Teach Your Child to Swim First! Swimming is a Life Saving Sport! The FLOW Aquatics Starfish Swim School program will develop a high comfort level in the water and a readiness to swim for those who are developmentally ready.   It takes the children from holding their breath and submerging on their own to swimming a simplified form of freestyle and backstroke. This course approaches teaching swimming through creative, fun activities in the water.  Students work toward developing the five core competencies (listed below) and receive a color stage patch for completing the benchmark safety and swim skills at each stage.  Children progress at their own pace in a small-group setting.  Although all children in Starfish Swim School Program are required to perform all the same skills, for developmental reasons we divide them into groups depending on age: Turtle Toddlers (TT):  3 - 5 years Progressive Porpoises (PP):  6 - 12 years  WHITE - Stage 1 FOCUS: Trust and Submersion Ages TT: 3 - 5 yrs, PP:  6 - 12 yrs Length of class 30 minutes Spaces in class 4 students per class Requirements None Description The focus of this stage is trust and submersion.  This is the stage where the groundwork for a strong foundation is laid.  A strong foundation will allow for all future stages to progress forward in building comfort, strength, and correct stroke technique.   RED - Stage 2 FOCUS: Body Position and Air Recovery Ages TT: 3 - 5 yrs, PP:  6 - 12 yrs Length of class 30 minutes Spaces in class 4 students per class Requirements Must be able to submerge comfortably for 5 seconds Description The focus of this stage is body position and air recovery.  Students were previously taught to be comfortable submerging themselves, so they now need to be taught how to come up for air as well as various positions in which they can recover for air. YELLOW - Stage 3 FOCUS:  Forward Movement and Direction Change Ages TT:  3-5 yrs, PP:  6-12 yrs Length of class 30 minutes Spaces in class 4 students per class Requirements Must be able to jump in, recover for air and float on back for 10 seconds Description The focus on this stage is forward movement and direction change.  The children previously have been taught how to jump in and immediately recover for air.  They will now learn how to jump in, recover for air, and return to the wall.  This is the MOST crucial stage for a student to pass.  If a student passes this stage and continues to practice on a consistent basis, that student could potentially save herself if she ever fell into deep water. BLUE - Stage 4 FOCUS: Rotary Movement Ages TT:  3-5 yrs, PP:  6-12 yrs Length of class 30 minutes Spaces in class 4 students per class Requirements Must be able to jump in, submerge, recover for air, forward movement, change directions and return to wall Description The focus of this stage is body rotary movement.  During this stage the students will be introduced to the side glide air recovery position.  They will be taught how to properly breathe first and then add the stroke to the breathing technique.  This concept is unique to the Starfish Swim School.  GREEN FOCUS: Forward Movement Ages TT:  3-5 yrs, PP:  6-12 yrs Length of class 30 minutes Spaces in class 4 students per class Requirements Must be able to tread water and know side glide breathing position Description The focus of this stage is integrated movement.  The students have previously been taught to roll into a side glide position for air recovery.  They will now be taught to integrate pulls with the air recovery position, resulting in a beginner stage freestyle and backstroke. They will also learn bilateral breathing.   At the conclusion of this stage, students will be able to swim 30 feet of freestyle, breathing to both sides.  The stroke mechanics will not be perfect; however, the student will have developed a consistent breathing pattern and will have an easier time correcting stroke mechanics.