Swim Classes in Boston, MA

Charles River Aquatics, Boston:
Charles River Aquatics at 285 Babcock Street (between Gardner St & Ashford St), Boston, is a swim school committed to helping children & adults develop life skills through swim lessons. Our objective is to provide an atmosphere conducive to development and personal growth for individuals of all ages. We teach water safety, foster sportsmanship and fair play and demand respect for others in the class and in the larger community, while instilling in our participants a love for the sport.

Swim Lessons for Adults:

Adult Beginner:
New to the water, fear issues with water, can’t float or swim. Swimmers will learn a correct body position, breathing for efficient swimming and focus on comfort level and skills to increase water safety. Successful completion requires:

- Put face in water and blow bubbles
- Fully submerge head
- Straight leg flutter kick on back
- Independent front float (hold for 10 sec)
- Independent back float (hold for 10 sec)
- Foundations of treading water
- Jumping into deep water and fully submerging
- Kicking 25 yds with kickboard or barbell with face in water

Adult Intermediate:
Can float on back independently and float independent on stomach with face in the water. Can flutter kick with barbell or kickboard as well as enter deep end of pool. Swimmers will be introduced to the freestyle, the fundamental stroke in swimming. They will also be introduced to backstroke and kneeling dives. Successful completion requires:

- 25 yds. freestyle with proper body position, kicking and side breathing
- 25 yds. backstroke with proper body position and kicking
- Kneeling dive into pool
- 1 minute treading water

Adult Advanced:
Can swim 25 yards freestyle with rotary breathing pattern and swim 25 yards backstroke. Swimmers will build on freestyle and backstroke skills. Swimmers will increase endurance. They will also learn breaststroke and standing dives into the water. Successful completion requires:

- 25 yds. freestyle with proper body position, rotary breathing and six-beat kick
- 25 yds. backstroke with proper body position and kick
- 25 yds. breaststroke
- 2 minute treading water
- Standing dive into pool

Private Series (Adults & Children):
A series of seven (7) Private (or Semi-private) Lessons with the same instructor. Private lessons are offered for ages 4 through adult. Private Series are available on Saturdays and Sundays, and Lessons normally run for seven weeks. There are only a maximum of 6 spots available for each time slot.


Swim Lessons for Children:

Tiny Tots (3 and under):
Tiny Tots is a class for very young children to learn to become comfortable in the water while in the arms of an adult he/she knows and trusts. Games, songs, and activities are designed to help children become confident in a pool environment. Our goal is to develop a love of swimming in babies and toddlers. This class is designed for children 6 months to 3 1/2 years of age. An adult MUST accompany the child in the pool and all children are required to wear swim diapers (unless completely toilet trained).

Splash (3 yrs old only):
Pre-requisite: Must be 3 years of age, toilet trained and able to be separated from parents/guardians for 30 minutes. This beginning level introduces children to the water. Students will develop a sense of confidence and independence and be introduced to water safety skills while having fun in the water. There is no advancement from this class until the child turns four. However, swimmers are welcome to take the class more than once.

Level 1 to Level 4 (4 and over):

Level 1: Pre-requisite - Children must be able to pay attention for 30 min. at a time. Swimmers will learn a correct body position and breathing for efficient swimming and focus on comfort level and skills to increase water safety.

Level 2: Swimmers registering for Level 2 MUST be able to: kick independently on a barbell with straight legs for 10 yards on their fronts and backs, perform 5 bobs (head underwater, blowing bubbles, and coming up for one breath 5 times in a row), in face float blow bubbles for 10 seconds, and show signs that they are ready to swim on their own unsupported.

Level 3: Swimmers registering for Level 3 MUST be able to: kick independently on a barbell with horizontal body position and straight legs demonstrating bilateral aligned side breathing technique for 25 yds, float on their fronts and backs for 10 seconds unassisted, be able to propel themselves horizontally sculling on their back, and be comfortable underwater and in the deep end.

Level 4: Swimmers new to CRA registering for Level 4 classes must have an evaluation.

Level 5 to Level 6 (5 and over):

Level 5 is one hour in length. Level 5 includes the successful coordination of the breaststroke & mastery of the flip turn. Like Level 3, many swimmers will repeat Level 5 to learn proper breaststroke technique. Level 5 continues to build on endurance, racing starts and open turns as introduced in Level 4. Swimmers who have completed one session of Level 5 may be invited to join the Sea Dragon Swim Team.

Level 6 is one hour in length. Level 6 includes the successful coordination of the butterfly and a continued mastery of the three other strokes. Level 6 puts a larger focus on endurance as well as introducing the more detailed points of swimming. These include backstroke flip turns, breaststroke pull outs and backstroke racing starts. Swimmers in Level 6 may be invited to join the Sea Dragon Swim Team.

Other Swim Programs Include:
- Clinics and Break Programs
- Morning Program for home schooled students
- Summer Classes
- Swim Camp