The Dolores Bengtson Aquatic Center, in collaboration with the American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim program, offers swim lessons for youth, ages 6 months and up. Below, find the skills taught at each level. They should be used to help determine the most appropriate placement for your child. Adult/Teen, Private/Semi-Private, and Competitive Stroke classes are also available.

Course dates and times vary by season.

For current classes and programs offered, visit www.pleasantonfun.com.

Saturday Lessons

Come join our Saturday swim lessons! These single day classes are based on the American Red Cross Parent/Child Aquatics, Preschool Aquatics, Learn-to-Swim, and Adult Swim programs. These lessons are a great way for your child to get some extra practice on those skills they need to advance to the next level or become more comfortable in the water!

Parent/Child Aquatics

Level 1 or 2

Ages 6 months-3.5 years

Instructor/Student Ratio 1:10

Level 1 (6 months to 2 years): 

Skills performed with parental or instructor assistance:

• Feel comfortable in the water.
• Enter and exit the water safely.
• Explore breath control and submerging.
• Explore floating on the front and back.
• Change body position in the water.
• Play safely in the water.

Skills to be taught to parents:

• How to properly supervise children and maintain safe behavior in, on and around the water.
• How to hold and support your child in the water.
• Valuable water safety information to make your family safer in, on and around the water.

Level 2 (2 years to 3.5 years):

Skills performed with parental or instructor assistance:

• Learn more ways to enter and exit the water safely.
• Retrieve objects below the surface and submerged objects with eyes opened.
• Glide on the front with assistance.
• Perform combined arm and leg actions on front and back with assistance.
• Change body position in the water.

Skills to be taught to parents:

• How to properly supervise children and maintain safe behavior in, on and around the water.
• How to hold and support your child in the water.
• Valuable water safety information to make your family safer in, on and around the water.

Preschool

Levels 1-3, Ages 3.5–5
Instructor/Student Ratio 1:5

Level 1

Skills may be performed with support:

• Enter and exit water using ramps, steps or side of pool
• Blow bubbles for 3 seconds
• Submerge mouth, nose and eyes
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
• Front and back glide with recovery to vertical position
• Back float for 3 seconds
• Roll from front to back, and back to front
• Arm and hand treading action
• Alternating and simultaneous leg action and arm action on front and back
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back

Level 2

Skills may be performed with assistance:

• Enter water by stepping in pool from deck or low height
• Exit water using ladder, steps or side
• Bobbing, 5 times
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
• Front and back glide with recovery to vertical position
• Front float for 3 seconds, back float for 5 seconds
• Roll from front to back, and back to front
• Tread water using arm and leg actions on front
• Finning arm action on back
• Combined arm and leg actions on back

Level 3

Skills performed independently:

• Jump into shoulder-deep water
• Fully submerge and hold breath
• Bobbing, 10 times
• Rotary breathing
• Front and back glide with recovery to vertical position
• Front, jellyfish, and tuck floats 10 seconds
• Back float for 15 seconds
• Change direction of travel while swimming on front or back
• Tread water for 30 seconds
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
• Finning arm action on back

Beginner

Levels 1-3, Ages 6 and up
Instructor/Student Ratio 1:6

Level 1

Skills may be performed with assistance:

• Enter and exit water using ramps, steps or side
• Blow bubbles for 3 seconds
• Bobbing, 5 times
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
• Front and back glide with recovery to vertical position
• Back float for 5 seconds
• Roll from front to back, and back to front
• Treading water arm and hand actions
• Alternating and simultaneous leg action and arm action on front and back
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back

Level 2

Skills performed independently:

• Step or jump from side of pool into shoulder-deep water
• Exit water using ladder, steps or side
• Fully submerge and hold breath
• Bobbing, 10 times
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
• Rotary breathing
• Font, jellyfish, and tuck floats for 10 seconds
• Front and back glide with recovery to vertical position
• Back float for 15 seconds
• Roll from front to back, and back to front
• Tread water for 15 seconds
• Change direction of travel while swimming on front or back
• Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
• Finning arm action on back

Level 3

Skills performed independently:

• Jump into deep water from the side, submerge and return to the side
• Headfirst entry from the side in seated and kneeling positions
• Bobbing while moving to safety
• Rotary breathing
• Survival float for 30 seconds
• Tread water for 1 minute
• Change from vertical to horizontal position on front and back
• Push off in streamlined position on front, then begin kicking
• Front crawl, elementary backstroke for 15 yards
• Flutter, scissor, breaststroke, dolphin kicks

Stroke Improvement

Level 4, Ages 8 and up
Instructor/Student Ratio 1:8

Skills performed independently:

• Headfirst entry in compact and stride positions
• Feet first surface dive
• Swim underwater
• Tread water, using 2 different kicks
• Survival swimming for 1 minute
• Front crawl, elementary backstroke for 25 yards
• Breaststroke, back crawl, butterfly, sidestroke for 15 yards
• Open turns on the front and back
• Flutter and dolphin kicks on back
• Push off in streamlined position on back, then begin kicking

Stroke Refinement

Level 5, Ages 8 and up
Instructor/Student Ratio 1:8

Skills performed independently:

• Shallow-angle dive into deep water
• Tuck surface dive and pike surface dive
• Tread water for 5 minutes
• Tread water, using legs only, for 2 minutes
• Sculling for 30 seconds
• Front crawl, elementary backstroke for 50 yards
• Breaststroke, back crawl, butterfly, sidestroke for 25 yards
• Front flip turn and backstroke flip turn

Advanced Swimmer (AS)

Level 6, Ages 8 and up
Instructor/Student Ratio 1:8

Once students have mastered the 5 levels of the Learn-to-Swim program, they may choose to enroll the Advanced Swimmer program. The goal of this level is for students to achieve a higher level of aquatic fitness/endurance swimming or enter into competitive swimming.

Skills performed independently:

• Surface dive and retrieve object from the
  bottom; 7-10 feet deep
• Front crawl and elementary backstroke for 100 yards
• Breaststroke, back crawl, butterfly, and sidestroke for 50 yards
• Demonstrate open turns and front and back flip turns while swimming

Adult/Teen Lessons

Ages 13 and up
Instructor/Student Ratio 1:6 or 2:10

Course emphasis is on individual improvement. We welcome all skill levels and will work with you to achieve your goals!

Skills performed independently or with assistance as needed:

• Safe water entry
• Change of direction while swimming
• Roll from front to back, and back to front
• Change from vertical to horizontal position on front and back
• Treading water
• Learning breath control
• Floating on the front and back
• Glides on the front and back
• Front crawl, breaststroke, elementary backstroke, sidestroke, butterfly, backstroke
• General Water Safety
• Staying safe around water
• Making good choices for where to swim (depth, current, etc.)
• How to call for help
• Selecting and fitting an appropriate life jacket