Kid's Swimming Lessons

The Red Cross ended their water safety programs to redirect resources to other community support and emergency response programs. The Red Cross will continue to offer First Aid instructional programs.

No! This program is a different program from the Red Cross program and is difficult to compare directly for that reason. Your children will still learn all the necessary strokes and water safety skills to be safe in and around water by the end of the program.

Like the Red Cross program, the Swim for Life® program does offer recognition items that your swimmer can proudly display to show their achievements in their swimming lessons!

Like the Red Cross program, there are Parent & Tot swimming lessons, Preschool lessons, and Children’s lessons. The Swim for Life® program also includes Fitness and Adult programs too to ensure that everyone is able to learn how to swim and be safe around water. #NeverTooYoungToLearn #NeverTooOldToStart

Read more about the Lifesaving Society's program.

The Swim for Life® program aligns its stroke standards with the internationally recognized FINA stroke standards for freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke. Sidestroke and elementary backstroke are not included in the program but can be taught in private lessons if your swimmer is interested in them.

We will continue to provide progress reports verbally at the halfway point of lessons, and a written report on the last day of lessons. 

The fourth or fifth lesson of our swimming session is set aside for you to talk with our instructors about your swimmer's progress in their level.

If your swimmer is away on the last day of lessons, you can pick up their report card at the Customer Service Kiosk of the W.J. Henderson Community Centre after the end of the session during regular office hours.

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Private lessons are a great way to develop specific swimming skills through personalized coaching. If your swimmer has accomplished all but a few skills in a level, a private lesson might be right for you.

Private lesson registration will be available online and registration will open the same date as regular classes.

Semi-Private lessons are also available for pairs of swimmers of similar skill level at a lower cost per individual than a private lesson. Semi-Private lesson registration is unavailable online. Please call us to book a Semi-Private lesson. Semi-Private lesson participants are asked to find their own partners for lessons.

Great question! 

We have a few options to assist you in finding the right level for your swimmer:

• Reference the Lifesaving Society's Swim Lesson Conversion Chart if you know what level they were previously participating in
• Residents who took lessons with the City of Kingston can reference the Conversion Chart for Kingston's programs to know what to register with Loyalist in
• Review the Swim lesson descriptions in the widget below
• Contact the Aquatics Coordinator

If you are a current participant, please reach out to your swimmer's instructor or the Head Instructor for that day's lessons for a progress update. They may not be able to confirm whether your swimmer is completing their current level, but they can provide you with information to make an informed decision about your swimmer's next steps.

The Lifesaving Society Swim for Life® program allows students to progress comfortably in programs tailored to their age group. Prior to starting lessons, talk with your swimmer and have a realistic expectation so your swimmer does not feel pressured to ‘pass’ a level or get a badge. Focus on ‘completing’ the skills at a progressive pace and smart goals.

We have a few options to assist you in finding the right level for your swimmer:

• Reference the Lifesaving Society's Swim Lesson Conversion Chart if you know what level they were previously participating in
• Residents who took lessons with the City of Kingston can reference the Conversion Chart for Kingston's programs to know what to register with Loyalist in
• Review the Swim lesson descriptions in the widget below
• Contact the Aquatics Coordinator

If you are a current participant, please reach out to your swimmer's instructor or the Head Instructor for that day's lessons for a progress update. They may not be able to confirm whether your swimmer is completing their current level, but they can provide you with information to make an informed decision about your swimmer's next steps.

The fourth or fifth lesson of our swimming session is set aside for you to talk with our instructors about your swimmer's progress in their level.

If your swimmer is away on the last day of lessons, you can pick up their report card at the Customer Service Kiosk of the W.J. Henderson Community Centre after the end of the session during regular office hours.

Private lessons are a great way to develop specific swimming skills through personalized coaching. If your swimmer has accomplished all but a few skills in a level, a private lesson might be right for you.

Private lesson registration will be available online and registration will open the same date as regular classes.

Semi-Private lessons are also available for pairs of swimmers of similar skill level at a lower cost per individual than a private lesson. Semi-Private lesson registration is unavailable online. Please call us to book a Semi-Private lesson. Semi-Private lesson participants are asked to find their own partners for lessons.

Have you ever tried to register for a program that had no spaces available? Adding your name to a waitlist allows us to create new programs when possible and notify you when spaces become available.

These are programs with approximately half the number of participants as regular swim classes. Each participant receives more individual attention and more of an opportunity to practice their skills. Please note that the number of participants increases as the levels increase in skill. Ratios below are stated as Instructor Participants. 

Swimming Lesson Ratios

We reserve the right to cancel, or alter any classes, times, or costs outlined in the Guide due to low enrollment, availability of facilities or instructors. No administration fee will apply to refund requests for class cancellations.

To respect the privacy of all pool users, patrons are asked to refrain from taking pictures or videos during all Aquatics programming. During swim lessons or aquatic courses, parents are only permitted to take photos of their own swimmer during the last five minutes on the last day of lessons.