The Hamilton Area YMCA follows the YMCA nationwide swim program teaching swimmers of all ages and abilities. Our swim lessons accommodate varying abilities to help foster a sense of achievement as swimmers’ progress between stages. Our program teaches SAFETY in and around the water, along with proper stroke technique.
Which lesson is right for you or your child?
View the Swim Lesson Selector Guide
The Hamilton Area YMCA offers a variety of choices for classes. If you are looking for individual lessons, please see our Private/Semi-private offerings.
For Group Lessons, each new student will complete a skill evaluation to better place them.
There are three general categories of Y Swim Lessons
Swim Starters develops water enrichment and aquatic readiness in children ages 6 months to 3 years. This category focuses on developing swim readiness skills through fun and confidence-building experiences. Parents also learn how to supervise children in the water, how to prevent accidents and how to plan for emergencies.
Swim Basics develops personal water safety and basic swimming skills in students of all ages. Swimmers develop a high level of comfort in the water by practicing safe water habits, engaging in underwater exploration, and learning how to swim to safety and exit if they fall into a body of water.
Swim Strokes introduces and refines stroke technique in older students (school age, teens and adults). Having mastered the fundamentals, students learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique, developing skills that prevent chronic disease, increase social-emotional and cognitive well-being and foster a lifetime of physical activity.
Swimming is also a life-saving skill that everyone should have the opportunity to learn. The Y has been teaching people how to swim for more than 110 years! We use skill-based instruction that maximizes physical activity, emphasizes safety, and elevates character development to engage families in our community. We have certified, caring staff trained to handle swimmers of all abilities and all ages. Y swim lessons stress positive values and give kids the opportunity to practice them, growing kids’ self-esteem and self-worth, while they have a great time.
Watch Cassidy’s story to see how Y lessons help teach her a life-saving skill.
Current Swimmers will be evaluated during their session for the appropriate stage placement. Participants will receive a session progression report. Swimmers must be meet all requirements to move onto the next stage.
New/Returning Swimmers (ages 3+) registering for a higher level class other than Acclimation will be required to take a swim evaluation prior to registering for a stage. These evaluations will enhance your swimmer's experience by ensuring they are in the correct skill level.
Please click here to reserve a swim evaluation or contact aquatics@hamiltonymca.org to complete a swim assessment.
Parents/participants please visit the Member Service Desk to ensure that your contact information is correct. In the case of emergencies/notifications, we communicate via emails and text alerts.
All refunds/credits must be made within the same session.
Make ups are NOT provided for missed classes. This includes absences for personal travel, or conflicting activity schedules.
Snow/Weather Closure
Emergency Closure
Membership Information
All program requests are processed at the discretion of the program directors.
We can refund/credit as follows:
Develops water enrichment and aquatic readiness in children ages 6 months - 2.5 years. The category focuses on developing swim readiness skills through fun and confidence-building experiences. Parents also learn how to supervise children in the water, how to prevent accidents, and how to plan for emergencies. Parent participation is required.
Includes Parent Participation in the water.
JKR Branch
Increases comfort with underwater exploration and introduces basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance. Encourages forward movement in water and basic self-rescue skills performed independently. Ages 2.5 years - Adult
Develops intermediate self-rescue skills performed at longer distances than in previous stages. Ages 4 years - Adult
Introduces basic stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl and reinforces water safety through treading water and elementary backstroke. Ages 6 years - Adult
Introduces breaststroke and butterfly and reinforces water safety through treading water and sidestroke. Ages 6 years - Adult
Refines stroke technique on all major competitive strokes and encourages swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle. Ages 6 years - Adult
This course is for swimmers who can swim all four strokes and competitive swimmers who are not able to commit to a team.
*Unsure of your swim level? We strongly recommend coming in for a swim evaluation. Please see the swim evaluation times listed above. New swimmers with some level of experience or those that are unsure what level to register for must visit the JKR Branch to register or be evaluated for the correct swim level prior to registering online. Those registering for our beginner level classes (Discovery, Exploration, Acclimation) may register online.
This class is designed to enhance an individual’s development in swimming for fitness goals, triathlons, and other aquatic programs. Instructors will focus on endurance, speed, and technique to grow skills. A swim evaluation is required.
The Diverse Abilities Swim program focuses on reaching children and adults with disabilities in a continued effort to promote equal opportunities for all.
Through the Diverse Abilities swim program, parents and caregivers of children with disabilities will be given the opportunity to provide their children with the means to learn fundamental water safety and swimming skills in a safe environment. For more information, please contact Nicole Bizuga, nbizuga@hamiltonymca.org.Please complete this intake form so we that we are aware of your child or adult's individual needs.
Private swim lessons are available for individuals with diverse abilities looking to improve skills and build an understanding of safety. After completing the intake form, instructors will be matched and create a plan to introduce skills to students.
Class time: 30 minutes
These swim lessons are available for individuals who need help reaching a specific goal.
Must have 2 to register. Semi-private classes allow a maximum of two participants; instructors will work to meet the individual needs of each swimmer.
Request for credits must be processed at the Member Service Desk by the end of the session in order for credit to be given. All program requests are processed at the discretion of the program directors. Every effort will be made to allow makeup classes due to emergency situations. We can credit as follows:
