Lifesaving Society Preschool Swim Levels Explained | Mobile Swim Lessons in York Region
If you’re looking for private preschool swim lessons in York Region, understanding the Lifesaving Society Preschool program can help you choose the right starting point for your child.
We are Swim Brothers. We provide private, one-on-one swim lessons in your own backyard or condo pool throughout York Region. Every lesson is personalized to your child’s comfort level, confidence, and swimming experience while following the progression of the Lifesaving Society’s Swim for Life Preschool program. The best part is that we bring the swim lessons to you.
What Are the Lifesaving Society Preschool Levels?
The Preschool program is designed for children approximately 3 to 5 years old. Rather than focusing on perfect swimming strokes right away, these levels help young swimmers become comfortable, confident, and safe in the water.
Preschool 1
The first level is all about building trust and confidence in the water.
Children begin exploring the pool through fun games and activities while learning to enter and exit shallow water with assistance, jump into chest-deep water with assistance, become comfortable putting their face in the water and blowing bubbles, practice assisted front and back floats and glides, and move safely through shallow water while wearing a personal flotation device (PFD). Water safety education is included in every level.
This level is ideal for children who are new to swimming or are still building confidence in the water.
Preschool 2
As confidence grows, swimmers begin practicing more skills with greater independence.
Children learn to enter and exit shallow water while wearing a personal flotation device (PFD), jump into chest-deep water on their own, comfortably submerge their face and blow bubbles underwater, float on their front and back with a buoyant aid or PFD, roll between front and back, practice front and back glides, and develop stronger flutter kicks with support. Water safety continues to be reinforced through fun, age-appropriate activities in every lesson.
Children who enjoy being in the water and are comfortable submerging their face are often ready for Preschool 2.
Preschool 3
By this stage, swimmers are ready for greater independence.
Children learn to jump into deep water while wearing a PFD, perform a sideways entry while wearing a PFD, hold their breath and exhale underwater, retrieve objects from waist-deep water, float on their back and roll to the front before swimming a short distance, float on their front and back, roll between front and back, glide on both their front and back, and develop stronger flutter kicks on both their front and back.
Children often become much more independent in the water during this level.
Preschool 4
At this level, children begin combining several skills together.
Swimmers work on jumping into deep water and safely returning to the side, performing a sideways entry, treading water while wearing a PFD, opening their eyes underwater, retrieving objects from chest-deep water, floating on their front before rolling onto their back and swimming, gliding on their side, improving flutter kick on their front, back, and side, and swimming short distances using front crawl while wearing a PFD.
This is often the stage where parents notice a big jump in both confidence and independence.
Preschool 5
The final Preschool level prepares children for the Swimmer program.
The final Preschool level prepares children for the Swimmer program. Swimmers learn a forward roll entry while wearing a PFD, tread water independently, hold their breath underwater for longer periods, retrieve objects from the bottom in chest-deep water, perform a sideways entry into deep water while wearing a PFD before treading water and swimming to safety, practice whip kick in a vertical position with a PFD or buoyant aid, swim 5 metres of both front crawl and back crawl, and build endurance through short flutter kick intervals.
Completing Preschool 5 gives children a strong foundation before moving into the Lifesaving Society Swimmer levels.
Why Private Swim Lessons Help Preschoolers Learn Faster
Every child learns differently.
In group classes, instructors have limited time with each swimmer. Private lessons allow your child to receive continuous feedback, more practice time, and instruction that’s tailored specifically to their needs.
As a mobile swim instructor serving York Region, our certified swim instructors travels to your home or condo pool so your child can learn in a familiar, comfortable environment without crowded public classes.
Parents often find that children gain confidence more quickly when lessons take place in a quiet setting with consistent one-on-one instruction.
Official Lifesaving Society Skills
The descriptions above are intended as a parent-friendly overview of the Preschool program. If you’d like to see every official skill and completion requirement for each Preschool level, you can view the complete checklist published by the Lifesaving Society here:
Official Preschool Skills Checklist:
Life Saving Society Preschool At-a-Glance Skills Checklist
Book Mobile Preschool Swim Lessons at Your Home or Condo Pool in York Region
If you’re looking for mobile swim lessons in York Region, we would love to help your child become a confident, capable swimmer. We also offer inclusive swim lessons for children who benefit from adaptive instruction.
We offer private lessons at your home or condo pool throughout York Region, including Richmond Hill, Markham, Aurora, Stouffville, and King City. Every lesson is designed to build confidence, improve technique, and develop lifelong water safety skills.
