Swim Lessons
General Information
Prior to registration, it is critical to select the appropriate level for your child. It is not always possible to move students who have signed up for the wrong level to another level once the lesson has started. Day-of transfers are NOT guaranteed and will only be made if space is available. Please read the descriptions carefully, or call 805-654-7511 for assistance in determining the appropriate level for your child.
Lessons are 30 minutes long. If the Aquatics Center is closed for an unforeseeable reason, the date will be refunded.
We support inclusion. Participants are welcome to sign up for any of the available lessons. Please call 805-654-7514 two weeks before the start of class to let us know if you have any special needs.
Parent & Child (P&C)*
AGES 6 MONTHS-4
Parents receive guided instruction to help their child become comfortable in the water through song and play, introducing them to bubble-blowing, arm and leg action, and holds for front and back floats, along with safety information. This is not a learn-to-swim lesson; it is intended to get children acclimated to the water. *Recommended for children ages 1-4.
Preschool (Pre)
AGES 3-4.5
We recommend at least one lesson of P&C before signing up for this lesson, which focuses on an introduction to water without a parent. Participants will work on blowing bubbles, breath-holding, kicking, floating, arm strokes assisted and possibly going under water. It emphasizes water adjustment, safety, and fun.
Level 1
AGES 3.5-5
For children with little or no experience with swim lessons, this lesson focuses on water adjustment, blowing bubbles, submersion, assisted floating, gliding, and arm/leg action.
Level 2
AGES 4-6
For children with no fear of the water who can swim a short distance independently (under water or doggy paddle). This lesson focuses on floating and gliding on the back and front unassisted, breathing, freestyle, backstroke, and elementary backstroke.
Level 3
AGES 5-8
A child must be able to swim freestyle at least 10 yards unassisted and be comfortable in deep water to enroll. This lesson focuses on coordinating freestyle and elementary backstroke, proper breathing, swimming distances of up to 15 yards, and beginning diving skills.
Level 4
AGES 7+
A child must be able to swim freestyle 20 yards without stopping and must be comfortable in deep water to enroll. This lesson introduces breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly, refines freestyle and elementary backstroke technique, works on diving skills, and increases swimming endurance.
Level 5
AGES 7+
A child must be able to swim freestyle 50 yards without stopping. This lesson refines the five competitive strokes, surface dives, and introduces sidestrokes and turns.
Private Swim Lessons
AGES 3-ADULT
Certified instructors work one-on-one with you or your child towards specific swimming goals geared to the individual’s ability level and age.
Adaptive Swim Lessons
AGES 5-12
We support inclusion. Participants are welcome to sign up for any of the lessons offered. Adaptive lessons adjust the student/teacher ratio to work with participants, at their specific ability level and age, on personal goals. Please advise us of special needs two weeks prior to the start of class by calling 805-654-7514.
Inclusion Services
What is inclusion? Ventura Aquatic Center provides inclusion services to ensure that individuals with disabilities are able to participate in the same aquatic programs and/or activities as their non-disabled peers. Whenever possible, reasonable accommodations are made to enable successful participation in classes and programs. An accommodation is reasonable when it does not fundamentally change the nature of the program.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. The ADA, as applied to state and local parks and recreation departments, districts, and agencies, requires that no qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of a disability, be denied the benefits of public park or recreation services, programs, or activities.
Inclusion is the process of providing support, adaptations, and training to ensure that individual needs and desires for participation are met in ways that are reasonable, safe, and do not fundamentally alter the nature of the recreation program or activity.
Inclusion Services provide people with and without disabilities opportunities to recreate together in environments that are appropriate, nonrestrictive, and beneficial for all.
We support inclusion. Participants are welcome to sign up for any of the lessons offered. Adaptive lessons adjust the student/teacher ratio to work with participants at their specific ability level and age on personal goals. Please contact us with any special accommodations needed 2 weeks prior to the start of class at 805-654-7514.