Level 1 Swim Lessons: The Foundation of Swimming

Welcome to Level 1! This foundational level is designed for absolute beginners. It focuses not only on teaching physical skills but also on building confidence, comfort, and routine within the pool environment.

Need to integrate this into your program? Download the Level 1 PDF for your own curriculum planning.

Prerequisites and Participant Profile

Minimum Ages

Participants should be 2.75 years old or 3 years old.

By this level, participants should demonstrate the following abilities:

Ability to stand on their own in the water.
Understanding of language and ability to follow directions.
Control over their limbs (gross motor skills).

Assessment: Quick Test Criteria

The primary goal is to assess if the swimmer can:

Go underwater unassisted.

Core Testable Skills

These are the foundational skills we test at Level 1:

Go underwater unassisted.
Supported front float with face in water.
Supported back float with ears in water.
Go underwater, then stand up on own.

Why These Skills are Essential for Level 1

Every swimming journey starts somewhere. In the world of swimming, the most essential initial skill is going underwater. If a swimmer does not put their face in the water, they cannot perform any strokes efficiently. While it is possible to swim without submerging the face, our goal is to teach people—especially children—how to swim well and safely.

Going underwater is the foundation upon which all advanced swimming skills are built.

We selected these four skills because they are baseline requirements: they establish the ability to move forward, find footing, and become comfortable submerging the face. Together, they ensure participants are ready to build upon a solid base.

The Level 1 Experience: More Than Just Skills

Level 1 is as much about acclimatization and building comfort in a swim lesson setting as it is about teaching specific skills. A significant portion of this level must be dedicated to play, songs, and activities that expose participants to the pool environment. This includes:

Using the pool wall.
Standing on benches or using ladders/stairs.
Entering and exiting the water safely.

Building Trust and Comfort

The supported floats are tested not just for skill, but to gauge the participant's ability to follow direction and demonstrate comfort and trust in the instructor. Most Level 1 participants will be nervous or fearful of swimming alone. We are looking for a relaxed and comfortable body throughout the front and back floats—a rigid, fearful body tends to sink.

Main Activities and Coaching Tips

To achieve proficiency in these foundational skills, our main activities include:

Underwater Games: Various games and songs focused on submerging the face, mouth, or eyes. The ultimate goal is for the participant to go underwater completely on their own repeatedly and with ease.
Supported Glides: Supported front glides and supported back glides conducted with the instructor.
Jumps from the Side with Support.

TIP: Always ask the participant if they want to go underwater on each jump. Follow up on their request. Eventually, they will agree to going underwater, which can be a key sign that they are ready for Level 2.

Special Note: Managing Anxiety

It is important to anticipate emotional responses. Crying and scared children who claw their way out of the pool and run for their parents are to be expected. You will encounter kids who cry, refuse to participate, or are afraid of leaving their parents. Special attention must be devoted to these levels.

Staff Training Recommendation: Make sure staff are trained on how to deal with crying participants, and refresh managers on how to deal with parents. We recommend maintaining a ratio of 1:4 at most for these levels.

For more detailed specifics and curriculum planning, please see the free Level Structure Course.

Level 1 Swim Lessons: Skills, Criteria, and Progression Guide