Starting this fall, Clarington will offer swimming, lifeguarding and aquatic leadership programs provided by the Lifesaving Society of Canada. The Canadian Red Cross announced in January that it is transitioning to focus on its humanitarian efforts and will end swim programming. This means that our swim program names and levels will change as we adjust our lessons to follow the plan set out by the Lifesaving Society. This is a great opportunity for our budding lifeguards as the lifeguarding and leadership programs will be more streamlined and cost-effective. Stay tuned for more information on this important change.
Red Cross preschool swimming lessons are 30 minutes long.
Starfish | Ages 4 to 12 Months |
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Duck | Ages 12 to 24 Months |
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Sea Turtle | Ages 24 to 36 Months |
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Sea Otter | Ages 3 to 5 Years |
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Salamander | Ages 3 to 5 Years |
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Sunfish | Ages 3 to 5 Years |
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Crocodile | Ages 3 to 5 Years |
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Whale | Ages 3 to 5 Years |
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Red Cross Swim Kids levels one to 10 are for children ages six to 12. Levels one to four are 30 minutes long. Levels five to 10 are 45 minutes long. View the Red Cross age conversion chart to help you decide the right level to register in after your child turns six.
Red Cross Swim Kids 1 | Ages 6 to 12 Years |
Swimmers receive an orientation to water and the pool area and work on floats, glides and kicking. Swimmers build their endurance by working on the five-metre front swim. |
Red Cross Swim Kids 2 | Ages 6 to 12 Years |
Swimmers work on propulsion skills to move through the water and to remain at the surface. Swimmers work on the front swim (five metres) and learn about deep-water activities and proper use of a Personal Flotation Device (PFD). Fitness activities include the 10-metre flutter kick and a 10-metre distance swim. |
Red Cross Swim Kids 3 | Ages 6 to 12 Years |
This level provides an introduction to diving and teaches swimmers how to make wise choices about where and when to swim. Endurance is achieved by building strength in the flutter kick and a 15-metre swim. |
Red Cross Swim Kids 4 | Ages 6 to 12 Years |
This level introduces the front crawl (10 metre) and back swim with shoulder roll (15 metre). Swimmers work on kneeling dives, surface support (45 seconds, deep water) and developing a greater sense of self-safety by understanding their own limits. Endurance is built through a 25-metre swim. |
Red Cross Swim Kids 5 | Ages 6 to 12 Years |
This level introduces the back crawl (15 metre), sculling skills, whip kick on the back, stride dives and treading water. Front crawl increases to 15 metres. An introduction to safe boating skills is also included. Endurance is developed through a 50-metre swim. |
Red Cross Swim Kids 6 | Ages 6 to 12 Years |
This level refines front crawl with a focus on hand entry and breathing (25 metre), back crawl with a focus on arm positions and body roll (25 metre) and introduces elementary backstroke (15 metre), safety on ice and rescue of others with throwing assists. Swimmers demonstrate the front dive and their ability to tread water in deep water for 1 1/2 minutes. Endurance is built through dolphin kick and a 75-metre swim. |
Red Cross Swim Kids 7 | Ages 6 to 12 Years |
This level builds skills and endurance for the front crawl (50 metre), back crawl (50 metre) and elementary back stroke (25 metre) and introduces whip kick on the front. Swimmers learn about airway and breathing obstructions, reaching assists and stride entry. Swimming endurance is increased to a 150-metre swim. |
Red Cross Swim Kids 8 | Ages 6 to 12 Years |
This level is an introduction to breast stroke (15 metre) and feet-first surface dives. Swimmers learn about the dangers of open water, hypothermia, the performance of rescue breathing on children and adults and standing shallow dives. Swimmers participate in timed treading water activities using the eggbeater skill for three minutes to improve their ability to remain at the surface in the event of an unexpected fall into water. Endurance is built on a 300-metre swim. Front crawl and back crawl distances are increased to 75 metres each. |
Red Cross Swim Kids 9 | Ages 6 to 12 Years |
This level refines the front crawl (100 metre), back crawl (100 metre), elementary back stroke (50 metre) and breast stroke (25 metre) and encourages swimmers to combine different kicks for fitness (3 minutes). They also work on head-first surface dives and learn about wise choices, peer influences and self-rescue from ice. Endurance is built through a 400-metre swim. |
Red Cross Swim Kids 10 | Ages 6 to 12 Years |
This level is a final assessment of the strokes for technique and distance (front crawl 100 metre, back crawl 100 metre, elementary back stroke 50 metre, breast stroke 50 metre and sidestroke 25 metre). Swimmers learn about sun safety, rescue of others from ice and head-first and feet-first surface dives. Endurance is built using the dolphin kick (vertical) and a 500-metre swim. |
We offer private and semi-private lessons in 10-week blocks. Private lessons have a ratio of 1:1 and semi-private 2:1. All lessons are 30 minutes long.
Register for private and semi-private swimming lessons.
Clarington offers both Learn to Swim and Swim Strokes and Fitness classes for all ages and swimming abilities. Adult lessons take place during the evening outside of public swimming hours. Lessons are 45 minutes long.
Teen Swim | Ages 13 to 17 |
Learn to swim and improve your swimming strokes. This program allows you to swim with youth who share the same goals. Advance through the Red Cross Swim program at a safe and comfortable pace. Please refer to the Red Cross Swim Kids level descriptions for correct placement. |
Adult Lessons - Beginner | Ages 18+ |
This program allows participants to develop and increase comfort in the water through basic flotation, movement and breathing skills. |
Adult Lessons - Intermediate | Ages 18+ |
This program introduces participants to deep water, surface support (treading water), front and back swim progressing to basic introduction to front/back crawl, and increasing distance. |
Adult Lessons - Advanced | Ages 18+ |
This program is designed for adults who are looking to learn new swimming strokes, improve existing swimming strokes through distance and proficiency and develop fitness goals. |
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