LES' Children's Swimming Classes at Houston Street Center

The older you get, the more anxiety overcomes you when trying to learn something new. When it comes to swimming, if children learn to swim at a young age, it becomes a skill they can sustain as adults.

The Houston Street Center, University Settlement is a great place for children to learn to swim. The Swim N Kids program allows for children ages 4 to 7 to learn their strengths as well as advance in their skill level at the community center.

Swim levels start with Pike Beginners for children ages 4 to 5 and work all the way up to advanced levels like Guppy I, for ages 6-7.

Pike Beginner (Ages 4-5, Level 1) 

This level helps children develop safe pool behavior, including adjusting to the water and developing independent movement skills. It is designed for new swimmers and teaches kids basic paddle strokes, kicking skills, pool safety, and increases comfort in holding their faces under the water while blowing bubbles.

Eel Advanced Beginner (Ages 4-5, Level 2)

This is an advanced-beginner class that reinforces Pike skills. It is for children who are comfortable in the water. They must be able to swim horizontally with a flotation device (feet splashing). They are taught to swim a progressive paddle stroke and by the end of the class will be attempting to swim the width of the pool without a flotation device.

Polliwog I (Ages 6-7, Level 1)

This is a beginning level for school-age children. It gets children acquainted with the pool. By the end of this level they should know the front paddle and some backstroke. Swimmers will also learn front and back floating.

Guppy I (Ages 6-7, Level 2)

The children now begin to practice front crawl and a basic backstroke. They work on endurance in the water as well as refining the front crawl stroke. Rotary breathing, or breathing to the side, is a major component of the front crawl and major emphasis will be placed on that skill. Backstroke is introduced.

Swim N Kids is a great environment to take children from beginner to advanced levels with one-on-one instruction.

The late spring session will run until Sunday, June 24. For the summer, sessions will start on Thursday, July 5 and will run until Saturday, August 25. Registration for the summer session of Swim N Kids will begin on Saturday, June 9.

There is a $45 enrollment fee per course. For more information, visit The Houston Street Center, University Settlement.

For a full schedule of Swim N Kids, click here.