acclimation (6 to 36 months)
Level 1 - Jellyfish
This course is for our littlest swimmers! This is our first solo experience in learning to love the water! Brave Waves introduces an aquatic environment and basic skills through guided instruction, physical manipulation and play. Designed for babies 6 months - 2 years old.
All lessons are one-on-one.
Parents do not enter the water with their child.
No puddle jumper or lifejacket required.
We are an outdoor and seasonal business. No refunds or makeups will be given for inclement weather, child illness, or time away - with apologies. If you are uncomfortable with this policy please do not book lessons.
Children who are not potty trained must be wearing a swim diaper in order to enter the pool. Reusable swim diapers are available for purchase at our facility.
** Lifesaving Society equivalent:Preschool 1, Red Cross equivalent: Starfish; YMCA equivalent: Splashers**
Level 2 - Squids
This course is designed to continue building familiarity and confidence in the water with a focus on controlled breathing, floating, kicking, and wet faces. Designed for babies 6 months - 2 years old.
All lessons are one-on-one.
Parents do not enter the water with their child.
No puddle jumper or lifejacket required.
We are an outdoor and seasonal business. No refunds or makeups will be given for inclement weather, child illness, or time away - with apologies. If you are uncomfortable with this policy please do not book lessons.
Children who are not potty trained must be wearing a swim diaper in order to enter the pool. Reusable swim diapers are available for purchase at our facility.
**Lifesaving Society equivalent: Preschool 2/3, Red Cross equivalent: Duck or Turtle; YMCA equivalent: Bubblers or Bobbers**
foundational levels (Ages 3+)
Level 1 - Seahorse
This is the beginner class for ages 3-5. Exploring beginner skills in order to gain confidence and trust of the water and their teachers! Swimmers will be assisted with skills like how to safely enter and exit the water by themselves, floats, flutter kicks, roll-overs and open eyes underwater! Designed for children 3-5 years old.
All lessons are one-on-one.
Parents do not enter the water with their child.
No puddle jumper or lifejacket required.
Goggles are strongly recommended and can be purchased at our facility.
We are an outdoor and seasonal business. No refunds or makeups will be given for inclement weather, child illness, or time away - with apologies. If you are uncomfortable with this policy please do not book lessons.
Children who are not potty trained must be wearing a swim diaper in order to enter the pool. Reusable swim diapers are available for purchase at our facility.
**Lifesaving Society equivalent: Preschool 4/5 or Swimmer 1, Red Cross equivalent: Sea Turtle, Salamander or Swim Kids 1 ;
YMCA equivalent: Floaters or Otter**
Level 2 - Turtle
This is the beginner class for ages 5+. In this level, swimmers are connecting skills together in order to swim effectively. Learning to incorporate proper breathing techniques, floats, flutter kicks, streamline gliding and needing less assistance to navigate around the pool!
All lessons are one-on-one.
Parents do not enter the water with their child.
No puddle jumper or lifejacket required.
Goggles are strongly recommended and can be purchased at our facility.
We are an outdoor and seasonal business. No refunds or makeups will be given for inclement weather, child illness, or time away - with apologies. If you are uncomfortable with this policy please do not book lessons.
Children who are not potty trained must be wearing a swim diaper in order to enter the pool. Reusable swim diapers are available for purchase at our facility.
**Lifesaving Society equivalent: Swimmer 2, Red Cross equivalent: Sea Turtle, Salamander or Swim Kids 1 ; YMCA equivalent: Floaters or Otter**
Level 3 - Otter
Swimmers are now beginning to swim unassisted. Progressing to intermediate skills of our Foundational Classes, swimmers can independently and perform floats, streamline gliding, and torpedo with kicks unassisted to build endurance and independence in the water.
All lessons are two-on-one.
Goggles are strongly recommended and can be purchased at our facility.
We are an outdoor and seasonal business. No refunds or makeups will be given for inclement weather, child illness, or time away - with apologies. If you are uncomfortable with this policy please do not book lessons.
**Lifesaving Society: Attempted Swimmer 2, Red Cross equivalent: Crocodile, Whale or already attempted Swim Kids 2 before ;
YMCA equivalent: Dippers or already attempted Seal before**
Level 4 - Seal
Swimmers are swimming unassisted. Advancing from basic independent swimming to an introduction to deconstructed stroke development. Complex swimming and lifesaving skills are taken apart for work before they are performed completely. Swimmers are also introduced to more advanced lifesaving techniques such as treading water, swimming at various depths and lifesaving jump-ins.
All lessons are two-on-one.
Goggles are strongly recommended and can be purchased at our facility.
We are an outdoor and seasonal business. No refunds or makeups will be given for inclement weather, child illness, or time away - with apologies. If you are uncomfortable with this policy please do not book lessons.
**Lifesaving Society equivalent: Swimmer 3, Red Cross equivalent: Swim Kids 3; YMCA equivalent: Dolphin Swimmer**
Level 5 - Orca
The final level of our Foundational Classes prepares students to be a competent basic swimmer. Basic swim skills are committed to muscle memory and reflex and advanced foundational skills are improved. Swimmers develop the basics of front crawl and backstroke including critical supplementary skills like side breathing, treading water, and sculling.
All lessons are two-on-one.
Goggles are strongly recommended and can be purchased at our facility.
We are an outdoor and seasonal business. No refunds or makeups will be given for inclement weather, child illness, or time away - with apologies. If you are uncomfortable with this policy please do not book lessons.
**Lifesaving Society equivalent: Swimmer 4, Red Cross equivalent: Swim Kids 4; YMCA equivalent: Star 1**
master classes
Level 1 - Lake Ontario
Mastery of swimming begins. Swimmers continue with the front crawl and backstroke skills they learned in their foundational classes while adding head up front crawl and breaststroke. Swimmers also start completing 25 meters of full stroke as well as dive skills.
All lessons are at least two-on-one.
Goggles are strongly recommended and can be purchased at our facility.
We are an outdoor and seasonal business. No refunds or makeups will be given for inclement weather, child illness, or time away - with apologies. If you are uncomfortable with this policy please do not book lessons.
Designed for swimmers 8+ with previous swim lesson qualifications.
**Lifesaving Society equivalent: Attempted Swimmer 4, Red Cross equivalent: Swim Kids 5; YMCA equivalent: Attempted Star 1**
Level 2 - Lake Erie
Enriched training begins for those who want to develop all four swim strokes as butterfly skills are introduced in this level. Swimmers are now doing multiple laps to build endurance. Swim Challenges include treading water endurance, 25 meter sprints, dives and sprints.
All lessons are at least two-on-one.
Goggles are strongly recommended and can be purchased at our facility.
We are an outdoor and seasonal business. No refunds or makeups will be given for inclement weather, child illness, or time away - with apologies. If you are uncomfortable with this policy please do not book lessons.
Designed for swimmers 8+ with previous swim lesson qualifications.
**Lifesaving Society equivalent: Swimmer 5, Red Cross equivalent: Swim Kids 6; YMCA equivalent: Star 2**
Level 3 - Lake Huron
Swimmers continue core stroke development for front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Lifesaving strength skills are introduced to reinforce proper and effective swim technique and include skills such as deep object retrieval and 25m assist carry. Endurance improves in 200 m workout, and four interval training bouts of 50m swims.
All lessons are at least two-on-one.
Goggles are strongly recommended and can be purchased at our facility.
We are an outdoor and seasonal business. No refunds or makeups will be given for inclement weather, child illness, or time away - with apologies. If you are uncomfortable with this policy please do not book lessons.
Designed for swimmers 8+ with previous swim lesson qualifications.
**Lifesaving Society equivalent: Attempted Swimmer 5, Red Cross equivalent: Attempted Swim Kids 6 before; YMCA equivalent: Attempted Star 2 before**
Level 4 - Lake Michigan
Strength, endurance, and control in the water are fortified so that swimmers carry these skills for the rest of their lives.In this level swimmers complete a 250m swim. Endurance is tested with timed swims and treading water for 3 minutes. Lifesaving strength skills continue with scissor kick and assist cary for 25 meters as well as an eggbeater kick and assist carry for 50 meters.
All lessons are at least two-on-one.
Goggles are strongly recommended and can be purchased at our facility.
We are an outdoor and seasonal business. No refunds or makeups will be given for inclement weather, child illness, or time away - with apologies. If you are uncomfortable with this policy please do not book lessons.
Designed for swimmers 8+ with previous swim lesson qualifications.
**Lifesaving Society equivalent: Swimmer 6, Red Cross equivalent: Swim Kids 7; YMCA equivalent: Star 3**
Level 5 - Lake Superior
Swimmers prove their absolute proficiency. This level necessitates the physical strength, endurance, and control it takes to be start lifesaving training. Mastery of independent swim is earned by swimming a 300m workout, head-up breaststroke sprints over 25 m, and sprinting a challenge of 50 meters in 90 seconds. Accompanying lifesaving skills challenge and improve our own movement to create effective and strong swimmers for life. Swimmers are encouraged to enrol in the Lifesaving society courses: Patrols for 12 and under and Bronze Medallion for 13 and over after the completion of this level.
All lessons are at least two-on-one.
Goggles are strongly recommended and can be purchased at our facility.
We are an outdoor and seasonal business. No refunds or makeups will be given for inclement weather, child illness, or time away - with apologies. If you are uncomfortable with this policy please do not book lessons.
Designed for swimmers 8+ with previous swim lesson qualifications.
**Lifesaving Society equivalent: Attempted Swimmer 6, Red Cross equivalent: Attempted Swim Kids 7; YMCA equivalent: Attempted Star 3**