Learn to Swim
Lessons - Babies,
Children, Teenagers
& Adults

Expert Instruction Focused on Technique, Safety and Lifelong Swimming Skills

Our Learn to Swim program is the result of extensive experience and long-term commitment to excellence in aquatic education. Our friendly, highly trained instructors bring a wide range of industry experience, supported by ongoing professional development to ensure every class is delivered to the highest standard.

We believe that strong swimming technique and water safety are part of the same journey. By learning correct technique from the beginning, swimmers develop a genuine love and respect for the water — foundations that support lifelong safety, confidence and enjoyment in all aquatic environments.

Why Learning in Mineral Water Makes a Difference

At Learn to Swim Victoria at Heidelberg, our Learn to Swim program takes place in a mineral-based water pool, thoughtfully designed for growing swimmers and sensitive skin.

Many families and adult swimmers tell us they can experience dry skin, itchy eyes or irritation after swimming in traditional pools. Our magnesium-rich water is widely regarded as a gentler, healthier alternative to traditional chlorine pools, with a softer feel that’s easier on skin, eyes and hair. For many families and adult swimmers, this creates a more comfortable and enjoyable swimming experience — and is one of the reasons people choose our Heidelberg centre.

Comfort matters when learning to swim. When swimmers feel relaxed in the water, they’re better able to focus, build confidence and enjoy their lessons. Our calm, quiet pool environment supports early learners and nervous beginners, helping them feel safe, settled and ready to learn.

It’s a simple, thoughtful choice that reflects what matters most to families at Heidelberg — gentle water, expert instruction and a trusted place to grow water confidence for life.

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Our Learn to Swim Levels and Progressive Pathway

CLICK ON THE AGE GROUPS BELOW

 

Babies & Toddler

Our baby and toddler swim program has three levels designed with age appropriate development in mind. Young children progress through levels based on age and are extended in each class based on their individual abilites. Our lessons are nurturing, fun, and aim to make you and your baby safer around water.

Key features

  • Small class sizes
  • Teacher in water with you
  • Infant trained and qualified teachers

Tiny Tots 6m - 1yr

Class structure moves between songs, games, and circuits to keep the class engaging for the adults while providing the skill repetition your baby needs to learn. Our lessons will keep your baby engaged and progressions will adapt to be easier or more challenging depending on your child’s swimming ability.

When the child turns 1yr they progress to our Tots class.

Tots 1-2yrs
Our lessons adapt to meet your child’s developmental changes. Toddlers start to want more autonomy over their choices so we adapt each activity to ensure the required skills are targeted while providing your toddler with choices. Our lessons will keep your toddler engaged and progressions will adapt to be easier or more challenging depending on your child’s swimming ability.

When child turns 2 yrs they move to our Talented Tots class

Talented Tots 2-3yrs
Your specially trained teachers ensure classes are designed to prepare your child for lessons on their own.

When your child turns 3 yrs they move to our PreLevel 1 class in our preschool program by themselves with a teacher in the water.

Pre-School

This is the starting point of your child’s swimming journey. In our pre-school lessons, your child will begin to swim on their own while learning how to stay safe near water. We will teach them key water safety messaging, helping protect them in everyday situations from the pool to the beach.

Our preschool program has four levels designed with age appropriate development in mind, aimed at keeping kids of similar age together. All lessons encourage correct swimming technique and cover water safety skills from the first lesson. Our aim is to make your child as safe as possible around water and ensure they respect water and are aware of dangers.

Key features

  • Small class sizes
  • We teach all four strokes from day one so survival strokes are covered early
  • Water safety focused
  • Efficient swimming technique taught
  • Qualified, highly trained teachers
  • Tailored swimming program designed by industry experts

Pre Level 1
For beginners who are:

  • New to swimming
  • Nervous putting their head underwater
  • Confident beginners learning basic freestyle

Level progression is ability based. Each skill has a star for introduction, development, and mastery. Once all 10 criteria are achieved, your child will move to the next level. When starting school, kids move to the equivalent school age level (e.g. Level 1).

If this is your child’s first ever lesson, we recommend one adult wears their bathers incase they need to sit on the pool edge to provide your child with some extra support for the first lesson or two.

Pre Level 2
Confident beginners focusing on developing freestyle, backstroke, safety skills and all previously learnt skills from Pre Level 1.

 When starting school, kids move to the equivalent school age level (e.g. Level 2)

Pre Level 3
Confident kindergarteners focusing on developing freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and building on swimming skills from previous levels.

When starting school, kids move to the equivalent school age level (e.g. Level 3)

Pre Level 4
If your preschooler has managed the impressive feat of reaching Pre Level 4, then they are in for even more fun as they learn more challenging skills! For confident swimmers consolidating freestyle, backstroke, and water safety skills.

When starting school, kids move to the equivalent school age level (e.g. Level 4)

Progression

Level progression is ability based. Each skill has a star for introduction, development, and mastery. Once all 10 criteria are achieved, your child will move to the next level.

Children

Swimming isn’t optional - it’s an essential skill for life.

Like you, our aim is to teach your child to swim independently, feel safe and confident in water and develop the awareness to make safe choices, what to do if they ever find themselves in trouble, and how to respond safely if someone else needs help.

We achieve this by offering a comprehensive learn to swim program that is technique focussed, coupled with water safety messaging and skills all delivered in a fun, and nurturing environment.

We focus on teaching technique and development of all strokes from our first level, ensuring those essential survival strokes and skills are tackled from day one, compared to other swimming programs that only focus on freestyle initially. We care about our local families and community and have been the center for swimming education for over 120 years.

Key features

  • Small class sizes
  • We teach all four strokes from day one so survival strokes are covered early
  • Water safety focused
  • Efficient swimming technique taught
  • Qualified, highly trained teachers
  • Tailored swimming program designed by industry experts

Level 1
Beginners focus on developing floating, freestyle, and water safety skills.

Level 2
Confident beginners focus on developing freestyle, backstroke, water safety skills and all previously learnt skills from Level 1.

Level 3
Intermediate swimmers focus on developing freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and build on swimming skills from previous levels.

Level 4
Intermediate swimmers focus on developing freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and build on swimming skills from previous levels.

Level 5
Intermediate swimmers consolidate freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and build on swimming skills from previous levels.

Level 6
Advanced swimmers consolidate freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and build on swimming skills from previous levels.

Level 7
Advanced swimmers consolidate freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and build on swimming skills from previous levels.

Level 8 (Development Squad)
Advanced swimmers master freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and build on swimming skills from previous levels.

After level 8 students progress to the Junior Squad, the final level of the learn to swim journey

Progression

Progression to the next level is ability based and lead instructor assessment. Each skill has a star for introduction, development, and mastery. Once all 10 criteria are achieved, your child will be ready to progress to the next level.

Teenager

You can’t always be there, but water skills can.

Our teenage classes are designed to help your child feel comfortable in lessons as they learn with other students of a similar age. No matter the starting point, our progressive program will get your child feeling more confident and comfortable while learning vital water safety messages, all designed to keep them safer around water.

Our teenage learn to swim program focuses on teaching technique and development of all strokes from the very first level to keep teens safer, ensuring those essential survival strokes and skills are tackled from day one.
Our progressive program is offered over 3 levels, beginner, intermediate and advanced with each program building on the next. No matter their previous exposure to water, we believe all teens should be safe, happy and have a respect for water to keep themselves safer for life.

Key features

  • Small class sizes
  • We teach all four strokes from day one so survival strokes are covered early
  • Water safety focused
  • Efficient swimming technique taught
  • Highly trained and fully qualified teachers
  • Tailored swimming program designed by industry experts

Teen beginner
Beginners and confident beginners focus on developing floating, freestyle, backstroke, and water safety skills.

Teen intermediate
Intermediate swimmers develop and consolidate freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and build on the swimming skills from the previous level.

Teen advanced
Advanced swimmers consolidate and master freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and build on swimming skills from the previous levels.

Progression

Progression to the next level is ability based and lead instructor assessment. Each skill has a star for introduction, development, and mastery. Once all 10 criteria are achieved, your child will be ready to progress to the next level.

Adult

Our supportive and dedicated adult learn to swim classes are suitable for all ability levels. Our program is tailored to your goals and will get you safer and more confident in the water. We incorporate similar criteria to our school age learn to swim programs but modify to suit your swimming needs and ambitions.

We believe that it is never too late for you to learn to swim and that as an adult it is important for you to feel safe in water.

If you have never learnt to swim, or not confident in water then our beginner classes are for you. We will help you grow

Adult beginner
Complete beginners and confident beginners focusing on developing floating, freestyle, backstroke, and safety skills.

Adult intermediate
Confident beginners and intermediate swimmers develop and consolidate freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and build on the swimming skills from the previous level.

Adult advanced
Advanced swimmers consolidating and mastering freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and building on swimming skills from previous levels.

Progression

Progression to the next level is ability based and lead instructor assessment. Each skill has a star for introduction, development, and mastery. Once all 10 criteria are achieved, your child will be ready to progress to the next level.

Squad

Squad

Squad swimming is a core part of the learn to swim journey, it helps swimmers strengthen their skills and grow in confidence while forming friendships and enjoying the teamwork that comes with training together.

  • Development Squad

    Development Squad helps swimmers refine their proficiency in all four strokes whilst learning new squad skills in a supportive environment.

    Development Squad is part of our Learn to Swim program. In one-hour sessions, swimmers refine their skills in all four strokes and learn the basics of squad training in a fun, supportive environment. They also continue their water safety education, working towards the Victorian Water Safety Certificate, as they progress towards becoming a confident and capable swimmer.

  • Junior Squad

    Our Junior Squad program is where swimmers turn strong foundations into lasting capability — building competence, confidence, and a love for the water.

    They put into practice everything learnt in Development Squad. Each session blends fun, fitness, and teamwork while refining technique and fostering a love for squad swimming. The Junior Squad represents the final stage of our learn to swim journey, from Junior squads our swimmers progress into our Club squad program or move across to our Fitness Squad.

  • Fitness Squad

    Fitness Squad is designed for swimmers who want to stay fit, refine technique and enjoy the benefits of regular training without the focus on competition.

    Fitness Squad is perfect for swimmers who want to stay active, refine technique, and enjoy regular training without the pressure of competition. Sessions run three nights a week during the school term, with swimmers able to attend up to three one-hour sessions for one weekly fee. Designed to suit individual goals, swimmers can train at their own intensity - making it ideal for fitness, recovery, or cross-training for other sports. Sessions are held rain, hail or shine, and swimmers can access the pool before or after their session at no extra cost.

What to Bring Checklist

  • LTSV ID Card (Please see reception if you dont have one)

  • Bathers

  • Swimming goggles

  • Swimming cap

  • Water bottle

  • Short blade fins (higher levels)

  • Towel for all swimmers

  • Healthy snack/food (little ones will be hungry after all their exercise)