ALL SWIM LESSONS ARE HELD AT THE EMPORIA RECREATION CENTER


The Emporia Recreation Commission provides a swim program for children, teens, and adults. Trained instructors will provide you with a supportive environment in which to learn and obtain skills.


The swim lessons are conducted in two-week sessions Monday through Thursday with Friday being used as a make-up day due to inclement weather during the week. Registration deadlines are 4:00 pm the Thursday before each session begins, no registrations will be taken after the deadline.


Once the session begins and the child is not enrolled in the appropriate class, an attempt will be made to place the child in a class more suitable to his/her skill level. Note that each class cannot exceed the maximum number of students: Pool Pals cannot exceed 3 students. All level classes must have a minimum of 4 participants enrolled for the class to be held.


All classes must be pre-registered and pre-paid. If the class you wish to register for is full, please place your name on our waiting list. We will make every attempt to accommodate the demand for swim instruction.


You may only enroll into one session at a time. Once the session is completed, the instructor will give a pass or fail grade. You may then enroll into the next session.


Non-toilet trained children must wear swim diapers.

Summer Swim Lesson Schedule

Swim Lessons Session Two.pdf

Session Two Make-up Schedule.pdf

Swim Lessons Session Three.pdf


How to choose the Correct Level of Swim Class

1. Review the skills listed for each class.

2. The skills listed are the skills the class will work on to accomplish by the end of the session.

3. Can your child complete all the skills listed?

4. If so, advance to the next level.

5. If not, enroll in that class.

Parent and Child Aquatics - Level 1

Provides experiences and activities for children to

- Learn to ask for permission before entering the water

- Learn how to enter and exit the water in a safe manner

- Feel comfortable in the water

- Explore submerging to the mouth, nose, eyes & completely

- Explore buoyancy on the front and back position

- Change body position in the water

- Learn how to play safely

- Experience wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life Jacket

Ages: 6 months - 18 months

Minimum: 4 students

Maximum: 10 Students


Parent and Child Aquatics - Level 2

Builds upon the skills learned in Level 1 and provides experiences and activities for children to

- Establish expectation for adult supervision

- Learn more ways to enter & exit the water in a safe manner

- Explore submerging in a rhythmic pattern

- Glide on the front and back with assistance

- Perform combined stroke on front & back with assistance

- Change body position in the water

- Experience wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket in the water

Ages: 19 months - 3 year olds

Minimum: 4 students

Maximum: 10 Students

Class times for Par/Tot will run Monday through Thursday for 30 minutes daily.






Preschool Aquatics - 4 and 5 year olds

Class times will run Monday through Thursday for 30 minutes daily.



Level 1

Orients children to the aquatic environment and helps them gain basic aquatic skills.

- Enter and exit water using ladder, steps or side

- Blow bubbles through mouth & nose

- Submerge mouth, nose and eyes

- Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects

- Front and back glides and recover to a vertical position

- Back float and recover to a vertical position

- Roll from front to back and back to front

- Tread with arm and hand actions

- Alternating and simultaneous leg actions on front & back

- Alternating and simultaneous arm actions on front & back

- Combined arm and leg actions on front and back


Level 2

Helps children gain greater independence in their skills and develop more comfort in and around water.

- Enter water by stepping in

  1. -Exit water using ladder, steps or side

  2. -Bobbing

- Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects

- Front and back floats and glides

- Recover from a front or back float or glide to a vertical position

- Roll from front to back and back to front

- Tread water using arm and leg actions

- Combined arm and leg actions on front and back

- Finning arm action on back


Level 3

Helps children start to gain basic swimming propulsive skills to be comfortable in and around water.

- Enter water by jumping in

- Fully submerge and hold breath

- Bobbing

- Front, jellyfish and tuck floats

- Recover from a front or back float or glide to a vertical position

- Back float and glide

- Change direction of travel while swimming on front or back

  1. -Tread water using arm and leg actions

  2. -Combined arm and leg actions on front and back

- Finning arm action on back


Minimum: 4 students

Maximum: 14 Students

Must be 5 years old to start levels


Level 1 - Introduction to Water Skills

Helps participants feel comfortable in the water.

- Enter and exit water using ladder, steps or side

- Blow bubbles through mouth and nose

- Bobbing

- Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects

- Front and back glides and floats

- Recover to vertical position

- Roll from front to back and back to front

- Tread water using arm and hand actions

- Alternating & simultaneous leg actions on front & back

- Alternating & simultaneous arm actions on front & back

- Combined arm and leg actions on front and back

Minimum: 4 students

Maximum: 12 Students


Level 2 - Fundamental Aquatic Skills

Gives participants success with fundamental skills.

- Enter & exit water by stepping or jumping from the side

- Fully submerge and hold breath

- Bobbing

- Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects

- Front, jellyfish and tuck floats

- Front and back glides and floats

- Recover to vertical position

  1. -Roll from front to back and back to front

  2. -Change direction of travel while swimming on front or back

  3. -Tread water using arm and leg actions

  4. -Combined arm and leg actions on front and back

  5. -Finning arm action

Minimum: 4 students

Maximum: 12 Students


Level 3 - Stroke Development

Builds on the skills in Level 2 through additional guided practice in deeper water.

  1. -Enter water by jumping from the side

  2. -Headfirst entries from the side in sitting & kneeling positions

  3. -Bobbing while moving toward safety

  4. -Rotary breathing

  5. -Survival float

  6. -Back float

  7. -Change from vertical to horizontal position on front & back

  8. -Tread water

  9. -Flutter, scissor, dolphin and breaststroke kicks on front

  10. -Front crawl and elementary backstroke

Minimum: 4 students

Maximum: 12 Students




Level 4 - Stroke Improvement

Develops confidence in the skills learned & improves other aquatic skills.

- Headfirst entries from the side in compact & stride positions

- Swim under water

- Feet first surface dive

- Survival swimming

- Front crawl and backstroke open turns

- Tread water using 2 different kicks

- Front and back crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke and butterfly

- Flutter and dolphin kicks on back

Minimum: 2 students

Maximum: 6 Students


Level 5 - Stroke Refinement

Provides further coordination and refinement of strokes.

- Shallow-angle dive from the side then glide and begin a front stroke

- Tuck and pike surface dives, submerge completely

- Front flip turn & backstroke flip turn while swimming

- Front and back crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke and butterfly

- Sculling

Minimum: 2 students

Maximum: 6 Students