Youth Aquatics

Little Dippers

Ages 6 months–2 years – Active adult participation required. An introductory class that familiarizes children to the water and teaches swimming readiness skills. Provides safety information for caregivers and teaches techniques that can be used to orient children to the water.

Shrimp Dip

Ages 3–4 Years – Active adult participation required. Builds upon skills learned in Little Dippers. To prepare children for preschool or youth lessons, this class provides a bridge to independent swimming by gradually decreasing adult support in the water.

Swim With Me

Grades K-8 – Active adult participation required. A transition class for youth who are not quite ready for (or do not want) independent instruction. Instructors work with each family individually on a transition plan into youth swim lessons. Youth learn basic swimming strokes and about water safety, closely following Red Cross Level 1 skills. 

*Swim With Me is not instruction for adults who want to learn how to swim (please see Teen/Adult Swim Instruction). 

Preschool – Ages 3–5

Preschool classes are designed for independent participation. A variety of swim aids are utilized to assist in skills development and encourage the discovery of independent movement through the water, based on the child’s developmental age and swim readiness. If your child isn’t ready to participate without an adult in the water, consider a Child + Adult class. Prerequisite: must be toilet trained and comfortable without an adult in the water. 

Level 1: Orients children to aquatic environment and teaches basic aquatic skills. 

Level 2: Builds upon the skills learned in Preschool Level 1 to gain more independence.

Level 3: Increases proficiency and builds on basic aquatic skills learned in Preschool Levels 1 and 2. Reinforces water safety concepts and skills.

Grades K-8

MSCR is a licensed American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim provider. A variety of swim aids are utilized in all class levels to encourage the discovery of independent movement through the water and to assist in building endurance.

Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills
No swimming skills necessary. Introduces basic aquatics skills. Begin developing positive attitudes, effective swimming habits and safe practices in and around the water.

Level 2: Fundamental Water Skills
Gives participants success with fundamental and locomotion skills in the water, including how to float and glide without support and recover to a vertical position.

Level 3: Stroke Development
Builds on previous skills by providing additional guided practice in deeper water. Example skills: rotary breathing, treading, elementary backstroke and headfirst entries in deep water.

Level 4: Stroke Improvement
Helps develop confidence in the strokes learned in previous levels and improves other aquatic skills. Example skills: back crawl, sidestroke, breaststroke, butterfly and surface dives.

Level 5: Stroke Refinement 
Teaches how to coordinate and refine strokes. Example skills: flip turns, sculling and shallow-angle dives.

Level 6: Fitness Swimmer
Works on refining strokes with greater efficiency and effectiveness over longer distances. Example skills: circle swimming, using a pace clock, using a pull buoy and turns.

Pre Competitive – Grades 2-8
Builds on skills learned in Red Cross Learn to Swim Level 4 and up to refine stroke mechanics and improve endurance. The focus is on performing legal strokes, turns, starts and finishes at least 25 yards at a time. Swimmers learn to use a pace clock, circle swim and lane-sharing etiquette in order to prepare for competitive swimming in a non-competitive environment.

Water Ballet
This is a beginning course which introduces the basics – stretching, modified strokes, egg beater kicks, sculling techniques, and tricks! Participants perform in a recital on April 27. Participants must be comfortable in deep water, able to tread water for at least 30 seconds, float on front and back and swim with face in the water. 

For current listings check the MSCR Program Guide.