Aquatic Lessons

Parent and Tot 1

The Parent and Tot program is designed to stress the importance of play in developing water-positive attitudes and skills by exploring the water through play. This class is designed for the 4 to 12 month old with parent/guardian participation and will learn to help their child build confidence and comfort in the water through play. These activities and progressions are based on child development and we recommend parents register in the level appropriate to their child’s age.

Parent and Tot 2

The Parent and Tot program is designed to stress the importance of play in developing water-positive attitudes and skills by exploring the water through play. This class is designed for the 12 to 24 month old to learn to enjoy the water with the parent/guardian. These activities and progressions are based on child development and we recommend parents register in the level appropriate to their child’s age.

Parent and Tot 3

The Parent and Tot program is designed to stress the importance of play in developing water-positive attitudes and skills by exploring the water through play. This class is designed for the 24 to 36 month old to learn to enjoy the water with the parent/guardian. These activities and progressions are based on child development and we recommend parents register in the level appropriate to their child’s age.

Parents are required to be in the water for all Parent and Tot levels.

*Please Note: Participants must meet the age requirement before the program’s start date.

Preschool Prep

Participants will be learning to float and glide on their front and back. We'll help them jump into the water and they will learn to get their face wet and blow bubbles. Parent/guardian participation is required for this level and will transition out of the class by the end of the session.

Preschool 1

Participants will have fun learning to get in and out of the water. We’ll help them jump into chest deep water. They’ll float and glide on their front and back and learn to get their face wet and blow bubbles underwater.

Preschool 2

Participants will continue to work on floats, glides and jumps into chest deep water by themselves, but with lifejackets or buoyant aids. They'll submerge and exhale underwater and will kick on their back for 5 metres with a buoyant aid. 

Preschool 3

Participants will learn to float, glide, and kick on their front and back without assistance or buoyant aids. They will also be introduced to deep water by doing jumps and sideways entry into deep water with a lifejacket.

Preschool 4

Participants will continue to develop skills in deep water by doing treading water with a lifejacket, sideways entries and jumps into deeper water and getting out by themselves. They’ll master a 5 metres swim on their front wearing a lifejacket and gliding and using their flutter kick to master gliding on their front, back, and side. 

Preschool 5

Participants will work on endurance by treading water for 10 seconds, interval training, developing their front and back crawl swims and learning whip kick. In deep water they will be learning to do forward roll entry wearing a lifejacket.

Swimmer Prep

Participants will be learning to become comfortable in the water by learning the basics of swimming. They will be building their confidence by submerging and opening their eyes, exhale and hold their breath underwater. They’ll learn how to float, glide and kick through the water on their front and back. 

Swimmer 1

These beginners will become comfortable jumping into water with and without a lifejacket. They'll learn to open their eyes, exhale and hold their breath underwater. They'll work on floats, glides and kicking through the water on their front and back.

Swimmer 2

These advanced beginners will jump into deeper water, and learn to be comfortable falling sideways into the water wearing a lifejacket. They’ll be able to support themselves at the surface without an aid, learn whip kick, swim 10 m on their front and back, and be introduced to flutter kick interval training (4 x 5 m).

Swimmer 3

These junior swimmers will dive and do in-water front somersaults and handstands. They’ll work on 15 m of front crawl, back crawl and 10 m of whip kick. Flutter kick interval training increases to 4 x 15 m.

Swimmer 4

These intermediate swimmers will swim 5 m underwater and lengths of front, back crawl, whip kick, and breaststroke arms with breathing. Their new bag of tricks includes the completion of the Canadian Swim to Survive® Standard. They’ll cap it all off with front crawl sprints over 25 m and 4 x 25 m front or back crawl interval training.

Swimmer 5

These swimmers will master shallow dives, cannonball entries, eggbeater kicks, and in-water backward somersaults. They’ll refine their front and back crawl over 50 m swims of each, and breaststroke over 25 m. Then they’ll pick up the pace in 25 m sprints and two interval training bouts: 4 x 50 m front or back crawl; and 4 x 15 m breaststroke.

Swimmer 6

These advanced swimmers will rise to the challenge of sophisticated aquatic skills including stride entries, compact jumps and lifesaving kicks like eggbeater and scissor kick. They’ll develop strength and power in head-up breaststroke sprints over 25 m. They’ll easily swim lengths of front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke, and they’ll complain about the 300m workout.

Semi-Private lessons are for Swimmer 3-6 levels and have a reduced class size.

*Please Note: Participants must meet the age requirement by the program’s end date.

  Swim Patrol (8 to 12 years)

  Swimmer 7: Rookie Patrol

Swimmers continue stroke development with 50 m swims of front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke. Lifesaving Sport skills include a 25 m obstacle swim and 15 m object carry. First aid focuses on assessment of conscious victims, contacting EMS and treatment for bleeding. Fitness improves in 350 m workouts and 100 m timed swims. 

  Youth (13 to 17 years)

Youth 1

Participates will work towards a 10-15 m swim on your front and back. Also will do jump entries from the side and recover an object from the bottom in chest-deep water. Improving fitness and flutter kick technique with 4 x 9-12 m interval training.

Youth 2

Participants will be working on two interval training workouts of 4 x 25 m kicking and front or back crawl. Learning dive entries and demonstrate breaststroke arms and breathing over 10-15 m. Further developing fitness by doing 1-2 minutes of surface support, and showing off your handstands in shallow water.

Youth 3

Participants will learn eggbeater, stride entries and compact jumps. Further developing fitness by doing a 300 m workout and sprinting 25-50 m. Developing front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke techniques. 

Youth Fitness (COMING SOON)

The Fitness Swimmer program is for swimmers who want to improve their overall physical fitness in the water. Fitness Swimmer provides a structured approach based on accepted training principles and practices including interval training. Participants set their own goals

Adult 1

Participates will work towards a 10-15 m swim on your front and back. Also will do jump entries from the side and recover an object from the bottom in chest-deep water. Improving fitness and flutter kick technique with 4 x 9-12 m interval training.

Adult 2

Participants will be working on two interval training workouts of 4 x 25 m kicking and front or back crawl. Learning dive entries and demonstrate breaststroke arms and breathing over 10-15 m. Further developing fitness by doing 1-2 minutes of surface support, and showing off your handstands in shallow water.

Adult 3

Participants will learn eggbeater, stride entries and compact jumps. Further developing fitness by doing a 300 m workout and sprinting 25-50 m. Developing front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke techniques. 

• 1:1 swim lessons focusing on any of the Preschool 1 to 6 and Swimmer 1 to 2 within the private class, or any goal you may have including fitness, endurance, stroke correction and more.

Private - Deep

• 1:1 swim lessons focusing on any level from Swimmer 3 to Swimmer 6 within the private class, or any goal you may have including fitness, endurance, stroke correction and more.

*Please note: Patrol levels, Bronze Star and Advanced Aquatic Leadership certifications cannot be completed during a private swim lesson.

  Winter Lesson Letter - First Day of Programming

Thank you for participating in East Gwillimbury’s Winter 2025 swimming lessons.

• Tuesdays start January 14 and end March 4
• Wednesdays start January 15 and end March 5
• Fridays start January 17 and end March 7

To request refunds or transfers, kindly send an email to leisure1@eastgwillimbury.ca. Refunds are granted solely for medical reasons. Transfer requests are accepted until the second day of the swim program, subject to program space availability.

Spring registration opens at 8:30 AM on March 27 for residents and April 3 for non-residents. Please note our Spring session will have lessons on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 

Please see important dates and reminders below:

• Week 5 - Guardian Day - February 11 to 14: Learn about your child’s progress, meet the instructor and ask questions.
• Week 6 - PJ Day - February 18 to 20: Swimmers will participate in jumps, floats and swimming in clothing. Please ensure your child wears their pyjamas over their swimsuit for the lesson.
• Week 8 - Last Day - March 4 to 7: Swimmers will receive their report cards and have the ability to take a photo on the pool deck. Photos are not permitted in the pool area at any other time.
• Other Reminders: Please remember that food, drink, and outdoor footwear is not permitted on the pool deck, and swimmers must shower before their lesson.

We are excited that the construction of the Health and Active Living Plaza (HALP) is underway and that we will be offering more aquatic programs next year.

  Winter Lesson Letter - Last Day of Programming 

Thank you for participating in East Gwillimbury’s swim lessons. We hope you enjoyed your Winter session, had fun, learned and developed new skills.

Spring registration opens at 8:30 a.m. on March 27 for residents and April 3 for non-residents.

We greatly appreciate your feedback to help us improve our aquatic programs in the future.

Please use the form to provide us with feedback on our lessons, click here.

First Day Skill Assessments 

• On the first day of lessons, a swim assessment will be conducted to evaluate participants' proficiency in the skills required at the previous level. If any participants are unable to meet the established standards for those skills, they will be withdrawn from the class. This measure is in place to ensure proper safety supervision and to group participants with similar skill levels, allowing them to focus on developing the new skills required for their current level while minimizing the risk and skill regression.

Booking Swim Assessments

• Free swim assessments are available for any age to introduce them to the facility, assess their skill level, and assist with selecting the correct level to register at. All swimmers under the age of 10 must be accompanied by a guardian in the water.
• Assessments are not required for private swim lessons.
• Please contact the Aquatic Coordinator to set up a swim assessment. 

  Registration Age Overrides

• Swimmer level participants need to meet the age requirement by the last date of the program.

*Please Note: Age overrides will not be processed. Please contact customer service or the Aquatics Coordinator if you have any questions.

If an accommodation is not possible (at the discretion of the Deck Supervisor) the classes will end. If over 50% of the class was taught then no credit or refund will be issued.

Join us during the fifth lesson of each session to speak with your child’s instructor at the end of the class, check in on their progress and ask questions.

Join us during the last day of each session to receive a progress update and your swimmer's report card. Join us on the pool deck to take a photo. Photos are not permitted in the pool area during any other time.

  Report Cards 

What to Expect:
Swimmers will receive a report card on the final day of lessons. The report highlights the skills they have successfully completed, as well as those they are still working to master. Our new report cards include "must-sees," which clearly outline the skill and stroke requirements, helping swimmers and their guardians track progress and identify areas for improvement.

Missed Report Card Pick-Up?
If you missed the final day or forgot to collect your report card, don’t worry! All report cards will be available for pick-up starting one week after the last day of lessons. Visit the Customer Service Desk at the East Gwillimbury Sports Complex. To view business hours, click here. 

 First Time in EG Aquatic Programs 

Please see directions to the Main St. Aquatic Centre on our Aquatics page. When you arrive, please park in the parking lot and not on the road. When you walk in the door, you will see the Female changeroom on the right. If you walk straight ahead, you will pass the washrooms. At the end of the hall is the Male changeroom and Lifeguard Office. Please check in at the Lifeguard Office if you have any questions. 

EG's Aquatics Program Location

  Swim for Life Swimming Lessons Pathway 

• Parent and Tot 1 - 4 to 12 months

• Parent and Tot 2 - 12 to 24 months
• Parent and Tot 3 - 24 to 36 months

Preschool Levels (3 to 5 years)

• Preschool 1 Prep
  • Recommended for swimmers with little to no exposure to swimming or who are uncomfortable in water.
• Preschool 1
  • Recommended for swimmers who have never attended formal swimming lessons but are comfortable putting their face and head underwater.
• Preschool 2
• Preschool 3
• Preschool 4 
• Preschool 5

Swimmer Levels (6 to 12 years)

• Swimmer 1 Prep 
  • Recommended for swimmers with little to no exposure to swimming or who are uncomfortable in water. Or swimmers coming from a Preschool 3 to Preschool 4 level. 
• Swimmer 1
  • Recommended for swimmers who have never attended formal swimming lessons but are comfortable putting their face and head underwater. Or swimmers coming from a Preschool 5 level. 
• Swimmer 2
• Swimmer 3
• Swimmer 4
• Swimmer 5
• Swimmer 6

Swim Patrol Levels (8 to 12 years)

• Swimmer 7 - Rookie Patrol
  
• Swimmer 8 - Ranger Patrol
• Swimmer 9 - Star Patrol

Youth Levels (13 to 17 years)

Adult Levels (18+ years)

  Program Feedback

Share your thoughts to ensure EG is providing safe and engaging aquatic programs to its diverse growing community. Your feedback is essential to ensuring program quality and service variety.

Aquatic Program Feedback Form