Age: approx. 6months – 16 months

Duration: 30 minutes with a parent or guardian in the water with the child.

Ratio: 1:5

Equipment needed: Nappies suitable for water. We have a 4m umbrella for shade so any swimming hats or caps are requested not to be used as we require the child to experience the water on their head and ears

Location: Home Pool – 32 degree Magnesium water

This class is all about water familiarisation for the baby and parent. We want your baby to feel safe and secure in the water while establishing a love of water in different positions and we will teach the parent how to do this. This is a group class and usually will be the first structured activity that you will introduce to your child. Let’s make it fun for both you and baby.

Age: approx. 16months – 30 months

Duration: 30 minutes with a parent or guardian in the water with the child.

Ratio: 1:5

Equipment needed: Nappies suitable for water. We have a 4m umbrella for shade so any swimming hats or caps are requested not to be used as we require the child to experience the water on their head and ears

Location: Home Pool – 32 degree Magnesium water

This class is similar to the Parent and Baby class with water familiarisation for the toddler and parent. We teach the parent skills for their toddlers to start establishing abilities which they are happy to do on their own. E.g. independent kicking, monkey on the side of the pool and coming off ledges on cue from parent and or teacher. The development of the toddler at this age will be varied in an individual and nurturing the love of water and consistency you will see some amazing results with you in the water with them.

Age: approx 2– 3 year olds

Duration: 30 minutes

Ratio: 1:3

Equipment needed: Swimming cap. Goggles are optional. (hold off with goggles if you can as children need to know how to swim without goggles for safety reasons)

Location: Home Pool – 32 degree Magnesium water

This is the first level of Learn to Swim classes that parents are not in the pool with their child. Many of our children have progressed from our Parent and Baby/Toddler classes to the Guppy class but is not necessarily a prerequisite. In this level we focus on teaching the children to follow directions from the teacher, to listen (as a 2year old) and constantly building a relationship of trust between the children and teacher. Safety is always paramount so learning to follow directions and being patient is a skill that will benefit them in and out of the water.               

Skills they will learn

• Safety entries
• Rockets out to teacher on their front
• Monkey along the wall unassisted
• Staying safe on the step
• Being able to wait their turn
• Following instructions from teacher
• Jumping in and turning around back to the side assisted
• Back floats assisted
• Comfortable on their back assisted
• Intro of kickboards
• Correct use of kickboards and noodles and familiarisation
• Water familiarisation
• Introduction to freestyle arms
• Introduction to breaststroke arms

Age: approx. 3– 5 year old

Duration: 30 minutes

Ratio: 1:4

Equipment needed: Swimming cap. Goggles are optional. (hold off with goggles if you can as children need to know how to swim without goggles for safety reasons)

Location: Home Pool – 32 degree Magnesium water

This can be the first level of Learn to Swim classes for those that haven’t been swimming younger than 3 years of age in a class. Many of our children have progressed from our Parent and Baby/Toddler classes to the Guppy class and move through to the Starfish level but is not necessarily a prerequisite. In this level we step it up from the Guppy class as the child is slightly older and cognitively can focus on teacher directions and we can see more advanced, slightly faster pace classes than the Guppy class.              

Skills they will learn

• Safety entries
• Rockets out to teacher on their front
• Monkey along the wall unassisted
• Staying safe on the step
• Being able to wait their turn
• Following instructions from teacher
• Jumping in and turning around back to the side assisted
• Back floats assisted
• Comfortable on their back assisted
• Intro of kickboards
• Correct use of kickboards and noodles and familiarisation
• Water familiarisation
• Introduction to freestyle arms
• Introduction to breaststroke arms

Age: approx. 4– 5-year-old

Duration: 30 minutes

Ratio: 1:4

Equipment needed: Swimming cap. Goggles are optional.

Location: Home Pool – 32 degree Magnesium water

This is a level for advanced Pre-school children only. The children in this level have clearly shown a love of the water and enjoy the progress of all activities in the water. They have a great attitude to give things a try and we see some amazing skills in this class. This level is similar level to the Octopus (school aged) level. My aim is to get all pre-school children that swim at Sue Mickelson Swimming to this level before attending Prep. 

Skills they will learn

• Learning the basics of freestyle and backstroke and breaststroke.
• Confident in water
• Diving
• Flipper week once a semester
• Treading water
• Greater emphasis on technique with rockets, glides and all fundamentals
• Games that will compliment skills learnt throughout the lessons that create fun and a joy of swimming
• Safety in and around water

Age: approx. 5– 7-year-old (Usually)

Duration: 30 minutes

Ratio: 1:4

Equipment needed: Swimming cap.  Goggles are optional. (hold off with goggles if you can as children need to know how to swim without goggles for safety reasons)

Location: Home Pool – 32 degree Magnesium water

Location: Geebung School pool – Newman Road

This can be the first time a child has been in a swimming class. This is a level for the inexperienced swimmer that may have a fear/ anxiety of water. This is a slower paced class that will be guided by the water experience of the children in the class.

Skills they will learn

• Safety in and around water
• Relaxed and calm class
• Rockets introduced with and without kickboard
• Floating on back
• Freestyle arms performed and skill is taught for swimmers to have sound understanding
• Safety rolls
• To understand jumping in the water and getting back to the side of the pool safely
• Water familiarisation and allowing children to enjoy being in the water
• Confident in water
• Diving – Beginner
• Games that will compliment skills learnt throughout the lessons that create fun and a joy of swimming

Age: approx. 5– 7-year-old (Prep and grade 1)

Duration: 30 minutes

Ratio: 1:4

Equipment needed: Swimming cap.  Goggles are optional.

Location: Home Pool – 32 degree Magnesium water

Location: Geebung School pool – Newman Road

This is an entrance level for primary school aged children that are not afraid of the water and may have had swimming lessons prior to attending school.  

Skills they will learn

• Learning the basics of freestyle and backstroke and breaststroke.
• Confident in water
• Diving
• Flipper week once a semester – Learning butterfly kick
• Treading water
• Greater emphasis on technique with rockets, glides and all fundamentals
• Games that will compliment skills learnt throughout the lessons that create fun and a joy of swimming
• Safety in and around water

Age: approx. 6– 8-year-old (Grade 1 and above)

Duration: 30 minutes

Ratio: 1:4

Equipment needed: Swimming cap.  Goggles are optional.

Location: Home Pool – 32 degree Magnesium water

Location: Geebung School pool – Newman Road

This is a class that increases level of work from previous class paying particular attention to technique over a distance. Children are usually starting to take part in school swim carnivals so readiness to enjoy the experience is also encouraged.  

Skills they will learn

• Learning the breathing of freestyle and backstroke and breaststroke.
• Confident in water
• Diving
• Flipper week once a semester – Learning butterfly kick
• Treading water
• Greater emphasis on technique with rockets, glides and all fundamentals
• Games that will compliment skills learnt throughout the lessons that create fun and a joy of swimming
• Safety in and around water

Age: Ability based (7 years+)

Duration: 30 minutes

Ratio: 1:5

Equipment needed: Swimming cap.  Goggles are optional.

Location: Home Pool – 32 degree Magnesium water

Location: Geebung School pool – Newman Road

This is a faster paced class that we are paying particular attention to technique and distance. Children are usually starting to take part in school swim carnivals so readiness to enjoy the experience is also encouraged.  

Skills they will learn

• Learning the breathing of freestyle and backstroke and breaststroke.
• Confident in water
• Diving
• Flipper week once a semester – Learning butterfly kick
• Treading water and further safety skills
• Greater emphasis on technique.
• Games that will compliment skills learnt throughout the lessons that create fun and a joy of swimming for their age.
• Safety in and around water

Age: Ability based (7 years+)

Duration: 45 minutes

Ratio: 1:8

Equipment needed: Fins and Swimming cap.  Goggles are optional.

Location: Geebung School pool – Newman Road

Let’s put all the Learn to swim techniques together and start using a 25m pool. In this level we focus on squad readiness. Learning lane etiquette, timing, how the body moves and how to get the most out of an effective technique. Longer lessons (45min) means more swimming and therefore fitness will improve. We work on starts, turns,finishes of each stroke and introduce land based drills. The teacher can be in or out of the pool depending on what is covered in the lesson for that week.  

Skills they will learn

• Stroke correction in all 4 strokes
• Survival and safety skills
• Tumble turns
• Diving
• Treading water
• Greater emphasis on technique.
• Games that will compliment skills learnt throughout the lessons that create fun and a joy of swimming for their age.
• Safety in and around water
• Race conditions
• Goal setting

Age: Ability based (8 years+)

Duration: 60 minutes

Ratio: 1:12

Equipment needed: Fins and Swimming cap.  Goggles are optional.

Location: Geebung School pool – Newman Road

In this level we focus on extending the children with their distance and fitness from the previous class.  This level will focus on perfecting their technique, timing, how the body moves, race readiness (for those wishing to compete) and extending on land based drills.  This level is not just for the competitive swimmer, but also for those swimmers who want to improve their fitness, as this will be a longer lesson than the previous class. 

Skills they will learn

• Stroke correction in all 4 strokes
• Survival and safety skills
• Tumble turns
• Diving
• Treading water
• Greater emphasis on technique.
• Games that will compliment skills learnt throughout the lessons that create fun and a joy of swimming for their age.
• Safety in and around water
• Race conditions
• Goal setting