Learn to Swim Programs for Preschool and School Age Kids

Carlile Swimming’s industry leading Learn To Swim program focuses on building confidence and skills in the water. Our program is offered in two age groups, with a preschool program for children aged over 2.5 years and a school-age program for older children who are already at school.

Each of these programs has three, ability-based levels that progress your child through the stages of learning to swim well. Our goal is to help your child transition through these levels comfortably and proficiently. At Carlile, we don’t believe in rushing kids through skills. Instead, we want your child to build a solid swimming foundation by learning the basics correctly the first time.

Carlile Swimming has been teaching kids to swim well for 65 years and we’re experts at building confidence and skills in the water. More detailed information on our Learn To Swim Programs is below.

Contact us to book your child in for an assessment to ensure they are placed in the appropriate Learn To Swim class. We look forward to hearing from you.

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Preschool Learn To Swim Program

Our preschool program is tailored to meet the needs of our younger swimmers and is held in the mornings and weekends. Class sizes are smaller than our afternoon program, with a greater use of games to keep younger swimmers engaged.

Tadpole

This is the first level in our preschool program and the focus is on building greater confidence in the water, through gentle and safe submersions, floating and teaching children to swim and float on their backs, unaided. This might be the first time your child swims without you or a carer present and they may be a little nervous, but our friendly teachers will gently support your child to feel safer and more confident in the water.

Seahorse

When children join the Seahorse level, they are more confident and comfortable in the water. This level encourages younger kids to learn more advanced swimming techniques, such as overarm swimming, developing a strong kick and learning to kick on their backs. You’ll be amazed at how much your child will learn as they move through this level.

Sea Turtle

This is the final level in our preschool Learn To Swim Program and our kids are usually very excited to reach this stage. In these classes, your child will learn the correct freestyle breathing technique and the basics of backstroke. This level requires good coordination and concentration and our expert teachers will help your child stay focussed and engaged. We love teaching kids to swim and our teachers feel very proud of our Sea Turtle graduates!

School Age Learn To Swim Program

Our school-age program is held after school and on weekends. This program follows the same ability levels as the preschool program, but is tailored to meet the needs of older children and their ability to focus for longer periods.

Starfish

This is the first level of our school-age program and is usually for kids who haven’t attended preschool swimming lessons. We understand that children of this age can feel less confident in the water and this program is designed to give more individual attention to your child. The aim of this level is to build confidence and skills in, above and under the water, by teaching submersions and floating.

Goldfish

Once children reach this level, they are already more confident in the water and are ready to learn correct swimming techniques. The focus of this level is introducing kids to the basics of freestyle, developing a strong kick and learning to move through the water on their backs. Our expert teachers will help your child grow in skills and confidence, getting them ready for the next level.

Dolphin

This is the final level of our school-age Learn To Swim program and by now, most kids are really excited by the progress they are making. This level requires good coordination and concentration skills as kids will learn the correct freestyle breathing technique and the basics of backstroke. Our teachers are great at keeping them focussed on learning these new skills and getting ready to graduate from the Learn To Swim program.

We love seeing our kids graduate from the Learn To Swim program as we know how hard they’ve worked to get there. They’ve learnt important water safety and confidence skills, as well as the beginnings of correct freestyle and backstroke technique. The next level is our expert Stroke Development program. Click here for more information on our Stroke Development classes.

For more information on our expert Learn To Swim programs, or to book your child in for an assessment, contact us today.

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Book a free assessment

Ready to book lessons? Our Customer Service team will contact you about a free swimming assessment to place your child in the best suited skill level.

Assessments are not necessary for our Waterbabies lessons (3 months to 2.5 years) and our team will book in your class time.