Parks and Recreation
Swimming Lessons
Make a Splash With the American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety Program!
We welcome parents, siblings and guests who wish to watch their children's lessons. However, we ask that you watch from designated areas at each facility to enable us to provide safe, quality lessons to your children in an environment free of distractions. Long hair should be held back from the face by bands or clips. Your cooperation is appreciated.
For session information, please visit Online Registration or check the latest issue of Henderson Happenings, the City's guide to leisure activities. The publication is mailed to all Henderson residences and businesses, and is available at all City recreation centers.
Build Skills and Confidence With Learn-to-Swim Levels
Our Learn-to-Swim courses offer something for everyone. A unique six-level instructional approach is unlike anything offered by other aquatic training programs and only the American Red Cross offers six comprehensive course levels that teach participants how to swim skillfully and safely. Plus, instructors are thoroughly trained, authorized Red Cross water safety instructors, so swimmers of all ages and abilities are in good hands. Participants learn a variety of strokes, including the front crawl, back crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke and butterfly. They are also introduced to a wide range of personal safety skills and diving techniques. Courses are fun and interactive with hands-on training. More advanced-level students refine their skills, learn the basics of springboard diving and discover how to incorporate swimming into a life fitness plan.
The prerequisite for each level is successful demonstration of the skills taught in the preceding level. Beginners start at Level I, which has no prerequisite. In addition to the six levels, a Parent N Me program teaches children 6 months-5 years to explore the water accompanied by their parent or caregiver.
Inclement weather policy for Learn-to-Swim: First incident - No refund or makeup; second incident - class will be made up on the following Friday; third incident or more - refunds will be issued for class days missed.
All Learn-To-Swim participants in Levels I-VI will be placed in the appropriate class level – based on the participant's skill level – on the first day of the session.
Learn-to-Swim Outlines
Parent and Me
Designed for children 6 months to 5 years of age, the program builds swimming readiness by emphasizing fun in the water. Parents/caregivers and children participate in several guided practice sessions that help children learn elementary skills, including water entry, bubble blowing, front kicking, back floating,
and underwater exploration. Once children can perform basic skills without parental assistance, they may begin Learn-to-Swim. One parent/caregiver per child is required. Class will be divided into two groups: parents and children ages 6 months-2 years,
and parents and children ages 2-5 years.
Level I: Introduction to Water Skills
Purpose: Help students feel comfortable in the water.
Participants learn
basic water safety rules; swimming on front and back; using arm and leg actions; using a lifejacket; recognizing a swimmer in distress and getting help; submerging mouth, nose and eyes; exhaling underwater; opening eyes underwater and picking up submerged object; floating on front and back. 3 years
and up.
Level II: Fundamental Aquatic Skills
Purpose: Give students success with fundamental skills
Participants learn moving in the water while wearing a lifejacket, recognizing a swimmer in distress and getting help, submerging entire head, bobbing in water, front and back glide, jellyfish float, treading water using arm and leg motions, swimming using combined stroke on front and back. 3 years
and up.
Level III: Stroke Development
Purpose: Build on fundamental skills by providing additional guided
practice
Participants learn reaching assist, kneeling or standing dive (shallow dive progression), submerging and retrieving an object, rotary breathing in horizontal position, front and back glide, survival float, back float, front and back crawl, butterfly-kick and body motion. 3 years
and up.
Level IV: Stroke Improvement
Purpose: Develop confidence in the strokes learned and improve other aquatic
skills
Participants learn safe diving rules, throwing assist, dive from stride position or shallow dive, feet-first surface dive, survival float, back float, front and back crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly. 5 years
and up.
Level V: Stroke Refinement
Purpose: Provide further coordination and refinement of strokes
Participants learn survival swimming, performing rescue breathing, standing dive (diving progression), tuck surface dive and pike surface dive, open turns on front and back, front flip turn and backstroke flip turn, front and back crawl, elementary backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke
and sidestroke. 5 years and up.
Level VI: Swimming and Skill Proficiency
Purpose: Refines the strokes so students swim them with ease, efficiency, power
and smoothness over greater distances
Level VI is designed with "menu" options. Each of these options focuses on preparing students to participate in more advanced courses, such as Water Safety Instructor and Lifeguard Training. 5 years
and up. These options include Personal Water Safety - Lifeguard Readiness, and Fundamentals of Diving - Fitness Swimmer.
Private Swimming Lessons
For Children and Adults
Saturday private lessons are 30-minute classes with a trained instructor. These classes are designed to meet the individual ability level of each student. There may be up to two participants from the same family enrolled in one lesson. The price and time allotment will remain the same for this lesson. For information on other private lesson registration (if available), please call the pool manager at
Whitney Ranch or
Henderson Multigenerational Indoor Pool. All lessons are $60.
Group Adult/Teen Swimming Lessons
These lessons are designed especially for beginning adults who may wish to overcome their fear of the water, or those adults who want to improve swimming technique and ability.
The focus is on addressing the participant's individual needs. 16 years and up.