Learn to Swim
This module is designed for children from 4 months to 3 years of age accompanied by an adult. It features fun, interactive activities for parents and children, using play as the best way to develop aquatic skills and a positive attitude toward the water.
Designed to introduce children from 4 to 12 months of age to having fun in the water with their parents.
Duration
8 to 10 lessons of 30 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
1 to 12 children (each accompanied by a parent)
Designed to introduce children from 12 to 24 months of age to having fun in the water with their parents.
Duration
8 to 10 lessons of 30 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
1 to 12 children (each accompanied by a parent)
Designed to introduce children from 2 to 3 years of age to having fun in the water with their parents.
Duration
8 to 10 lessons of 30 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
1 to 12 children (each accompanied by a parent)
The Preschool module gives children a head start in learning to swim. It helps children enjoy aquatic activities and understand the dangers of deep water before venturing into it. Through different themes, children from 3 to 5 years of age develop confidence in the water and have fun while learning basic swimming skills.
A first step toward learning how to enter and exit the water, get the face wet and blow bubbles underwater. Children are also introduced to floating and gliding on their front and back. Participation by a parent or caregiver may be encouraged until the child is comfortable enough to participate independently.
Skills Taught
Enter and exit the water (water at the child’s chest level);
Get their face wet and blow bubbles underwater;
Float and glide on their front and back;
Jump into the water with assistance.
Duration
8 to 10 lessons of 30 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
4 to 6
Children develop greater independence by learning to enter and exit the water, jump in, submerge and exhale underwater. Front and back glides are practised while wearing a personal flotation device (PFD).
Skills Taught
Jump into the water (water at the child’s chest level);
Enter and exit the water while wearing a personal flotation device (PFD);
Submerge and exhale underwater;
Glide on the front and back while wearing a PFD.
Duration
8 to 10 lessons of 30 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
4 to 6
Skills progress to entering deep water, performing a sideways roll while wearing a PFD and retrieving objects underwater. Children also develop their kicking skills and front and back glides.
Skills Taught
Jump into deep water;
Perform a sideways roll while wearing a PFD;
Retrieve objects from the bottom in waist-deep water;
Kick and glide on the front and back.
Duration
8 to 10 lessons of 30 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
4 to 6
Children become more independent and learn to enter deeper water and exit without assistance. Activities include sideways rolls, opening the eyes underwater, gliding and kicking. Children also begin swimming a short distance of 5 metres on their front while wearing a PFD.
Skills Taught
Jump independently into deeper water and exit without assistance;
Perform sideways rolls to enter the water;
Open their eyes underwater;
Master side glides and side kicking;
Swim 5 metres on their front while wearing a PFD.
Duration
8 to 10 lessons of 30 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
4 to 6
This final level gradually prepares children for more advanced aquatic skills. Activities include entering the water with a forward roll while wearing a PFD, treading water for 10 seconds, and an introduction to front crawl and back crawl over 5 metres. Interval training and learning the whip kick complete the progression.
Skills Taught
Enter the water with a forward roll while wearing a PFD;
Tread water for 10 seconds;
Swim front crawl and back crawl for 5 metres;
Perform the whip kick;
Have fun with interval training.
Duration
8 to 10 lessons of 30 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
4 to 6
The Swimmer module prepares children from 5 to 12 years of age for deep water, whether they are beginners or already know how to swim. Swimming skills and techniques progress through levels 1 to 6, with an emphasis on specific strokes, including front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke.
An introduction to essential aquatic skills designed to build comfort and confidence in the water. Skills include entering the water with and without a personal flotation device (PFD), submerging, exhaling underwater, floating, gliding and kicking on the front and back.
Skills Taught
Jump into the water with or without a personal flotation device (PFD);
Open their eyes, exhale and hold their breath underwater;
Float and glide;
Use kicking skills to move through the water on their front and back.
Duration
8 to 10 lessons of 30 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
6 to 8
Skills progress to entering deeper water, treading water and learning the whip kick. Swimmers begin swimming 10 metres on their front and back and are introduced to interval training.
Skills Taught
Jump into deeper water than in Level 1;
Become comfortable falling sideways into the water while wearing a PFD;
Tread water without assistance;
Swim 10 m on the front and back;
Perform the whip kick;
Perform flutter kick intervals (4 × 5 m).
Duration
8 to 10 lessons of 30 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
6 to 8
This level introduces new skills such as diving, forward rolls and handstands. Swimmers also improve their front crawl and back crawl over 15 metres, develop their whip kick and build endurance through interval training.
Skills Taught
Perform dives, forward rolls into the water and handstands;
Swim front crawl and back crawl for 15 m;
Swim 10 m using the whip kick;
Perform flutter kick intervals (4 × 15 m).
Duration
8 to 10 lessons of 45 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
8 to 10
Swimmers develop their ability to swim underwater and cover greater distances using front crawl and back crawl. This level also introduces the arm movements and breathing technique used in breaststroke while continuing to develop the whip kick.
The skills acquired also allow swimmers to complete the Canadian Swim to Survive Standard, which consists of a roll entry into deep water, treading water for one minute and swimming 50 metres.
Skills Taught
Swim 5 m underwater;
Swim lengths using front crawl and back crawl;
Perform the breaststroke whip kick, arm movements and breathing technique;
Complete a 25 m front crawl sprint;
Interval training;
Meet the Canadian Swim to Survive standard.
Duration
8 to 10 lessons of 45 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
8 to 10
Skills become more advanced with shallow dives, tuck jumps, the eggbeater kick and backward somersaults. Distances increase to 50 metres for front crawl and back crawl and 25 metres for breaststroke, along with sprints and interval training.
Skills Taught
Master shallow dives, tuck jumps and backward somersaults into the water;
Perform the eggbeater kick;
Swim front crawl and back crawl for 50 m;
Swim breaststroke for 25 m;
Complete a 25 m sprint using front crawl or back crawl;
Interval training.
Duration
10 to 12 lessons of 45 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
10 to 12
This final level consolidates swimming techniques while introducing lifesaving-related skills, including the stride jump, compact jump, eggbeater kick and scissor kick.
Swimmers further develop their strength, endurance and efficiency in front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke through training exercises that can include distances of up to 300 metres.
Skills Taught
Develop advanced aquatic skills, including:
Stride jumps;
Compact jumps;
Lifesaving kicks;
Train to develop strength and power.
Duration
10 to 12 lessons of 45 minutes
Number of Children per Instructor
10 to 12
The Rookie, Ranger and Star Patrol program is designed for youth from 8 to 12 years of age who can swim without a flotation aid and want to go beyond learning to swim by developing leadership, confidence, judgment, teamwork and physical fitness.
In addition to improving swimming techniques, the program introduces the basic lifesaving and first aid skills needed to continue along the lifesaving pathway.
The program includes three levels: Rookie, Ranger and Star.
This first level helps participants consolidate their front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke techniques over 50 metres while introducing lifesaving-specific skills.
Participants are introduced to skills such as swimming with an obstacle and carrying an object. First aid skills include assessing a conscious victim, communicating with emergency medical services and responding to bleeding. Training exercises and timed swims also help develop endurance.
Skills Taught
Develop endurance and swimming techniques while having fun;
Perform a primary assessment of a conscious victim;
Communicate effectively with emergency medical services;
Perform a visual scan of an aquatic facility;
Effectively throw a rescue aid in an emergency;
Develop an effort-based approach.
Duration
10 hours total
Swimming distances increase to 75 metres for each stroke, while lifesaving skills become more advanced.
Participants complete a lifesaving medley, a timed object-support exercise and a rescue using a buoyant aid. First aid skills include assessing an unconscious victim, treating shock and responding to an airway obstruction.
Skills Taught
Improve swimming techniques;
Perform a primary assessment of an unconscious victim;
Provide care for a victim in shock;
Treat a conscious choking victim;
Perform a non-contact rescue using a buoyant aid.
Duration
10 hours total
This final level introduces more advanced challenges to develop endurance, swimming efficiency and lifesaving techniques. Participants refine their swimming strokes over 100 metres and complete training exercises covering distances of up to 600 metres.
First aid skills include treating fractures, joint injuries and certain respiratory emergencies, including those related to asthma and severe allergic reactions.
Participants also develop more advanced lifesaving techniques, including defence methods, removals from the water and turning a victim over in shallow water while keeping the victim’s face above the surface.
Skills Taught
Refine swimming techniques;
Develop lifesaving and first aid skills;
Rescue a tired or non-swimmer;
Treat a fracture or injured joint;
Provide care to a victim experiencing difficulty breathing due to a severe allergy or asthma attack.
Duration
10 hours total
The Adult Swimmer module is designed for people aged 16 and over who are either beginning to swim or looking to improve their swimming strokes. Participants set personal goals to develop their comfort in the water and improve the efficiency of their strokes.
Participants build confidence in the water by learning the techniques needed to swim comfortably in pool lanes and at the waterfront.
This first level helps participants develop comfort in the water and basic aquatic skills. Participants learn to swim 10 to 15 metres on their front and back, enter the water from the side of the pool and retrieve an object underwater.
Kicking exercises and interval training also help begin developing endurance and physical fitness.
Skills Taught
Swim 10 to 15 m on the front and back;
Enter the water by jumping from the side of the pool;
Retrieve objects from the bottom in chest-deep water;
Interval training.
Duration
Determined by the aquatic centre
Participants continue developing their swimming techniques and endurance through front crawl and back crawl interval training.
This level also introduces diving, breaststroke arm movements and breathing techniques, as well as treading water for one to two minutes. Additional aquatic skills, such as performing a handstand in shallow water, complete the progression.
Skills Taught
Enter the water with a dive;
Tread water for 1 to 2 minutes;
Perform a handstand in shallow water;
Perform the arm movements and breathing technique used in breaststroke;
Interval training using front crawl and back crawl.
Duration
Determined by the aquatic centre
This final level helps participants refine their front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke while further developing endurance, strength and efficiency in the water.
Participants are also introduced to more advanced skills, such as the eggbeater kick, stride jump and compact jump. Workouts of up to 300 metres and sprints of 25 to 50 metres help consolidate physical fitness and the techniques acquired.
Skills Taught
Perform the eggbeater kick;
Perform a stride jump and compact jump;
Master front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke;
Complete a 300 m workout;
Complete 25 m to 50 m sprints.
Duration
Determined by the aquatic centre
The Fitness Swimmer module is designed for swimmers of all ages who want to improve their fitness in the water and stay active for life. The module provides a structured approach to improving physical fitness based on the key principles of interval training.
The Swim for Life program is designed for all ages. Learning can begin as early as 4 months of age with the Parent & Tot levels.
Children can then continue through the Preschool and Swimmer levels according to their age, abilities and development.
Teens and adults can also join the program at any time based on their aquatic skills and personal goals.
Affiliate centres must have the equipment required to safely teach the program, including lifejackets and personal flotation devices (PFDs) in a variety of sizes.
Additional equipment, such as kickboards, pull buoys and aquatic toys, may also be used to diversify activities and support learning.
The appropriate level depends on several factors, including age, aquatic skills and experience in the water.
To make it easier to select the right level, the Lifesaving Society provides a decision-making tool to help guide each person toward the learning pathway that best meets their needs.