We’re proud to offer you:

•Professional instructors who are well trained by the American Red Cross.

•Learning made fun in a safe environment.

•A balanced program that teaches swimming skills and how to be safe in the water, including a focus on lower- ing the risk of drowning and increasing the chances of drowning survival.

•A comprehensive swimming and water safety program for everyone in the family—from infancy to adulthood including:

◦A free Red Cross Swim mobile application available for download from iTunes, Google Play or Amazon Marketplace app stores.

◦Swim Lessons Achievement Booklets to track skill achievement and progression through the levels.

◦Badge system to recognize and reward achievement outside of the levels, motivating participants to strive toward developing specific skills and for recognizing participants for something that they are doing well, especially when they are struggling with a specific skill or set of skills needed to successfully complete the level.

What happens in Preschool Aquatics Level 2?

In Preschool Aquatics Level 2, our instructors follow a plan to introduce new swimming and water safety skills that are developmentally appropriate for young children. Preschool Aquatics puts the “fun” in fundamentals. Each class is loaded with enjoyable, engaging and challenging activities that motivate children to want to perform and learn to swim.

BE A WATER SMART FAMILY!

Know how to call for help. When you recognize an emergency, stay calm and call or have someone else call

9-1-1 or the local emergency number. Act quickly because every second counts.

Don’t just pack it, wear your jacket.

A life jacket helps you stay afloat if you

fall into the water. Always use a U.S. Coast Guard-ap- proved life jacket and make sure that it fits properly. It should feel comfortable but snug.

Stay safe around water. Every swimming area

has rules that are often posted on signs. Be sure to follow all the rules. If you do not know the rules or don’t under- stand the signs, ask your parents or the lifeguards to explain them to you.

This level continues laying the foundation for developing water competency and further skill development. Pre- school Aquatics Level 2 marks the beginning of inde- pendent aquatic locomotion skills. Children continue to explore using simultaneous and alternating arm and leg actions on the front and back to gain greater proficiency in preparation for performing strokes.

Some of the milestones achieved in Preschool Aquatics Level 2 include:

•Gliding on front at least 2 body lengths.

•Rolling to back, floating on back for 15 seconds, then recovering to a vertical position.

•Gliding on back for at least 2 body lengths.

•Rolling to front, then recovering to a vertical position.

•Swimming using combined arm and leg actions on front for 3 body lengths.

•Rolling to back, floating for 15 seconds, rolling to front then continuing to swim on front for 3 body lengths.

PARENT’S CORNER

Even though you’re not in the water, you play an essential role in the American Red Cross Preschool Aquatics. Your enthusi- asm and guidance can make your child’s swim lessons a fun and rewarding experience.

How can you help?

•Support your child by praising his or her effort in the pool.

•Encourage your child to enjoy swim lessons and take pride in personal success. Avoid putting pressure on your child to achieve.

•Talk with the instructor to find out if your child is experienc- ing trouble with certain skills. The instructor may suggest some skills to work on during a family swim.

•Download the Red Cross Swim mobile app and use it to help encourage your child’s progress and knowledge about water safety.

How can you build on your child’s swimming experience?

•Take your child to public or family swims to

practice skills, gain confidence and increase endurance.

•Review water safety tips for your home. Maintain a safety first attitude and follow the American Red Cross Circle of Drowning Prevention.

W AT E R C O M P E T E N C Y :

D I D YO U K N O W ?

Water competency means having the basic, minimum skills needed to be safe and survive in the water. It means more than just knowing how to swim. It also includes the ability to:

•Enter the water and submerge completely.

•Recover to the surface and stay there for at least 1 minute by treading water or floating.

•Turn completely (360 degrees) and orient to the exit.

•Level off and propel oneself on the front or back through the water for at least 25 yards.

•Exit the water.

Water competency can typically be achieved at about Level

3 of the Learn-to-Swim program. Remember, you may be wa- ter competent in one type of aquatic environment, for exam- ple, a pool. However, this does not mean that you are water competent in another environment, such as a lake or ocean. Each environment is different and more skill is required.

All Preschool Aquatics Level 2 skills can be performed with assistance.

Where do you go from here?

Children move through the three levels of the American Red Cross Preschool Aquatics based on their mastery of the skills required at each level. After successfully demonstrating the completion requirements from Pre- school Aquatics Level 2, children are eligible for either Preschool Aquatics Level 3 or the American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Level 2. Developmental readiness, maturity level and age help determine which course is more appropriate for your child.

In Preschool Aquatics Level 3, your child will:

•Build on the skills in Level 2 by receiving additional guided practice and be able to demonstrate Level 3 skills independently.

•Coordinate combined simultaneous arm and leg actions and alternating arm and leg actions.

•Learn additional safety skills.