DUCKS
4 months - 3 years, 4 months
Overview
The Ducks Program is a fun and interactive parent-and-child learn-to-swim experience designed to build water confidence through engaging games and activities. With four age-based levels, Ducks introduces new skills at the right stage of your child’s development. Each small class accommodates up to six parent-child pairs, creating a supportive and social learning environment where safety and fun go hand in hand.
Ducks 1
4 months - 11 months
"Consistency & a gentle approach will help us establish a passion for the water."
We are curious about our new surroundings, we love to watch and take in everything that is happening around us. We need time to explore, time to get to know our instructor and learn to trust them and our grown-up in the water. Some of us are on the move, but lots of us aren’t. We are mostly happy floating on our backs. Our grown-ups need time to get comfortable handling us and allow us to explore without holding on too tight.
We work on, but are not limited to:
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Safety skills, always!
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Gentle movements
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Water familiarization & cue learning
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Breath control
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Holding on
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Floating
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Cued submersions
Ducks 2
11 months - 20 months (1 year, 8 months)
"Creating ways for me to develop my skill independently is crucial to my growth."
We are on the move! We are rolling, crawling, standing & walking – even running! We love toys and want them now. We are often not fans of floating and need you to support us gently through this, keep it short and interesting for us. We are starting to initiate kicking; we don’t always go far. Sometime we even forget so a gentle nudge in the right direction always helps. We are starting to show independence, and want to explore a bit more, don’t be afraid to let us have a go.
We work on, but are not limited to:
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Safety skills, always!
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Shallow water exploration
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Independent kicking and directional movement
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Calm back floating
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Cued and self-initiated submersions
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Holding on
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Breath Control
Ducks 3
1 year, 8 months - 2 years, 7 months
"Learning boundaries and the consequences of our actions will enable us to feel safer and more secure."
We are establishing our independence and we want to be in control of our choices. We want to give it a go by ourselves but we still need you, we just might not realise that! Circuits become a bigger part of our learning as we like routine and are beginning to follow instructions & take turns. We need to keep moving so we don’t get bored. Don’t make it too easy for us, we need to learn to do it ourselves, it’s okay if we make mistake, we will learn from this.
We work on, but are not limited to:
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Safety skills, always!
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Cued and self-initiated submersions
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Longer unsupported submersion
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Purposeful kicking and directional movement
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Breath control and bubbles
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Back floating and recovery
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Turning underwater
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Reaching, catching and pulling ourselves up
Ducks 4
2 years, 7 months - 3 years, 4 months
"Let us try everything by ourselves. We need this opportunity to learn what we are capable of, but we love your encouragement."
Ducks is an age-based program; children move through levels as they meet the next age window.
We are starting to become more comfortable taking direction from our teacher. We are happier to separate for a short period from our grown up. We want to do things for ourselves, but sometimes, we forget how clever we have become and suddenly want your help again. Power struggles occur more as we strive for independence. Support us through these rough patches. Allow us to explore and experiment but remind us of our boundaries. A dedicated SwimSafer lesson is part of our learning now.
We work on, but are not limited to:
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Safety skills, always!
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Building independence and self-belief
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Purposeful kicking and directional movement
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Cued and self-initiated unassisted swims
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Back floats and recovery
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Taking & following instructions from the teacher
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Taking turns in a small group
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Turning underwater and diving
