YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth
Group Swim Lessons
Group Swim Lessons
The Y invented the concept of group swim lessons, which leads us to say that there is no organization more qualified to teach your child water safety. The Y’s latest national swim lessons curriculum ensures the same accredited and high-quality experience at every YMCA throughout the country. Utilizing a clear progression track based upon age and ability, participants build confidence to reach swimming skill milestones. As drowning is a leading cause of death among children and adults, all lessons emphasize personal safety around water. Build confidence with every stroke. Questions? Please email [email protected].

Benefits of our YMCA Approach Include
- Accommodating students of all ages and abilities in small class ratios, which means more time with your child
- Providing personalized attention in a supportive environment by certified instructors
- Improving communication about skill progression through definitive milestones
- Fostering connection through new friendships and group activities
- Featuring three phases – Swim Starters, Swim Basics and Swim Strokes, there are multiple stages within each based upon the swimmer’s age and ability.
Swim Starters Infant/Toddler
Introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment. Accompanied by a parent, infants and toddlers learn to be comfortable in the water by developing swim readiness skills through fun and confidence-building swim lesson experiences. At the same time, parents learn about water safety, drowning prevention, and the importance of supervision.
*Parent must participate in the water with child during the class.
- Age: 6 months to 36 months
- Class length: 30 minutes
- Qualification: None
- Skills that will be developed:
- Breath Control – blowing bubbles
- Swimming on Front – front tow, front float
- Swimming on Back – back float, back tow
- Water Safety – roll from back to front and front to back, grabbing the wall
Branches Offering Swim Starters
Swim Basics Preschool
Students learn personal water safety and achieve basic swimming competency by learning 2 benchmark skills: swim/float/swim and jump/push/turn/grab. During the school year, we combine Stages 1-3 into one swim basics class. Although combined, instructors are able to teach to each student’s ability. Stage 1 increases comfort with underwater exploration and introduces basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance. Stage 2 encourages forward movement in water and basic self-rescue skills performed independently. Stage 3 develops intermediate self-rescue skills performed at longer distances than in previous stages. Classes do not exceed a 1:6 instructor to student ratio.
- Age: 3 years old to 5 years old
- Class length: 30 minutes
- Qualification: None
- Skills Practiced:
- Breath Control – submerge, bobbing and retrieving an object
- Swimming on front – front glide, front float and swimming on front
- Swimming on back – back float, back glide and swimming on back
- Water Safety – water exit, roll and treading water
- Benchmark skills – swim/float/swim and jump/push/turn/grab
Branches Offering Swim Basics Preschool
Swim Basics School Age
Students learn personal water safety and achieve basic swimming competency by learning 2 benchmark skills: swim/float/swim and jump/push/turn/grab. During the school year, we combine Stages 1-3 into one swim basics class. Although combined, instructors are able to teach to each student’s ability. Stage 1 increases comfort with underwater exploration and introduces basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance. Stage 2 encourages forward movement in water and basic self-rescue skills performed independently. Stage 3 develops intermediate self-rescue skills performed at longer distances than in previous stages. Classes do not exceed a 1:6 instructor to student ratio.
- Age: 6 years old to 12 years old
- Class length: 30 minutes
- Qualification: None
- Skills Practiced:
- Breath Control – submerge, bobbing and retrieving an object
- Swimming on front – front glide, front float and swimming on front
- Swimming on back – back float, back glide and swimming on back
- Water Safety – water exit, roll and treading water
- Benchmark skills – swim/float/swim and jump/push/turn/grab
Branches Offering Swim Basics School Age
Swim Strokes
Swimmers learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance as well as reinforce water safety through treading water and the elementary back stroke. Swimmers will be introduced to rhythmic breathing and develop stroke technique in front and back crawl, as well as learn the breast stroke and butterfly kicks. Having mastered the fundamentals, students learn additional water safety skills and discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle.
- Age: 5 years old to 12 years old
- Class length: 30 minutes
- Qualification: Successful completion of all stage 3 skills
- Skills Practiced:
- Swim on front – front crawl, breaststroke, butterfly
- Swim on back – back crawl
- Water safety – dive, restring stroke, treading water
Branches Offering Swim Strokes
Developmental Swim Team
Swimmers work on stroke technique and learn competitive strokes. The emphasis on water safety continues through treading water and sidestroke. Swimmers will also learn about competitive swimming and discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle. Having mastered the fundamentals, students learn additional water safety skills that prevent chronic disease, increase social-emotional and cognitive well-being, and foster a lifetime of physical activity.
- Qualification: Successful completion of all swim stroke skills
- Skills Practiced:
- Endurance – swim 150 yrds
- Swim on front – front crawl, breaststroke, butterfly with flip turn
- Swim on back – back crawl
- Water safety – dive, restring stroke, treading water
Branches Offering Developmental Swim Team
- Benbrook Community Center YMCA – contact the branch to register
- Hood County YMCA
- Ryan Family YMCA – coming soon!
If you’re having difficulty choosing the appropriate stage, the Y’s Swim Lessons Selector can help, or give us a call at your local branch and we’d be more than happy to assist you.