Who’s Got The Best Swimming Lessons In Town?

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It can happen so quickly, and it can be silent. A child falls into a pool when no one notices and they cannot even call for help, or an older child playing with a group of kids suddenly winds up in deeper water and doesn’t know how to stay afloat. More children between the ages of 1-4 die from drowning than any other cause of death, and drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5-14 (information from CDC.gov). Having your children learn to swim, or at least keep themselves from drowning, from a young age is essential. It could save their lives, give you peace of mind, and allow children to enjoy many years of fun in water sports.

It was great to see my kids come home from their jobs as camp counselors in the morning, grab their bikes, and head off to the town pool, not having to worry as they spent every afternoon and evening there. As they got older and went water skiing, jet skiing, and boating with friends, I knew they could take care of themselves.

Winston-Salem and the surrounding area have many opportunities for swim lessons, and with summer coming, now is the time to sign your kids up. Maybe they will want to go on to be on a swimming or diving team, or perhaps they will just be able to enjoy the water safely. From infants to adults, everyone has the opportunity to learn to swim. Take a look at the options below and make the call.

City Of Winston-Salem Swim Lessons

Winston-Salem Recreation & Parks offers free swim lessons for city residents from 6 months to adult. Spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost for non-residents is $20 per person per registration. Registration for lessons is required and only available online during the registration period. You can find the registration website here, under pools and aquatics.

Classes Available

Classes include:

• Babes In Arms (6-36 months), Registration May 24, 2025, Class dates begin June 7
• Preschool (3-5 years), Registration May 24, Class dates start June 7
• Youth (6-18 years), Session 1, Registration May 24, Class dates begin the week of June 2
• Youth (6-18) Session 2, Registration June 14 Class dates begin week on June 23
• Youth (6-18) Session 3, Registration July 5, Class dates start the week of July 15
• Adults (15+ years) Registration May 24, Class dates begin the week of June 2

Various pools throughout the city are used for classes. See the city’s Swim Lesson website for a description of the classes, the different levels of instruction for youth level, locations, times of classes, and to register.

Lessons For Students With Special Needs

Aquabilities, a program for youths and adults that requires an instructional setting with special needs instructors for persons with disabilities is available. Aquabilities teaches students how to move, swim, and play in water. Summer Session Registration opens May 3. See the website for more information and facilities, and register.

Salem Swim Classes – Salem Gymnastics And Swim

Salem Gymnastics and Swim, located at 4870 Country Club Road, Winston-Salem, offers classes for all ages. Registration for classes is ongoing and year-round.

Classes Available

• Water Babies for ages 3-6 months. It is a non-submersion class to teach you and your baby water safety skills
• Baby & Me Level 1 is for ages 6-24 months. This course helps your child become independently comfortable in the water without using “floaties”
• Baby & Me Level 2 is for ages 6-24 months. Students will learn to move through the water themselves, get back to the wall by themselves, and more
• Guppies Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 are for children ages 3-4. These courses take students from beginners to perfecting different strokes, proper breath control, and building endurance
• Dolphins ages 5-7 and Sharks ages 8 + up, Levels 1-6. Students can start as beginners and work through the courses to become excellent swimmers, learning to increase their freestyle and backstroke endurance and perfect their breaststroke and butterfly strokes.
• Swim Training Team. Classes prepare students for future swim team competitions and provide fun exercise and practice for those who just love swimming.

Visit the Salem Gymnastics and Swim website to learn more about the classes, the cost, and registration.

YMCA Of Northwest NC Swim Lessons

The YMCAs in Winston-Salem offer Swim lessons to all ages, from babies and toddlers to adults. They also have family swims, competitive swim teams, and many adaptive swim programs for kids with special needs.

Programs Offered

• Parent/Child Swim Lessons for ages 6 months to 36 months – where children learn to acclimate to the water, buoyancy, back floating, breath control and submerging, and more
• Preschool Skills Swim Lessons for ages 3-5 – 3 levels from a beginner with no skills to submerge and retrieve an object in chest-deep water, tread water for 30 seconds, and exit
• Youth Skills Swim Lessons ages 5-12 – Five levels, from beginner to water stamina, to stroke introduction and development, kneeling dive, and treading water for 2 minutes
• For Next Level – it is recommended you join the TYDE Swim Team
• Teen/Adult lessons for ages 12 and up are held at select locations.

Private and semi-private lessons are also available for those interested.

For Members Or Nonmembers

Members and nonmembers may take advantage of the YMCA Swim Lesson Programs. See the YMCA of Northwest NC Swim Lesson Website for more information and to register.

InstaSwim Private Swimming Lessons

InstaSwim offers private swimming lessons by certified, experienced instructors at your home or community pool. Instructors have at least two years of teaching experience, are CPR/First Aid Certified, and are background-checked and carefully screened. They specialize in drowning prevention, stroke development, and confidence building. A custom lesson plan will be created to meet each student’s needs.

Classes Offered

Classes are offered for infants, which helps them learn to swim easier as they get older; toddler classes build confidence and teach life-saving skills; classes for kids of all ages, private lessons allow them to learn and become more proficient faster; and Adult Lessons, it is never too late to learn this valuable skill. Special Needs Swim Lessons are also offered.

Scheduling Classes

InstaSwim’s goal is to ensure children can navigate the water and react confidently in emergencies before advancing to stroke development. They recommend twice-a-week lessons focusing on floating, arm and leg strength, and survival techniques. Flexible scheduling is a big plus when choosing InstaSwim. It allows you to work around your family’s other activities.

Lesson Packages Available

A six-lesson or 12-lesson package is available. A 30-minute lesson is ideal for one student; two students would need a 45-minute lesson, and multiple students would need a one-hour+ lesson. Currently, they are offering a pay-per-lesson option to try out the service. You can pay for a single class, then if you like your lesson, upgrade to a package and save money on future lessons. See the InstaSwim website for more information and to schedule classes.

Swim Lessons – Greensboro Aquatic Center

Greensboro Aquatic Center, 1921 West Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, offers swim lessons year-round to children ages 3-12. For each additional child registered, there is a Sibling Discount of 10% off lessons. The discount applies in person only.

Programs Offered

• Parent and Child Swim Lessons for ages 6 months to 3 years – to introduce children to the water
• Preschool Lessons for ages 3-5 – 3 levels, from a beginner uncomfortable with putting their face in the water and submerging their head to refining their skills to enable them to swim a distance using proper strokes. Lessons are 30 minutes
• Youth Lessons ages 6-13 – from a beginner who is not comfortable with putting their face in the water and submerging their head to being able to swim freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke 25 yards, scissor kick, whip kick, treading water, and dive. Lessons are 45 minutes
• Teen & Adult Swim Lessons for ages 13+ – beginner lessons
• Adult Advanced ages 18 + – teaches the health benefits of swimming
• Advanced Swimming Prep ages 18+ – swim with a group to help improve everyday life

If your child has never taken lessons at GAC, they must have an assessment to determine what level to start.

Lessons For Children With Special Needs

Also available are Adaptive Swim Lessons for children with special needs, created for but not limited to those with behavioral, communication, or sensory problems, and Adaptive Enrichment for members of the adaptive community who can swim the length of the pool unassisted.

See the Greensboro Aquatic Center Website for more information and to register.

Swim Lessons – Swim Fanatics Greensboro

Swim Fanatics, 1 Marriott Drive, Greensboro (pool located at the airport Marriott), offers programs for all ages.

Programs Available

• Itsy Spiders ages 4-11 months – Intro to water and survival skills with an in-water parent or caregiver
• Waterstriders ages 12-23 months – Intro to water and survival skills with an in-water parent or caregiver
• Waterbugs ages 12-23 months, Intro to water and survival skills while working towards independent skills
• Ducklings, Tadpoles, and Guppies ages 2-4 years – these 3 levels take children from beginners intro to water and survival skills to streamlining and floating
• Polliwogs, Turtles, and Minnows, ages 5-8 years – from beginner-level intro to water and survival skills to distance swimming and stroke work
• Gators, Frogs, and Crocs ages 9-12 – from beginner-level intro to water and survival skills, as well as breath control, floating, and streamlining to proper technique for freestyle, rotary breathing, treading water, backstroke, and more
• Betas, Dolphins, and Sharks ages 13-17 – from beginner level intro to water and survival skills, breath control, floating, productive kick, and streamlining to distance swimming and stroke work. Students can progress to learn butterfly, breaststroke, diving, and life-saving skills
• Adults & Seniors ages 18 and up – from beginner to distance swimming and stroke work.

Scholarship Program Available

Swim Fanatics also offers a Scholarship Program for beginner lessons for ages 2-12 to teach water introduction and basic survival skills.

Swim Camps and private lessons are available as well. See the Swim Fanatics Website for information and to register.

Fun In City Parks

A great way to spend some time with your kids is at one of the beautiful parks in Winston-Salem. There are many to choose from, and a variety of activities are available in each of them. Pack a lunch and enjoy it at one of the shelters at the parks, or cook something on the grills provided. There are playgrounds, ball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, splash pads, and some have pools where you can use those swim lessons! See information about everything available in our article about parks in Winston-Salem.

Do you think it is essential to learn to swim? Tell us in the comments.