Swiss Aquatics Training System
Child-friendly and goal-oriented Practice and learn
The Swiss Swimming Association wants to get more children interested in swimming and motivate them to lead an active and healthy lifestyle. Through swimming lessons, they should learn how to be safe on and in the water and, on the other hand, be prepared for competitive and recreational sports. The kids training is part of the Swiss Aquatics «Learn to swim» program. The modern
The training system is characterized by quality and continuity and is anchored in the Athlete Path (FTEM) of Swiss Aquatics.
In the foreground of the Swiss Aquatics Kids Training is about familiarity with water and is based on the following methodological principles:
- Learning and achieving through fun, Because a child who enjoys and enjoys lessons is able to perform and absorb information for longer.
- Varied learning and practice, so that the swimming technique can be constantly improved and the lessons always remain varied and exciting.
- Learning through active movement, so that the active movement time during training can be kept as long as possible. There is always time to present and explain the new forms of exercise.
There are deliberately no exams or grades given. The aim is to give the children a chance to experience success and to motivate them to attend further courses.
The children are trained, observed and assessed during the course and receive an attractive final award at the end of the course. The swimming instructors give a recommendation for the next
training level or perhaps for a course repetition.
Success through fun is important to us! Games and stories are used to introduce children to swimming in a playful, age-appropriate way. This promotes and ensures that the children enjoy the sport in and around the water.
Bobby, Tim and Tina
The children are accompanied by the three identification figures Bobby, Tim and Tina throughout their entire training. They help to package the lesson content into a story and thus create additional motivation for the children to attend the swimming lessons. They bring goal-oriented forms of play into the lessons. The three figures are also heavily represented in teaching aids.
The award system
The training begins with the basic training (levels 1-6) and continues with the advanced training (levels 7-10). The identification figures Bobby, Tina and Tim accompany the children during the basic and advanced levels.
Kids Pass
The children receive the Kids Pass when they attend their first swimming course. This accompanies them throughout the entire training, from the basic to the advanced levels. For each level, the children receive a medal, which they can stick into the Kids Pass as a sticker.
Basic training (levels 1 to 6)
In the basic training, children who are coming into contact with the element of water for the first time should experience a playful water familiarization and targeted basic training. The structured structure of the training levels creates a solid foundation and the backstroke and crawl strokes are gradually introduced.
The detailed level contents and goals for levels 1-6 can be found below or you can download the Checklist of levels look at.
View checklist for completing the levels.
Level 1
- Autonomy: safe entry into and exit from the water
The children can get in and out of the swimming pool independently. - Breathe and orient yourself: breathe out visibly underwater three times. Open your eyes!
The children can dive completely underwater three times in a row with their eyes open. They visibly breathe out underwater and breathe in just once above water. - Hovering: hover in a free position for at least five seconds and then return to a safe position
The children can assume a floating position (squatting, lying on their stomach, lying on their back, etc.) from a standing position. They can maintain this position for five seconds without any support. - Safe jump into shallow water
The children can jump independently from the edge of the pool into standing-deep water (child's chest height).
Level 2
- Gliding in a prone and supine position without moving your legs for at least five seconds (arm position freely selectable)
The children can glide on their stomachs and backs for at least five seconds. It is important that they do not move their legs, breathe out and assume a stretched body position. - Alternating leg kicks in prone and supine positions for at least five seconds (arm position freely selectable)
The children can move in a prone and supine position for at least five seconds using only alternate leg kicks while breathing out. The arms are in streamline position1 or at the body's side. - Stretched jump into the water with arms folded and completely submerged underwater
The children can jump into the water in a stretched-out position and submerge themselves completely, with their arms tucked in close to their bodies. - Free jump into the water; surface without touching the bottom and swim independently back to the edge of the pool
The children can complete the exercise sequence without assistance. They understand that if they fall into the water uncontrollably, they have the ability to rescue themselves back to the edge of the pool.
Level 3
- 10 m alternating leg kick in prone and supine position (arms folded and in streamline position) The children can move with their arms folded as well as in the streamline position on their stomach and on their back with alternating leg kicks. They assume a stretched body position and breathe out continuously.
- 10 m alternating leg kick with rotation from prone to supine position and back, arms at the body The children can move using alternating leg kicks, continuously turning from lying on their stomach to lying on their back and back again. When lying on their stomach they breathe out, and when lying on their backs they breathe in.
- Three to four cycles back The children can swim three to four cycles on their backs when in a good position in the water. It is important that the head is in line with the spine (ears are in the water) and that the outstretched arms rotate continuously.
- Jump into the water (stretched or crouched), complete submersion and passive emergence After jumping into the water, completely submerging themselves without exhaling, the children can use the water's buoyancy to float towards the surface.
Level 4
- 10 m backstroke The children can swim 10 meters backstroke in a good position in the water. It is important that the outstretched arms rotate continuously and are immersed shoulder-width apart.
- Three cycles of crawl without side breathing The children can swim three cycles of crawl with active exhalation. The head remains in line with the spine. The arms are stretched or bent and moved forward over the water in alternating strokes. Inhalation is not yet taken into account.
- Roll forward into the water The children can perform a forward roll into the water from the edge of the pool. They dive headfirst and complete the roll underwater.
Levels 5
- Six cycles crawl
The children can swim six cycles of crawl with side breathing. They breathe out regularly underwater and in from the side. The arms are stretched or bent and moved forward over the water in alternating strokes and submerged shoulder-width apart. - 15 to 20 m backstroke
The children can swim 15 to 20 meters on their backs when in a good position in the water. It is important that the immersion of the arms is supported by a rotation of the body around the longitudinal axis. - Head dive from a sitting or squatting position
Children can dive into the water from a sitting or squatting position with their arms raised and their fingertips first.
Levels 6
- 25 m backstroke with start The children can swim 25 meters backstroke. They start by pushing off in the water while lying on their back or by diving headfirst and then turning underwater into the back position. It is important that the outstretched arms are submerged shoulder-width apart with the little finger side, supported by the rotation of the body around the longitudinal axis.
- 15 to 20 m crawl with head dive The children can swim 15 to 20 meters freestyle, starting with a head dive. The recovery phase is performed with a high elbow.
- Head dive followed by underwater phase (gliding in streamline position followed by leg kick) Children can dive into the water from a standing position with their arms held high and their fingertips first.
Advanced training (levels 7 to 10)
The advanced training builds on the foundations learned in the basic training. Backstroke, crawl and the start are covered in more detail, while the breaststroke and butterfly swimming styles as well as turns are introduced. Upon completion of the advanced training, the children have mastered all four swimming styles and are well prepared to join a club and continue their training in advanced courses in the field of competitive or recreational sports.
The detailed level contents and goals for levels 7-10 can be found below or you can download the Checklist of levels look at.
Level 10 is not offered in the first semester.
Levels 7
- 25 m freestyle with starting jump The children can perform a correct starting jump with underwater phase (gliding in streamline position, transition to dolphin kick) and then swim 25 meters freestyle with a three-stroke stroke.
- 15 m dolphin movement The children can perform a continuous body wave. The arm position is freely selectable (in streamline position or against the body).
- Six chest-leg kicks with breathing The children can perform six chest-leg kicks with a swing-thrusting movement while lying on their stomachs. It is important that they breathe in when pulling their legs in and breathe out when stretching them. A scissoring movement is not allowed. The arms are stretched forward or against the body.
Levels 8
- 25 m backstroke with start
The children can push off underwater while lying on their backs, glide and then begin backstroke with a dolphin kick. It is important that they perform the gliding phase in the streamline position. - Six cycles breast
The children can swim six cycles of breaststroke. It is important that the arm and leg movements are correct. Breathing in should be coordinated with the arm stroke. - Roll turn crawl and backstroke
The children can perform a complete roll turn: swim up (if doing the backstroke, additional rotation in the prone position), initiate the rolling movement with a dolphin kick, roll forward, bring feet to the wall, arms in streamline position in the direction of swimming, push off (if doing the crawl, turn in the prone position during the push off).
Levels 9
- 15 m butterfly one arm The children can swim 15 meters butterfly with one arm, with the passive arm held high. It is important to keep to the rhythm (two kicks per arm stroke). The inhalation can be done either sideways or forwards.
- 15 m breaststroke Children can swim breaststroke with correct coordination of arms, legs and breathing. It is important that there is a short gliding phase at the end of each cycle.
- Kippwende Brust The children can perform a rule-compliant flip turn in breaststroke. The following sequence is important: swim towards the wall, touch the wall with both hands at the same time, squat down, raise the body sideways to inhale and tilt in the opposite direction, dive down and bring the feet to the wall, stretch the arms in a streamline position and push off strongly.
Levels 10
- 15 m butterfly The children can swim butterfly with correct arm-leg coordination. It is important that there is no pause before the retrieval phase.
- 25 m breaststroke With correct coordination, children can swim breaststroke efficiently.
- 50 m backstroke with start and roll turn The children can swim backstroke. The start is by pushing off in the water while lying on their back. A roll turn is performed after each length.
- 50 m crawl with starting jump and roll turn The children can swim crawl with a three-stroke stroke. At the beginning there is a jump. After each length a roll turn is performed.