Harlem YMCA
We're so excited to welcome you to swim lessons, instructional sports, and more.
Spring II Programming starts April 28!
Member registration opens Saturday, April 5 and community registration opens Saturday, April 12. Session availability varies by branch location. Explore your branch offerings today and Join the Y today for early access and discounts!
Instructional Sports & Dance
Ballet for Kids, Ages 4-6
This is an introductory class focused on development of basic ballet technique through individual drills and instruction.
Hip Hop, Ages 6-12
This is a high energy class where your child will learn the fundamentals of hip hop Dancing to upbeat music, the class will focus on rhythm, coordination, and learning choreography
Beginner Basketball, Ages 4-6
This is an introductory clinic, focused on building basic basketball skill and technique through individual drills and instruction.
Intermediate Basketball, Ages 7-12
This is an intermediate class, focused on further developing basketball skill and technique through individual drills and instruction.
Youth Soccer, Ages 4-12
Soccer will have a fun warmup game, skill learning, then passing, shooting, and ball control drills.
Swim Lessons, Parent & Child
Water Discovery, Ages 6-18 Months
- Qualification: None needed
- Adult participation: One parent or guardian per child must be in the pool for each lesson
The class introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment through exploration.
Water Exploration, Ages 18-36 Months
- Qualification: Child is comfortable in the water or child has taken Stage A Water Discovery
- Adult participation: One parent or guardian per child must be in the pool for each lesson
Focuses on exploring body positions, blowing bubbles, and fundamental safety and aquatic skills.
Swim Lessons, Preschool
Stage 1 Water Acclimation, Ages 3-5
- Qualification: None needed. This class is for kids who aren’t yet comfortable going under water voluntarily.
- Skills Practiced:
○ Bob to submerge in water
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet with no help
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
○ Roll from back to front and front to back with help
○ Jump, push, turn, grab with help
○ Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
○ Exit the water
Preschoolers develop comfort with underwater exploration and are introduced to basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance.
Stage 2 Water Movement, Ages 3-5
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 1 skills as follows:
○ Go underwater and comfortably open eyes without goggles
○ Float on front and back with minimal assistance
○ Jump into the pool, submerge, and return to the wall with assistance
○ This class is for kids who are not able to do a front and back float on their own. - Skills Practiced:
○ Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds
○ Roll from back to front and front to back
○ Jump, push, turn, grab
○ Swim, float, swim 5 yards
○ Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
○ Exit the water
Preschoolers focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water, while also continuing to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into water.
Swim Lessons, School Age
Stage 1 Water Acclimation, Ages 5-12
- Qualification: None needed. This class is for kids who aren’t yet comfortable going under water voluntarily.
- Skills Practiced:
○ Bob to submerge in water
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet with no help
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
○ Roll from back to front and front to back with help
○ Jump, push, turn, grab with help
○ Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
○ Exit the water
Preschoolers develop comfort with underwater exploration and are introduced to basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance.
Stage 2 Water Movement, Ages 5-12
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 1 skills as follows:
○ Go underwater and comfortably open eyes without goggles
○ Float on front and back with minimal assistance
○ Jump into the pool, submerge, and return to the wall with assistance
○ This class is for kids who are not able to do a front and back float on their own. - Skills Practiced:
○ Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds
○ Roll from back to front and front to back
○ Jump, push, turn, grab
○ Swim, float, swim 5 yards
○ Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
○ Exit the water
Kids focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water, while also continuing to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into water.
Stage 3 Water Stamina, Ages 5-12
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 2 skills as follows:
○ Float on front and back unassisted
○ Push off the wall on stomach with face submerged for 10 feet unassisted
○ Swim, float, swim 15 feet unassisted
○ Jump into deep water and return to the wall unassisted
○ This class is for kids who are not able to swim 10-15 yards on their front and back. - Skills Practiced:
○ Retrieve an object in chest-deep water
○ Swim on front and back for 10 yards
○ Roll from back to front and front to back
○ Jump, push, turn, grab 10 yards
○ Swim, float, swim 15 yards
○ Tread water for 30 seconds
○ Exit the water
Students learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than in previous stages. The class also introduces rhythmic breathing and integrated arm/leg action.
Stage 4 Stroke Introduction, Ages 5-12
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 3 skills as follows:
○ Submerge and retrieve an object in chest-deep water
○ Swim front crawl 15 yards while taking a breath
○ Swim, float, swim 15 yards
○ Jump in and tread water for 30 seconds
○ Swim to wall and exit
○ This class is for kids who are not able to swim 15 yards of front and back crawl. - Skills Practiced:
○ Swim the front crawl with rotary breathing for 15 yards
○ Breaststroke kick for 15 yards
○ Butterfly kick for 15 yards
○ Elementary backstroke for 15 yards
○ Dive from a sitting position
○ Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for one minute
○ Swim any combination of strokes for 25 yards
Having mastered the fundamentals, students learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique.
Stage 5 Stroke Development, Ages 5-12
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 4 skills as follows:
○ Front crawl and back crawl 25 yards
○ Swim breaststroke kick and dolphin kick 15 yards
○ Tread water using multiple kicks for 1 minute
○ This class is for kids who are not able swim the front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke across the pool. - Skills Practiced:
○ Swim the front crawl with bent-arm recovery for 25 yards
○ Breaststroke for 25 yards
○ Butterfly with simultaneous arm action and kick for 15 yards
○ Back crawl for 25 yards
○ Sidestroke for 25 yards
○ Dive from a kneeling position
○ Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for 2 minutes - ○ Swim any combination of strokes for 50 yards
Students work on stroke technique and learn all major competitive swimming strokes.
Stage 6 Stroke Mechanics, Ages 5-12
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 5 skills as follows:
○ Swim the front crawl with bent-arm recovery for 25 yards
○ Swim back crawl with stroke rotation for 25 yards
○ Swim butterfly with over arm recovery
○ Swim breaststroke for 25 yards achieving stroke rhythm
○ Dive from kneeling position
○ This class is for kids who are not able swim the front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke across the pool and back. - Skills Practiced:
○ Swim the front crawl for 50 yards and do a flip turn
○ Breaststroke for 50 yards and do an open turn
○ Butterfly for 25 yards
○ Back crawl for 25 yards and do a flip turn
○ Sidestroke or elementary backstroke for 50 yards
○ Dive from a standing position
○ Swim any combination of strokes for 150 yards - ○ Swim any combination of strokes for 50 yards
Students refine stroke technique on the major competitive strokes, learn about competitive swimming and discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle.
Swim Lessons, Teens & Adults
Stage 1: Water Acclimation, Teen/Adults Ages 13+
- Qualification: None needed. This class is for kids who aren’t yet comfortable going underwater voluntarily.
- Skills Practiced:
○ Bob to submerge in water
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet with no help
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
○ Roll from back to front and front to back with help
○ Jump, push, turn, grab with help
○ Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
○ Exit the water
Adults develop comfort with underwater exploration and are introduced to basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance.