

Drop-In Evaluations: Saturdays, 12:15-12:45 PM (no appointment required)
To schedule an evaluation outside of drop-in hours, contact Sarah Cavalear at scavalear@ssymca.org

Hale Family YMCA – Quincy

Drop-In Evaluations: Saturday Mornings (Speak with a supervisor for details)
To schedule an evaluation outside of drop-in hours, contact Denean Johnson at djohnson@ssymca.org

Swimmers enrolled in swim lessons receive a skill evaluation and placement recommendation each session to track progress and help with registration. To support a safe and successful learning experience, some swim lesson levels require a brief swim evaluation before participants can register. If you have questions about your swimmer’s progress or placement, please speak with a member of our Aquatics team.

Private/Semi-Private Swim Lessons

Private lessons are a great way to work on specific, participant-directed goals with devoted attention from an instructor. The SSYMCA offers one-to-one private lessons in 30-minute sessions for members ages 4 and up. Semi-private lessons (two participants to one instructor) are also available.

Ages 4-Adult
30 Minutes

Private Swim Lesson Information Form

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AMERICAN RED CROSS LIFEGUARD TRAINING & CERTIFICATION

The South Shore YMCA is a four-time award-winning American Red Cross Training Provider. We train more individuals in life-saving land and water rescue skills than any other facility in New England. American Red Cross certifications are recognized by aquatic facilities, workplaces, and healthcare organizations nationwide. LEARN MORE

Everyone can afford swim lessons

Ask our team about Financial Assistance for Y swim lessons and other programs, available through the generosity of our members and donors through our Annual Fund

Financial Assistance