Swimming - Youth Aquatics

There is a good reason why the YMCA is referred to as America's Favorite Swim Instructor. We give you more than just swimming skills. In YMCA of Austin classes, you are taught how to swim, but you also learn about yourself, about safety and rescue skills, and about water activities that you can enjoy for a lifetime.

How to Register:

In person by visiting the YMCA branch closest to you.
Via online registration. Click on the registration button to the right, select one or more branch locations and choose your class.

Shrimp - Ages 6-17 months

For our littlest swimmers, Shrimp is designed to introduce babies and parents to the aquatic environment. This class will help parents learn realistic developmental expectations, introduce basic aquatic safety to parent and child, and provide a fun and positive first experience in the water. Shrimp will help babies with basic motor skills, as well as introduce them to a water environment without fear. Skills include blowing bubbles, floating on front and back, kicking on front and back, social interaction through songs, and basic aquatic safety knowledge for parents. This is a fun class that will help prepare your child for future swim classes!

Kipper - Ages 18-29 months

Designed for children that are ready to learn basic swimming skills with parent accompaniment. Skills will include basic paddle stroke, kicking on front and back, floating on front and back, voluntary submersions, climbing into and out of the pool unassisted, jumping in from side of the pool, and safety tips for parents. A portion of each class will focus on parent independence. Your child will spend a little time with our instructor to ease the transition between parent/child classes and our preschool levels.

Perch - Ages 30-36 months

A new spin on Parent Child Classes! You and your child will participate together, but a little more time will be spent in a skill structure environment. All Pike skills will be introduced, while parents will help child become more comfortable in the water setting as instructors prepare them for independence. Skills presented include pool safety, appropriate class behavior, listening skills, independence from parent, as well as all the basics that are covered in Pike. Parents must participate, but the focus of class will be to get the child prepared for participation on their own.

Pike - Ages 3-5 years

This class is designed for the preschool beginner who has had no real experience in the water. Children participate without parents and work on floating on front and back, kicking on front and back, bubbles, putting face in the water, basic paddle stroke, pool safety, boating safety, and water adjustment. Patient instructors work to create a positive experience for these little swimmers. There are no prerequisites for enrollment, other than age.

Eel

For the advanced beginner who can already swim 3-5 feet on their own and can put their entire face in the water without fear. Participants will work on developing front, back, and side paddle as well as building confidence.

Ray

Ray is for the intermediate preschooler who can already swim 15 feet unassisted using a paddle stroke on their front, side, and back. Participants work on rotary breathing, backstroke development with proper technique, and elementary backstroke. There is also continued work on treading water, deep water swimming, basic diving, floating, endurance, and pool safety.

Starfish

For advanced preschoolers, students must be able to swim 15 feet of all strokes. Participants work on technique for all strokes and additional work is on endurance, pool safety, deep water swimming, diving, treading water, and boating safety. Starfish takes place in the lap pool and instructional pool.

Polliwog - Ages 6-12 years

Designed for the school-age beginner who has little or no experience. Emphasis is placed on water adjustment, kicking on front and back, basic paddle stroke, floating on front and back, basic backstroke, and pool safety. There are no prerequisites for enrollment other than age requirement.

Guppy

This level is for school-age advanced beginner that can swim 15 feet on their own but need to work on their freestyle technique. Rotary breathing will be introduced, as well as a more advanced technique for backstroke and elementary backstroke. Participants will work on floating on front and back, treading water, deep water swimming, pool safety, and introduction to diving.

Minnow/Fish

For children who can already swim 1 length of the lap pool (25 yards) with freestyle, backstroke, sidestroke, and breaststroke. Proper rotary breathing technique will be stressed, and participants will be introduced to butterfly in addition to refining all the strokes.

Flying Fish

Flying Fish is for children who can already swim 100 yards of freestyle and 50 yards of backstroke and breaststroke. Flying Fish is designed as a swim team preparatory class. Students will focus on technique and endurance for freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Continued work on elementary backstroke, pool safety, treading water, deep water swimming, and diving.

Shark

This class is for the advanced swimmer interested in preparation for swim team. Participant needs to be able to swim 150 yards freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and 50 yards butterfly. There will be a strong emphasis on technique and endurance for I.M. strokes. The class will include improvement on competitive starts, turns, plus expansion on rescue skills, and aquatic emergencies.

Lifeguard Training

Lifeguard Training is also available at your local YMCA of Austin branches.