Swimming levels - Swim City

About Swim City

Swim City is the City of Ottawa’s swimming lesson program. Follow your progress as you discover the joy of swimming and collect stickers as you progress through the levels.

Enter into one of the four streams according to your age on the first day of lessons. If you’re unsure where to start, do a swim assessment during a public swim and a program supervisor will tell you which level best suits your ability.

Check out the pre-school swimming levels that are named after local creatures that swim in the Ottawa River. In partnership with Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Pimadjiwowinogamig, and the cultural centre in Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, the names are in the Anishinabemowin Algonquin language. The designs are by artist Dean Ottawa from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation. This special connection is intended to foster an appreciation of the culture and heritage of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation.

Swim Tots (ages 4 to 35 months)

Toddlers make their entry into swimming with their caregiver who joins them in the water. Together, they learn to have fun and be safe in the water.

Swim Tots levels (ages 4 to 35 months)
Swim Tots Level	Equivalent previous Red Cross level
Little Dippers 1 (4-11 months)	Starfish
Little Splashers 2 (12-23 months)	Duck
Little Jumpers 3 (24-35 months)	Sea Turtle

Course descriptions

Little Dippers 1 (4 to 11 months)

The child and their caregiver will work on safely entering and exiting shallow water and gaining comfort and getting wet on front and back. Caregivers will explore tips on how to keep themselves and their child safe around water and choking prevention. Caregiver to participant ratio is 1:1.

Little Splashers 2 (12 to 23 months)

The child and their caregiver will work on blowing bubbles and putting face in the water, floating, and moving on front and back. Caregivers will explore tips on how to keep themselves and their child safe around water and response to choking. Caregiver to participant ratio is 1:1.

Little Jumpers 3 (24 to 35 months)

The child and their caregiver will work on submersion, independent swimming, jumping into the water, and float and glides. Caregivers will explore tips on how to keep themselves and their child safe around water and response to choking. Caregiver to participant ratio is 1:1.

Swim Creatures (ages 3 to 5 years)

The pre-school swimming levels are named after local creatures that swim in the Ottawa River.

The designs are by artist Dean Ottawa from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation.

Swim creatures levels for ages 3 to 5
Swim Creatures level		After a child turns 6, they should register for the following Swim Colours level:
Mikinàk \| Turtle 1	Sea Otter (Level 1)	Yellow 1
Omagakì \| Frog 2	Salamander (Level 2)	Yellow 1
Màng \| Loon 3	Sunfish (Level 3)	Coral 2, if they pass Màng \| Loon 3. Otherwise register for Yellow 1.
Nigig \| Otter 4	Crocodile (Level 4)	Coral 2
Amik \| Beaver 5	Whale (Level 5)	Red 3, if they pass Amik \| Beaver 5. Otherwise register for Coral 2.

Course descriptions

Mikinàk | Turtle 1

Your child will learn how their body floats and moves through the water on their front and back. Your child will learn how to blow bubbles and put their face in water. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to float and glide on their front independently.

Omagakì | Frog 2

Your child will be introduced to movement in chest deep water and full body submersion. Your child will continue to develop their water movement skills. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to float and glide on their front and back independently.

Màng | Loon 3

Your child will learn basic kicking techniques, gain comfort in deep water, and be introduced to rollover glides. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to float in deep water and swim 5 metres with a PFD.

Nigig | Otter 4

Your child will learn how to tread water unassisted, jump into deep water and become introduced to a front glide with body roll. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to glide with kick on front and back for 5 meters.

Amik | Beaver 5

Your child will start to learn the progression to front crawl, sitting dives, disoriented entries and underwater swim. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to complete a distance swim of at least 10 metres.

Swim Colours (ages 6 to 14 years)

The ten colours for the levels of school-aged swim lessons were chosen through a contest in June 2022.

Swim Colours level	Equivalent previous Red Cross level
Yellow 1	Swim Kids Level 1
Coral 2	Swim Kids Level 2
Red 3	Swim Kids Level 3
Magenta 4	Swim Kids Level 4
Purple 5	Swim Kids Level 5
Navy 6	Swim Kids Level 6
Aqua 7	Swim Kids Level 7
Seafoam 8	Swim Kids Level 8
Green 9	Swim Kids Level 9
Lime 10	Swim Kids Level 10

Course descriptions

Yellow 1

Your child will learn how to independently float and glide on their front and back, enter and exit shallow water and will learn underwater breathing techniques. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to complete a distance swim of at least 5 metres.

Coral 2

Your child will learn deep water skills, learn how to kick on their front and back and introduced to rollover glides. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to complete a distance swim of at least 10 metres.

Red 3

Your child will start to learn the progression to front crawl, jump into deep water, and practice increasing distance on front and back glides with kick. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to complete a distance swim of at least 25 metres.

Magenta 4

Your child will learn front crawl, back glide with body roll, kneeling dives and head- first sculling. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to complete a distance swim of at least 50 metres.

Purple 5

Your child will learn back crawl, whip kick on back, disorienting entries and continue develop their front crawl. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to complete a distance swim of at least 100 metres.

Navy 6

Your child will learn whip kick on front, eggbeater in deep water and develop their back crawl and front crawl technique. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to complete a distance swim of at least 150 metres.

Aqua 7

Your child will learn elementary backstroke, breaststroke arms, front dives and continue to develop front and back crawl. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to complete a distance swim of at least 300 metres.

Seafoam 8

Your child will learn breaststroke, scissor kick, stride entries and continue to develop front crawl, back crawl and elementary back stroke. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to complete a distance swim of at least 400 metres.

Green 9

Your child will learn side stroke, shallow dives, surface dives, and ice rescues and continue to develop front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, and elementary back stroke. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to complete an interval swim of 400 metres.

Lime 10

Your child will learn head up front crawl and breaststroke, compact jumps, choking response and continue to develop front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke and elementary back stroke. Upon completion of this level, your child will be able to complete a timed swim of 400 metres in 13 minutes

Adult and Youth (ages 15 years and older)

Master the fundamentals of swimming and water safety at any age.

Swim levels - Adult and youth ages 15 and up
Adult and Youth level	Equivalent previous Red Cross level
Sw’imtroduction 1	Swim Basics 1
Sw’immersion 2	Swim Basics 2
Sw’improvement 3	Swim Strokes

Course descriptions

Sw’imtroduction 1

Participants will learn how to independently float and glide on their front and back, enter and exit chest deep water and will learn underwater breathing techniques. Upon completion of this level, participants will be able to complete a distance swim of at least 15 metres.

Sw’immersion 2

Participants will learn deep water skills and be introduced to a front glide with body roll. Upon completion of this level, participants will be able to complete a distance swim of at least 25 metres.

Sw’improvement 3

Participants will learn front and back crawl, whip kick on front, disorienting entries and continue to develop deep water entries. Upon completion of this level, participants will be able to complete a distance swim of at least 50 metres.

Powerswim (pre-competitive)

Get into the world of pre-competitive swimming by working on your strokes while building speed and endurance. The Powerswim program is separate from the Swim City learn-to-swim program. Participants must have the prerequisite swimming skills but are not required to complete the entire Swim City program.

Powerswim – Introduction

Pre-competitive program developing freestyle, backstroke, flip turns and introduces whip kick and dolphin kick. Build to an endurance swim of 200m nonstop and a total workout of 800 to 1000m.

Prerequisites: 8 years of age and completion of Purple 5 or ability to swim 75m nonstop.

Powerswim – Intermediate

Pre-competitive program that continues to develop endurance to 300m nonstop and workout total of 1000 to 1500m. Breast stroke and butterfly strokes and turns are introduced.

Prerequisites: 8 years of age and Powerswim Introduction or recommendation by instructor.

Powerswim – Advanced

Timed distances increase in this pre-competitive program level and includes endurance swim to 400m and workout totals to 1500m+.  All strokes are refined and individual medley and relays are introduced.  Times distances increase.

Prerequisites: 8 years of age and Powerswim Intermediate or recommendation by instructor.

Certification (Lifesaving)

Continue into the lifesaving stream and follow the Lifesaving Society’s Swim for Life program to become a lifeguard and instructor. The Swim for Life program is separate from the Swim City learn-to-swim program. Participants must have the prerequisite swimming skills but completing a learn-to-swim program is not a requirement.

Bronze Star (10 years and older)

This level prepares candidates for timed swims, lifesaving rescues and rescue skills. Further first aid skills are taught. Excellent for those who want to take their Bronze Medallion and are not the required 13 years of age. This course is not required to become a lifeguard and is optional.

Prerequisite: Must be comfortable swimming a minimum of 300 metres continuously.

Bronze Medallion and Emergency First Aid with CPR ‘B’ (13 years and older)

Teaches lifesavers how to respond to complex water rescue situations. Develops physical fitness, decision-making and judgement skills in preparation for challenging rescues of increased risk. Candidates will develop stroke efficiency and endurance in a timed swim. Required for employment with City of Ottawa Aquatics.

Prerequisite: Bronze Star or 13-years-old by the date of the exam.

Bronze Cross

More advanced training including an introduction to safe supervision in aquatic facilities. Bronze Cross teaches the difference between lifesaving and lifeguarding, the principles of emergency procedures, teamwork and use of special equipment. Required for employment with City of Ottawa Aquatics.

Prerequisite: Bronze Medallion and Emergency First Aid

Standard First Aid and CPR C (12 years and older)

Combined course that certifies participants in Standard First Aid, CPR C and AED skills. Required for employment with City of Ottawa Aquatics.

Prerequisite: 12 years of age.

Airway Management

Provides lifeguards with specific knowledge and training in use of oxygen and advanced equipment.

Prerequisite: Lifesaving Society Standard First Aid, or SFA from a training agency approved by the Ontario government. The list of approved agencies can be found at lifesavingsociety.com. Required for employment with City of Ottawa Aquatics.

Lifesaving Swim Instructor

Prepares candidates to teach and evaluate levels within the Lifesaving Swim for Life program. Content includes teaching methods, learning styles, progressions, safety supervision, lesson planning and providing effective feedback. Required for employment with City of Ottawa Aquatics. The recommended level of swimming proficiency is the equivalent of:

Swim Colours Lime 10 (Swim City program)
Swimmer 6 (Lifesaving Swim for Life program)
Swim Kids 10 (previous Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety program)

Prerequisites: 15 years of age by the end of the course; Bronze Cross certification (does not need to be current).

National Lifeguard

Nationally recognized award emphasizing teamwork, leadership, communication, accident prevention, and management of aquatic emergencies. Required for employment with City of Ottawa Aquatics.

Prerequisites: 15 years of age by the last day of the course, Bronze Cross, Lifesaving Society Standard First Aid, or SFA from a training agency approved by the Ontario government. The list of approved agencies can be found at lifesavingsociety.com. Expired Bronze Cross certificates are accepted for this course.