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Swimming can be relaxing or competitive, solitary or group-oriented — but it should always be enjoyable and safe! At YWCA Minneapolis, we provide support and lessons for every swimmer, regardless of age or ability. Whether you’ve got a future member of our Otters Swim Team on your hands or you’re hoping to improve your own stroke technique, we have the perfect course to fit you or your family’s needs.
Group swim lessons offer an excellent opportunity for infants, toddlers, youth and adults alike to develop their skills, learn water safety and gain confidence in a supportive environment. YWCA Minneapolis boasts a wide range of swimming courses year round, covering all ages and abilities.
In our selection of courses, you’ll find classes for children and adults who are just beginning to swim, as well as more advanced options for swimmers looking to refine their technique. Our courses are appropriately separated by age, and some advanced classes require participants to be comfortable with certain swimming milestones before enrolling.
Locations: YWCA Midtown and YWCA Uptown
Locations: YWCA Midtown and YWCA Uptown
Please have the class information (code) and a credit card ready.
Members can also register on the “MY YWCA” app (Download on App Store or Google Play Store™ )
Explore below for our full list of group swim classes and check out our swim lesson policies for additional reminders.
NOTE: Classes may be combined with similar level classes. Participants will still be taught at an appropriate skill level based on their ability and readiness.
View upcoming swim classes and descriptions below.
Familiarize children with the water and teach swimming readiness skills. Provide safety information for parents and teach techniques parents can use to orient their children to the water. Prerequisites: child must be at least 6 months old. Parent/guardian must accompany child to each class.
Improve skills learned in PC Lv1, teach more advanced skills and build on water safety knowledge. Prerequisites: child must be at least 6 months old. Parent/guardian must accompany child to each class.
Helps participants feel comfortable in the water and enjoy the water safely. Prerequisites: Comfortable in the water without assistance from a parent or guardian.
Builds on the skills learned in Preschool/Level 1 and fundamental skills, such as floating and basic locomotion. Prerequisites: With assistance glide on front at least 2 body lengths with face in the water, then roll to back and float for 3 seconds.
Helps participants feel comfortable in the water and enjoy the water safely. Prerequisites: Comfortable in the water without assistance from a parent or guardian.
Builds on the skills learned in Preschool/Level 1 and fundamental skills, such as floating and basic locomotion. Prerequisites: With assistance glide on front at least 2 body lengths with face in the water, then roll to back and float for 3 seconds.
Builds on the skills learned in Preschool/Level 2 with less assistance and greater distance/time. Prerequisites: With assistance glide on front at least 2 body lengths with face in the water, then roll to back and float for 3 seconds.
Builds on fundamental stroke and safety skills with practice in deeper water. Prerequisites: Able to float on front for 5 seconds and back for 15 seconds. Swim for 5 body lengths using combined arm and leg action on both front and back.
Improve fundamental skills and introduces advanced safety topics and strokes. Prerequisites: Able to jump into deep water and swim 15 yards of front crawl, float or tread water for 30 seconds in deep water and swim elementary backstroke for 15 yards.
Refine and perfect fundamental skills and continues to introduce advanced safety topics and strokes. Prerequisites: Able to jump into deep water and swim 25 yards of front crawl, float or tread water for 30 seconds in deep water and swim elementary backstroke for 15 yards.
Visit ywcaotters.com or call the Coaching Office at 612-215-4224 for more training opportunities
Bridge the gap between swim lessons and swim team! In this ninety minute camp kids will learn the basics of competitive stroke technique for butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. We will teach racing starts and turns for all strokes. Participants will learn in a positive atmosphere and have the chance to experience a team setting, from hard sets to game time. Above all else, you learn how much fun you have on a swim team! Prerequisite: Passed Red Cross Level 4 or equivalent.
Help participants gain basic aquatic skills and swimming strokes. Teach skills and concepts needed to stay safe in and around water and to help themselves or others in an aquatic emergency.
Improve participants’ proficiency in basic aquatic skills and the six basic swimming strokes. Prerequisites: Must be comfortable in chest deep water, able to put face in the water. Able to perform strokes that can be recognized as front crawl, breaststroke and back crawl, each for 15 yards.
Class length: 45 minutes Builds on fundamental stroke and safety skills with practice in deeper water. Prerequisite: Able to float on front and back independently for 15 seconds. Swim for 5 body lengths using combined arm and leg action on both front and back. Pass Preschool Level 3 or Learn to Swim Level 2. Age Requirement: 6 - 12 years of age.
Class length: 45 minutes Builds on fundamental stroke and safety skills with practice in deeper water. Prerequisite: Able to float on front and back independently for 15 seconds. Swim for 5 body lengths using combined arm and leg action on both front and back. Pass Preschool Level 3 or Learn to Swim Level 2. Age Requirement: 6 - 12 years of age.
Class Length: 45 minutes Improves fundamental skills and introduces advanced safety topics and strokes (breaststroke, sidestroke and butterfly). Prerequisites: Able to jump into deep water and swim 15 yards of front crawl, float or tread water for 30 seconds in deep water and swim elementary backstroke for 15 yards. Age Requirement: 6 - 13 years of age.
Class Length: 45 minutes Improves fundamental skills and introduces advanced safety topics and strokes (breaststroke, sidestroke and butterfly). Prerequisites: Able to jump into deep water and swim 15 yards of front crawl, float or tread water for 30 seconds in deep water and swim elementary backstroke for 15 yards. Age Requirement: 6 - 13 years of age.
Class length: 45 minutes Builds on fundamental stroke and safety skills with practice in deeper water. Prerequisite: Able to float on front and back independently for 15 seconds. Swim for 5 body lengths using combined arm and leg action on both front and back. Pass Preschool Level 3 or Learn to Swim Level 2. Age Requirement: 6 - 12 years of age.
Class length: 45 minutes Builds on fundamental stroke and safety skills with practice in deeper water. Prerequisite: Able to float on front and back independently for 15 seconds. Swim for 5 body lengths using combined arm and leg action on both front and back. Pass Preschool Level 3 or Learn to Swim Level 2. Age Requirement: 6 - 12 years of age.
Class length: 45 minutes Builds on fundamental stroke and safety skills with practice in deeper water. Prerequisite: Able to float on front and back independently for 15 seconds. Swim for 5 body lengths using combined arm and leg action on both front and back. Pass Preschool Level 3 or Learn to Swim Level 2. Age Requirement: 6 - 12 years of age.
Class Length: 45 minutes Improves fundamental skills and introduces advanced safety topics and strokes (breaststroke, sidestroke and butterfly). Prerequisites: Able to jump into deep water and swim 15 yards of front crawl, float or tread water for 30 seconds in deep water and swim elementary backstroke for 15 yards. Age Requirement: 6 - 13 years of age.
