Swimming Lessons - By Age Groups

We provide instruction in the Swim For Life - Lifesaving Society for children between the ages of 4 months and 13 years. The program emphasizes water safety and how to respond in emergency situations. All instructors have at least 200 hours of training and practical teaching experience.

Effective January 2023, the Town of Whitby will be introducing the Lifesaving Society Swim for Life Program. The Swim for Life Program stresses in-water practice to develop solid swimming strokes and skills with a primary focus on front crawl, back crawl, and breast stroke. The Program also incorporates Water Smart education at every level to teach valuable water safety lessons that last a lifetime.

Swimming Lesson changes coming January 2023

Our Aquatic and Customer Service teams have been trained to assist you in ensuring that your child is registered into the correct level. The conversion chart below will help help you in determining what level to register children in for the Winter session. If you are unsure what level your child should be registered into, come into a public swim and have your child accessed or contact our customer service staff at 905.666.1991 or getactive@whitby.ca

If you have questions about swimming lessons, etiquette, locations, etc., visit our Swimming FAQs page.

Update from Red Cross to Swim for Life
Red Cross - Previous Completed Level	Swim for Life - Register Now For
Starfish	Parent & Tot 1 (4 to 12 months)
Duck	Parent & Tot 2 (12 to 24 months)
Sea Turtle	Parent & Tot 3 (2 to 3 years)
Sea Otter	Preschool 1 (3 to 5 years)
Salamander	Preschool 2 (3 to 5 years)
Sunfish	Preschool 3 (3 to 5 years)
Crocodile	Preschool 4 (3 to 5 years)
Whale	Preschool 5 (3 to 5 years)
Swim Kids 1	Swimmer 1 (6 to 13 years)
Swim Kids 2	Swimmer 2 (6 to 13 years)
Swim Kids 3	Swimmer 3 (6 to 13 years)
Swim Kids 4	Swimmer 3 (6 to 13 years)
Swim Kids 5	Swimmer 4 (6 to 13 years)
Swim Kids 6	Swimmer 5 (6 to 13 years)
Swim Kids 7	Swimmer 6 (6 to 13 years)
Swim Kids 8	Canadian Swim Patrol (8 to 13 years)
Swim Kids 9	Canadian Swim Patrol (8 to 13 years)
Swim Kids 10	Bronze Star completion of Canadian Swim Patrol recommended
Bronze Medallion	Aged 13 or successful completion of Bronze Star
Bronze Cross	Successful completion of Bronze Medallion
National Lifeguard	Aged 15 and successful completion of Bronze Cross
Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor and Lifesaving Society and Emergency First Aid Instructor	Combined Course – Aged 15 and successful completion of Bronze Cross