Course Descriptions

This seven-level program allows children to enter levels based on their age and abilities:

─ During Starfish and Duck the parent or caregiver will participate in the classes together with their child.

─ Sea Turtle provides a transition where parents gradually have their preschooler follow instruction from the Instructor with the parent acting as a facilitator.

─ Salamander, Sun Fish, Crocodile and Whale are without a parent – the children will be with the Instructor at all times.

Each level is built around an aquatic species theme and has its own mascot, which will make learning engaging and fun for young children.

6 months to 18 months
An introductory class for babies and their parent or caregiver. To enter this level, babies must be able to hold their head up. The goal of this orientation to water class is to experience buoyancy, movement, entries, and songs and play in the water.

Red Cross Swim Preschool – Duck

18 months to 3 years
For toddlers or older babies with a parent or caregiver. Toddlers build confidence while enjoying the water through games, songs and active water play.

3 years to 4 years
A transitional level for preschoolers and their parents. Parents can gradually transfer the preschoolers to the care of the Instructor. This level develops skills in swimming, glides, and floating and builds awareness of deep water and safe entries.

4 & 5 years
Preschoolers actively learn new swimming skills including assisted floats and glides through games and songs. The fun includes learning to jump into chest deep water.

4 & 5 years
Assisted by an Instructor, preschoolers work on stroke and skills progressions. Learning also focuses on good judgement in, on and around the water, and entries and floats in deep water.

4 & 5 years
Preschoolers start independent glides and kicking in deep water. Endurance is built through increasing distance for front and back swims. Swimmers learn about the dolphin kick and try synchro skills in the water.

4 & 5 years
In Whale, children will learn to swim independently and participate in team games. Preschoolers will increase their distance and improve skills in front and back swims. Swimmers also learn about throwing assists to help another person in the water.

Swim Kids - Course Descriptions

This 10-level program for school aged children will help swimmers develop all six swimming strokes (front and back crawl, elementary back stroke, breast stroke, butterfly, sidestroke), actively learn how to be safe around the water, and increase their fitness and endurance through fun activities. Children will be challenged to achieve personal bests in distance and time, which will be a strong motivator through all 10 levels.

Red Cross Swim Kids Level 1

This is the entry level for those who didn’t take the Red Cross Swim Preschool lessons. This level provides an orientation to the water and the pool area and introduces floats and glides with kicks. Children build their

Red Cross Swim Kids Level 2

A second orientation level which helps the child build skills in front and back swims. Children are introduced to deep water activities and proper use of a Personal Flotation Device (PFD). Endurance is built on flutter kicking with assisted glides.

Red Cross Swim Kids Level 3

This level provides an introduction to front crawl as well the foundation for making wise choices on where and when to swim. Diving is introduced and children will work on floats and changing direction. Endurance is achieved by building strength in flutter kick and a 15-metre swim.

Red Cross Swim Kids Level 4

The front crawl, back glide and shoulder roll for back crawl are further developed. Children work on kneeling dives, surface support 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 Level 5

Back crawl is introduced, along with sculling skills and whip kick on the back. Children try stride dives receive an introduction to safe boating skills. Endurance is developed through dolphin kick and a 50-metre swim.

Red Cross Swim Kids Level 6

Front and back crawl continue to be refined as the elementary backstroke is newly introduced. Children are also introduced to safety on ice, elementary rescue of others with throwing assists, treading water and the front dive. Endurance is built through a 75- metre swim.

Red Cross Swim Kids Level 7

Level 7 continues to build skills and endurance for front crawl, back crawl and elementary back stroke and introduces whip kick on the front. Children learn about airway and breathing obstructions, and participate in timed treading water for increasing endurance. Endurance is built through timed treading water and a 150-metre swim.

Red Cross Swim Kids Level 8

Level 8 provides an introduction to the breaststroke, foot first surface dives, and rescue entries. Children learn about the dangers of open water, hypothermia, and the performance of rescue breathing on children and adults. Endurance is built on the dolphin kick and 300-metre swim.

Red Cross Swim Kids Level 9

Front crawl, back crawl, elementary backstroke and breaststroke continue to be refined. In this level children are encouraged to try combining different strokes and kicks for fitness. They also work on head-first shallow dives and standing dives and learn about wise choices, peer influences, and self-rescue from ice. Endurance is built through a 400- meter swim.

Red Cross Swim Kids Level 10

Further refinement of strokes, with an introduction to butterfly and scissor kick as a warm-up/cool down stroke for fitness. Children learn about sun safety, rescue of others from the ice, and head-first and feet-first shallow dives. Endurance is built using dolphin kick and butterfly drills and a 500-metre swim.

Is a play-based aquatic program for boys and girls (usually 11 and under). Improving swimming skills through fun is the main objective - swimmers enjoy jumping, rolling, spinning, twisting and turning upside down as part of AquaSquirts! What makes AquaSquirts unique is that learning is cleverly disguised as play. With theme-based lesson plans such as Let's Float, Let's Go Upside Down and Let's Visit Sea Creatures, participants improve their swimming skills in a fun-filled, relaxed and creative environment.

The Adult Basic Water Safety Modules teaches parents/adults about Boating Safety, Ice Safety, Home Pool Safety, and Waterfront Safety. Adults must be comfortable in deep water with and without a PFD.

For a non-swimmer and/or shallow water swimmer only. Learn to develop comfort in the water, fostering basic knowledge, movements and breathing skills. Taught in the shallow end of the lap pool and/or wading pool.

Adults will learn to develop one or more swimming strokes through proficiency and increased endurance while enhancing relevant water safety knowledge and skills.

Former Program	New Program
Aqua-Tots	Red Cross Swim Preschool
Level 1	Starfish
Level 2	Duck
Level 3	Sea Turtle

Aqua-Quest	Red Cross Swim Preschool
Level 1 incomplete	Salamander
Level 1 completed	Salamander
Level 2 incomplete	Salamander
Level 2 completed	Sunfish
Level 3 incomplete	Sunfish

Aqua-Quest	Red Cross Swim Preschool
Level 3 completed	Crocodile
Level 4 incomplete	Crocodile
Level 4 completed	Whale
Level 5 incomplete	Whale

Aqua-Quest	Red Cross Swim Kids
Level 1 completed or incomplete	Level 1
Level 2 completed or incomplete	Level 1
Level 3 completed or incomplete	Level 2
Level 4 completed or incomplete	Level 3
Level 5 completed or incomplete	Level 4
Level 6 completed or incomplete	Level 5
Level 7 completed or incomplete	Level 6
Level 8 completed or incomplete	Level 7
Level 9 completed or incomplete	Level 8
Level 10 completed or incomplete	Level 9
Level 11 completed or incomplete Level 12 incomplete	Level 10

Advance & Recreational Courses
Select a course below to see the full description.

Synchronized Swimming Level 1:

Students must have completed Level 12. Must be 11 years of age or older. Bronze Star is the pre-Bronze Medallion training standard and excellent preparation for success in Bronze Medallion. In Bronze Star, participants develop problem-solving and decision-making skills as individuals and in partners. They learn CPR and develop Water Smart confidence and the lifesaving skills needed to be their own personal lifeguard.

Must be 13 years of age or older if student has not completed the Bronze Star. Recommended that students complete Bronze Star. Teaches the understanding of the lifesaving principles embodied in the four components of water rescue education - judgment, knowledge, skill and fitness. Rescuers learn tows and carries, defenses and release methods in preparation for challenging rescues of increased risk involving conscious and unconscious victims of various types, Lifesavers develop stroke efficiency and endurance in a times swim.

Must have successfully completed Bronze Medallion. Bronze Cross - The difference between lifesaving and life guarding, an introduction to safe supervision in aquatic facilities. Emergency procedures, teamwork in rescues, use of special equipment, spinal injuries and other demanding techniques. Standard First Aid & Basic "C" C.P.R. - this comprehensive course includes all of the skills taught in emergency first aid, plus recognizing, preventing and treating musculoskeletal, soft tissue and head and spine injuries, heat and cold emergencies, poisoning, and medical conditions such as diabetic crises and epileptic seizures. Candidates MUST attend all sessions. "The Standard First Aid & Basic "C" C.P.R. course is recognized by the Workers Compensation Board for training in the workplace".

Pre-requisites, Bronze Cross-, Standard First Aid and Basic "C" C.P.R. Must be 16 years of age by the end of the course. Candidates MUST attend all sessions. Consists of a core course dealing with life guarding principles and techniques together with environment specific items leading to certification in N.L.S. Pool Option.

Pre-requisite, minimum 15 yrs of age and Swim Kids Level 10. This course teaches candidates to function effectively as leaders in aquatics and in the Red Cross Society. Students must complete 8 hours of teaching apprenticeship. This certification course is a prerequisite to the Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Course. The course covers the foundation of instructional skills including teaching methods, learning styles, physical principles, progressions, communication, safety supervision and feedback. Candidates are evaluated during 8 hours of assistant teaching and through individual study assignments.

Upon successful completion of the course, candidates are certified as Assistant Water Safety Instructors, which enables them to co-teach the Red Cross Swim programs under the supervision of a fully certified Water Safety Instructor. Once certified, Assistant Water Safety Instructors have two years to become Water Safety Instructors. Candidates MUST attend all sessions.

This two-weekend course prepares candidates to instruct the Red Cross/Lifesaving Swimming Programs. Pre-requisites, Bronze Cross, Standard First Aid and Basic "C" C.P.R., Red Cross Leaders. Must be 16 years of age by the end of the course. Candidates MUST attend all sessions.

Re-certify N.L.S. & Standard First Aid with Basic "C' C.P.R., Red Cross instructors and LSS instructors. Need to provide original certifications. Candidates MUST attend all sessions.