Swim Lessons

No matter what the swim level, we have an instructor who can help you or your child achieve greater confidence and skill in the water. All lessons are taught by certified American Red Cross Water Safety Instructors and Water Safety Aides.

The YWCA offers class-based lessons for infants, toddlers, youth and adults at all three Minneapolis health and fitness locations. In addition, private and semi-private lessons are offered for a more personalized learning experience.

For those persuing swimming as a sport, the YWCA also offers Total Immersion swim instruction to fine-tune your competitive stroke, or get ready for a triathlon.

Why the YWCA?

The YWCA has introduced a new Red Cross Curriculum called Learn to Swim. The Red Cross has partnered with USA Swimming to streamline and better organize swimming strokes. More emphasis is placed on exploration in the lower levels which allows the participants to gain confidence in the water. The Red Cross has introduced an exciting new tool for swim lesson instructors, the Exit Skill Assessment. These assessments help the instructor determine if the student is in the correct level at the beginning of a session. It helps them adjust the swim lesson plan to teach the skills the student needs improvement on. These assessments will also help the student master the level more easily. What does this mean for you? Higher quality lessons--the instructors now have more tools than ever to reach the students and help them master skills. It means opportunity to move to the Otters swim team. And, most importantly, safety. Safety skills, such as reaching assists, are incorporated in all of the classes.

Note: Before your first lesson, please read our Swim Lesson Policies for rules and policies for students, parents and guests.