The main goal of our program and the strong basis of our curriculum is to teach our students how to become safer in and around all bodies of water while also learning to swim.
Each one of our levels has a goal and set of skills that every student must attain before moving up to the next level. Below we will provide an overview of the goals, main safety skills, and key skills of each level in our program.
LEVEL 1: LITTLE JUNIOR (3 yrs-4 yrs) | KINDER JUNIOR (4yrs-Kinder) | BEGINNER (1st Grade & Older)
The goal of our entry levels is to prepare our students to learn to swim. We want them to feel comfortable in the water, to feel balance and buoyancy, to submerge, and to begin to move independently.
PRIMARY SAFETY SKILL
- SAFETY CIRCLE – We introduce the safety circle in our entry level. If a child would happen to fall or get pushed into a body of water, we are teaching them to turn around immediately, grab for a wall or a dock, and climb out safely. Click here for a video to breakdown the progressions of the safety circle.
KEY SKILLS
- Humming – exhaling underwater
- Submersion with teacher assistance – get comfortable being completely submerged
- Float comfortably on back with teacher assistance
LEVEL 2: ADVANCED JUNIOR (3yrs-Kinder) | INTERMEDIATE (1st Grade & Older)
The goal of this level is for the student to have balance and buoyancy in the water. Each student will be expected to swim 15 feet with big arms and breath control.
PRIMARY SAFETY SKILLS
- SAFETY CIRCLE — The continuation of the safety circle in the previous level. We teach the students to independently jump into the pool and return to the wall immediately.
- ROLLOVER – One of our goals is for everyone to have the ability to roll over to their backs and float independently. This is a crucial safety skill. If a swimmer gets into a situation where they are extremely fatigued, we want them to be able to roll over to their backs to relax and catch their breath. If they fall into the water, we want them to be able to roll over on their back and float until help arrives. Click here for a video to breakdown the progressions of the rollover.
KEY SKILLS
- Independently floating on stomach
- Independently floating on back
- Independently rolling onto back for a 7-10 second count
- Independently rolling from back to stomach
- Humming while kicking – exhaling while moving
- Swimming independently 15 feet with an over the water arm recovery
LEVEL 3: ELITE JUNIOR (3yrs-Kinder) | INTERMEDIATE II (1st Grade & Older)
The goal of these levels is to have command of side breathing in freestyle as well as being comfortable swimming backstroke. When a student completes this level, they should be comfortable swimming in any body of water.
PRIMARY SAFETY SKILLS
- POLAR BEAR FLOAT — Completion of our safety circle, which we call The Polar Bear Float. With this skill, the students jump into the pool, come up to the surface, and float on their backs for a 7 second count before returning to the wall and climbing out safely.
- POLAR BEAR GLIDE – Students keep arms on their side while they do small kicks while floating on their back. This allows them to float to safety with movement.
KEY SKILLS
- Command of side breathing
- Independent backstroke
LEVEL 4: ELITE JUNIOR II (3 yrs – Kinder) | ADVANCED (1st Grade & Older)
The goal of these levels is to have command of all four competitive strokes and introduce the Individual Medley.
PRIMARY SAFETY SKILL
- 5-MINUTE CONTINOUS SWIM — This teaches our students to have the endurance and form to handle a long swim if necessary.
KEY SKILLS
- Alternate sidebreathing in freestyle
- Proper pull pattern in backstroke
- Breaststroke
- Butterfly
- Individual Medley (IM)
Once your child has taken the “journey” of swimming at Barron and mastering every level, they certainly will be safer in and around water, while swimming efficiently with strength. This accomplishment will give you peace of mind and your child the ability to enjoy any water sport or activity around water. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to our Aquatics Director and Assistant Aquatics Director.
