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 Uptown and YWCA Midtown
Locations: YWCA Uptown and YWCA Midtown
YWCA Minneapolis offers multiple ways to register for group swim classes. You can register online or stop by the Member Services Desk of your YWCA Minneapolis location. If registering by phone, call 612-874-7131 for our Uptown facility or 612-215-4333 for Midtown.
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.
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.
Days: Tu & Sa Location: Midtown
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.
Days: Su, Tu, Th & Sa Location: Uptown & Midtown
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.
Days: Su, Tu, Th, Sa Locations: Uptown, Midtown
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.
Days: Su, Tu, Th, Sa Locations: Midtown, Uptown
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.
Days: Su, Tu, Th, Sa Locations: Midtown, Uptown
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.
Days: Su, Tu, Th, Sa Locations: Midtown, Uptown
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.
Days: Tu, Sa Locations: Midtown
Progress beyond the swim lesson experience and into the skills needed for a typical swim team or swim practice group. The 55-minute practice meets weekly and covers stroke improvements in the four competitive strokes, starts and turns, and basic prep work for team participation. Prerequisites: Swimmers need to be comfortable swimming 25 yards of each of the four competition strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly).
Days: Su, Th, Sa Locations: Midtown, Uptown
Participants build on basic skills learned in Adult Beginner (bubbles, forward motion, kicking and arms) and learn additional swim stroke techniques (different kicks and arms, rotary breathing). This class is ideal for swimmers who are comfortable in the water and want to turn basic movement into specific swim strokes. To enroll, students must be comfortable going underwater, inhaling above the water and exhaling into the water (bubbles). Participants must also be able to swim 15 yards unaided.
Days: Su, Th Locations: Midtown, Uptown
