Purpose:

To orient preschool-age children to the aquatic environment and to help them acquire rudimentary levels of basic aquatic skills.  Children attend class independently.

Prerequisites:

Preschool Level 1: No skill prerequisites.

Learning Objectives:

• Enter and exit water using ladder, steps or side.
• Blow bubbles through mouth and nose.
• Submerge mouth, nose and eyes.
• Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects.
• Front and back glides and recover to a vertical position.
• Back float and recover to a vertical position.
• Roll from front to back and back to front.
• Tread with arm and hand actions.
• Alternating and simultaneous leg actions on front and back.
• Alternating and simultaneous arm actions on front and back.
• Experience wearing a life jacket in the water.
• Learn how to stay safe, including recognizing and emergency and knowing how to call for help.
• Learn how to stay safe in, on and around the water, including the use of a life jacket, recognizing lifeguards and sun safety.

Certification Requirements:

• Demonstrate competency in all required skills and activities, including in-water skills.
• Successfully complete the following exit skills assessment (can be done with support):
  • Enter independently, using either the ladder, steps or side, travel at least 5 yards, submerge to mouth and blow bubbles for at least 3 seconds then safely exit the water. (Children can walk, move along the gutter or "swim.")
  • While in shallow water, glide on front at least 2 body lengths, then roll to back and float on back for 3 seconds then recover to a vertical position.