Y SWIM LESSON (YSL)
We offer the National YMCA Swim Lesson Curriculum year-round for swimmers of all ages and skill levels. YMCA swim lessons emphasize water safety, skill, and stroke development. In stages 1-3 students learn personal water safety and achieve basic swimming competency by learning two benchmark skills —swim, float, swim and jump, push, turn, grab.
Having mastered the fundamentals, students in stages 4-6, learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique, developing skills that prevent chronic disease, increase social, emotional, and cognitive well-being, and foster a lifetime of physical activity. YMCA swim lessons follow the National YMCA's child-to-instructor ratio to ensure plenty of time in the water. We strive to foster a student-centered and caring atmosphere with well-trained professionals.
PARENT/CHILD
Accompanied by a parent, infants and toddlers learn to be comfortable in the water and develop swim readiness skills through fun and confidence-building experiences, while parents learn about water safety, drowning prevention, and the importance of supervision.
Water Exploration & Water Discovery
Ages 6 months to 3 years
PRESCHOOL
In addition to water safety, preschool-age children learn water acclimation, water movement, water stamina, and water stroke introduction in stages 0-4.
Water Acclimation, Water Movement, and More
Ages 3 to 5 years
SCHOOL AGE
In addition to water safety, school-age children learn water acclimation, water movement, water stamina, water stroke development, water stroke mechanics, water endurance sports & games, and aquatics conditioning in stages 1-7. An Aquatics Inclusion class is also offered for participants with diverse abilities.
NEW: Water Polo Summer Clinic will focus on learning the fundamental skills of Water Polo. Register below.
Water Acclimation, Water Movement, and More
Ages 6 to 16 years
TEEN/ADULT
Swim lessons are not just for kids! In addition to learning water safety, teens and adults can refresh their skills with beginner - intermediate/advanced levels.
Beginners, Intermediate/Advanced
Ages 13 years and Up
THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS
Thank you to the YMCA of the USA Strategic Initiatives Fund, NJ YMCA State Alliance, USA Swimming Foundation, and Association of Aquatics Professionals for their generous support that helps us provide swim lessons and access to water safety and drowning prevention programs to children who would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn to swim.
- Make-up classes are not available due to instructor/student ratio requirements. A system credit may be issued for missed classes provided a doctor's note is presented to the Aquatics Department within 7 days of the missed class.
- Refunds will only be issued if we must cancel a class due to lack of registration.
- A 75% refund will be issued provided participants give notice one week before the start of the program. No refunds are issued once a program has started.
- Reusable swim diapers or disposable swim diapers with plastic pant covering is required for all program participants who are not potty-trained. Diapers are not permitted in the pool at any time.
- Swim caps are required for program participants ages 5 years and older.
- Program participants must wear a swimsuit (no street clothes), pool deck shoes (flip flops, slides, crocs, etc.), goggles, swim cap, and bring a towel.
Swim Lesson Evaluations are free to YMCA of Montclair members and a fee of $35 for non-members. A YMCA of Montclair membership is needed to enroll in classes and programs. Evaluations are not needed to enroll in Stage 1. A swim evaluation is required if your child is new to our program and wants to participate in Stage 2 or higher, or if 6 months have passed for a former participant.
Park Street- Reservations are not required! Swim lesson evaluations for ages 6 year and older are offered Monday through Thursday from 3pm-3:45pm. Evaluations are not needed to enroll in School Age Stage 1. Please note a swim cap is required at the Park Street location for adults and children ages 5 and older.
Geyer Family YMCA- Reservations are not required! Swim lesson evaluations for ages 3-5 are offered Thursday’s 3:20pm- 3:50pm & Saturday’s 2:30pm-3:30pm.
Our program is a progressive program, and students may spend several sessions in the same stage until skills are mastered to be promoted to the next Stage. Early registration is encouraged as classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.