Swim Lessons
(IMPORTANT!) CLICK HERE TO VIEW SEEK (FREE SWIM LESSONS!) GRANT SWIM INFORMATION!
All registrations will be by phone or in-person, there will be no online registration.
The Mount Rainier Pool provides a fun and creative atmosphere to help children develop swimming skills. We believe in the value of swimming as a lifelong skill and as a healthy recreational activity, and are committed to the importance of water safety and training, for our staff as well as our community.
SEEK GRANT INFORMATION
Kids can learn to swim for free at Mount Rainier Pool this spring and summer, thanks to a grant through the Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s office. In addition to the lessons, the $79,575 Summer Enrichment and Experience for Kids grant will provide free practice time and a free swim package with a swimsuit, goggles, towel, and swim bag. The funding runs from mid-April 2022 to mid-November. The grant aims to eliminate barriers to learning a lifesaving skill and give kids access to water-based recreational activities. (See below for more detailed information.)
SWIM LEVELS
The Mount Rainier Pool offers lessons for children six month all the way through adult lessons. Please scroll down to bottom of page to see more exact levels of swimming.
REGISTRATION
All classes are based on ability (not age level). This requires us to only take registrations by phone or in-person. This is why we do not have online registration. Please see exact registration dates and times below. To register over the phone, please call us at (206) 824-4722.
FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED
All registrations are first-come, first-serve and there are limited spots for classes. If you cannot get into a class, please ask to be added to a waiting list.
WAITING LISTS
All registrants that are unable to get into a class can be elected to be placed onto a waiting list. If spots become available, participants will be contacted. (Note-If you are not contacted, there was not an open spot.)
COVID-19 CHANGES
Due to effects of Covid-19 weekday and morning classes are on hold. If conditions change due to the Covid-19 pandemic, notifications will be put out with our email notification system, on this page and current students will be notified.
SEEK Swim Grant Information (Please Read Before Registering for Lessons)
All swim lessons will be free for youth, ages 4-14 between April 15 through November 15, 2022 thank to the SEEK Grant. Please read packet below for more information.
SUMMER EXPERIENCES & ENRICHMENT FOR KIDS (SEEK) GRANT PROGRAM
Kids can learn to swim for free at Mount Rainier Pool this spring and summer, thanks to a grant through the Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s office.
In addition to the lessons, the $79,575 Summer Enrichment and Experience for Kids grant will provide free practice time and a free swim package with a swimsuit, goggles, towel, and swim bag. The funding runs from April 2022 to mid-November. The grant aims to eliminate barriers to learning a lifesaving skill and give kids access to water-based recreational activities.
EMAIL NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
We are working to grow the free swim lessons program and may have a periodical need to make adjustments. Please click here to sign up for our email notification list. We will email any updates. Also, please add info@mtrainierpool.com to your email contacts to ensure you do not have this email blocked or going to a spam/junk folder.
SEEK SWIM LESSON PACKET
Click here to download the complete SEEK Grant Packet for more detailed information.
Saturday Mornings, 8-11:15am
Summer Information Coming in Mid-May. Sign up for email notifications to be first to receive updates.
Class Dates |
Current Student Registration** |
New Student Registration** |
April 16-June 11 (No May 28) | Saturday, March 12@ 8am | Tuesday, March 15 @ 4pm |
Summer Dates: Coming Mid-May | Coming Soon | Coming Soon |
Monday & Wednesday Evenings, 4:30-7pm
Summer Information Coming in Mid-May. Sign up for email notifications to be first to receive updates.
Class Dates |
Current Student Registration* |
New Student Registration* |
May 16-June 13 (No May 30) | Monday, May 2@ 4pm | Wednesday, May 4 @ 4pm |
Summer (Update coming in Mid-May) | Coming Soon | Coming Soon |
MRP Community Swim Club and Lifeguard Prep Courses (Info Coming Soon)
The Mount Rainier Pool Community Swim Club and Lifeguard Prep courses are free programs through the King County Youth and Amateur Sports Grant.
Information for these programs will be presented in April 2022. Please check back or sign up for our email notification system.
New Student & First-Time Students at Mount Rainier Pool
NEW SWIMMER: Students that have not taken a swimming class or want to signup for the classes before can sign up for the first-level of swim lessons without having to take a swim evaluation (formerly swim test).
- Parent/Tot Swim (6 months to 3 years)
- Preschool Level 1 (4-6 years)
- Level 1 (7-14 years)
- Adult Lessons (15+ years)
TRANSFER SWIMMER: Swimmers transferring from another swim program are required to have a swim evaluation (formerly swim test before participating. See available times for testing.
- Before July 1: Please attend an Open Swim (Tuesday & Thursday, 1:00-3:00pm) & Saturdays (11:00am-1:00pm).
- July 1 and After: Please attend a Family or Open Swim. Please notify desk when you arrive.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL
Click here to use this guide on skills for swim lesson levels.
WHY SWIM EVALUATIONS (FORMERLY SWIM TESTS)?
Our goal is to give participants the best experience in our swim lessons! The most important part is ensuring participants are in the right level. This not only helps the individual, but also ensures other participants get the most of their lesson time.
Class Pricing
Class Dates |
Parent & Child |
All Other Classes |
8-session Class | $48 ($70 NR) | $66 ($80 NR) |
*7-session Class | $42 ($54.25NR) | $57.75 ($70NR) |
NR = Non-Resident. Residents of Des Moines and Normandy Park receive discount for helping subsidize pool operations.
Rates were updated for 2022.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available for all swim lessons. Scholarships must be completed and approved before you register for swim lessons. For more information on scholarships, click here.
Future Classes
Our next set of classes will be public posted the week before the end of the previous session. For updates, please sign-up for our email notification system at www.mtrainierpool.com.
PRIVATE LESSONS ON HOLD DUE TO COVID-19 & SEEK GRANT!
The Mount Rainier Pool updated its Private Swim Lessons but has placed them on hold to focus on group lessons. The goal of the updated process is to give working families more options to take lessons around their busy schedules. We hope to have this program updated by Fall 2022.
FLYER
Click here to download a flyer.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information, call us at (206) 824-4722.
Parent & Child: Ages 6 m - 3 years
- Enter and exit the water safety
- Feel comfortable in the water
- Submerge and explore breath control
- Explore floating on the back and front
- Change body position in the water
- Play safely in the water
- Experience wearing a life jacket
Parents, you also learn!:
- How to hold and support your child in the water
- How to select and fit a life jacket for your child
- Valuable water safety information to make your family safe in and around the water
Once infants or young children are able to comfortably perform the skills in Level 1, they should progress to Parent & Child Aquatics Level 2. It is common for infants or young children to participate in several sessions of Level 1 before moving on to Level 2. That is okay! It is not important how quickly they move through a level, but that they acquire each skill.
Preschool Aquatics Level 1: Ages 4 - 6 years
- Entering the water independently using the ladder, steps, or side and travel at least 5 yards.
- Submerging mouth and blowing bubbles for at least 3 seconds.
- Exiting the water safely.
- Gliding on front for at least 2 body lengths.
- Rolling to back and floating for 3 seconds.
- Recovering to a vertical position.
It is quite common for children to participate in several sessions of Level 1 before they are able to successfully demonstrate all the skills. That’s okay! It is not important how quickly they move through a level, but that they acquire each skill.
Preschool Aquatics Level 2: Ages 4 -6 years
Some of the milestones in Level 2 include:
- Gliding on front at least 2 body lengths.
- Rolling to back, floating on back for 15 seconds then recovering to a vertical position.
- Gliding on back for at least 2 body lengths.
- Rolling to front, floating for 5 seconds then recovering to a vertical position.
- Swimming using combined arm and leg actions on front for 3 body lengths.
- Rolling to back, floating for 15 seconds, rolling to front then continuing to swim on front for 3 body lengths.
It is quite common for children to participate in several sessions of Preschool Aquatics
Level 2 before they are able to successfully demonstrate all the skills. That’s okay! It is
not important how quickly they move through a level, but that they acquire each skill.
Preschool Aquatics level 3: Ages 4 - 6 years
- Stepping from the side into chest-deep water.
- Moving into a front float for 15 seconds, swimming on front and/or back for 5 body lengths.
- Moving into a back float for 15 seconds, rolling to front then recovering to a vertical position.
- Pushing off and swimming using combined arm and leg actions on front and/or back for 5 body lengths.
- Rolling to back, floating for 15 seconds, rolling to front then continuing to swim for 5 body lengths.
It is quite common for children to participate in several sessions of Level 3 before they are able to successfully demonstrate all the skills. That’s okay! It is not important how quickly they move through a level, but that they acquire each skill.
Learn-to-Swim Level 1: Ages 7-14 years
In Learn to Swim Level 1 – Introduction to Water Skills, your child is introduced to basic skills as the foundation for future skills. Certain milestones are necessary for successful completion of Learn to Swim Level 1, including:
- Entering the water independently using ladder, steps, or side
- Traveling at least 5 yards, bobbing 5 times, then safely exiting the water
- Gliding on front supported at least 2 body lengths
- Rolling to a back float for 5 seconds with support
- Recovering to a vertical position with support
It is common for children to participate in several sessions of Learn to Swim Level 1 before they successfully demonstrate each skill. That is okay! It is not important how quickly they move through a level, but that they acquire each skill.
Learn-to-Swim Level 2: Ages 7 - 14 years
- Stepping from the side into chest-deep water.
- Moving into a front float for 15 seconds, swimming on front and/or back for 5 body lengths, then safely exiting the water.
- Moving into a back float for 15 seconds, rolling to front then recovering to a vertical position.
- Pushing off and swimming using combined arm and leg actions on front for 5 body lengths, rolling to back and float for 15 seconds, then roll to the front then continue swimming for 5 body lengths.
It is common for children to participate in several sessions of Learn to Swim Level 2 before they successfully demonstrate each skill. That is okay! It is not important how quickly they move through a level, but that they acquire each skill.
Learn-to-Swim Level 3: Ages 7 - 14 years
- Jumping into deep water from the side.
- Swimming the front crawl and/or elementary backstroke for 25 yards.
- Maintaining position by treading or floating for 1 minute.
- Swimming front crawl for 15 yards and swimming elementary backstroke for 15 yards.
It is common for children to participate in several sessions of Learn to Swim Level 3 before they successfully demonstrate each skill. That is okay! It is not important how quickly they move through a level, but that they acquire each skill.
Learn-to-Swim Level 4: Ages 7-14 years
- Swimming the front crawl for 25 yards.
- Swimming the elementary backstroke for 25 yards.
- Swimming the breaststroke for 15 yards.
- Swimming the back crawl for 15 yards.
- Swimming 3-5 body lengths underwater without hyperventilating.
- Open turns on the front and back.
It is common for children to participate in several sessions of Learn to Swim Level 4 before they successfully demonstrate each skill. That is okay! It is not important how quickly they move through a level, but that they acquire each skill.
Learn-to-Swim Level 5: Ages 7-14 years
- Performing a shallow-angle dive into deep water.
- Swimming the front crawl for 50 yards.
- Swimming elementary backstroke for 50 yards.
- Swimming the breaststroke for 25 yards.
- Swimming the back crawl for 25 yards.
It is common for students to participate in several sessions of Learn to Swim Level 5 before they successfully demonstrate each skill. That is okay! It is not important how quickly they move through a level, but that they acquire each skill.
Learn-to-Swim Level 6: Ages 7 - 14 years
- Swimming 500 yards continuously using any 3 strokes of choice, swimming at least 50 yards of each stroke.
- Jumping into deep water and performing a survival float for 5 minutes and a back float for 5 minutes.
- Performing a surface dive, retrieving an object from the bottom of the pool at a depth of 7-10 feet, returning to the surface and returning to the starting point.
It is common for children to participate in several sessions of Learn to Swim Level 6 before they successfully demonstrate each skill. That is okay! It is not important how quickly they move through a level, but that they acquire each skill. Once participant complete Learn-to-Swim Level 6 they may want to continue with Learn to Swim Level 6 to further refine their strokes or are eligible to participate in our Competitive Swimming class. Participants that are 11-14 years of age are also eligible to participate in our Aquatic Volunteer Academy, which is the first step to becoming a volunteer junior lifeguard and swim lesson instructor aide.
Adult Swim Lessons: Ages 15 +
Beginner Swimmers will learn fundamental swimming techniques and how to be comfortable in water. They will use kickboards and other equipment to augment skills as they progress, and for practicing skills, such as alternating kicking and stroke-work. Instructor-led drills and demonstrations will help swimmers grasp concepts in alternating stroking and kicking.
The beginner course includes skills such as:
- Safe Entry and Exit of the Water
- Getting comfortable in shallow and deep water
- Stepping or jumping from side in deep water
- Bobbing to Safety
- Floating and maintaining body position on front
- Floating and maintaining body position on back
- Rolling from front to back and back to front
- Changing from a vertical to horizontal position on back and front
- Maintaining a horizontal body position in the water
- Treading using arm and leg actions
- Alternating and Simultaneous Kicking Actions
- Gliding on Front, with and without Kicking Actions
- Rotary Breathing
- Introduction to Crawlstroke and stroke development
- Introduction to Breaststroke
- Introduction to Scissors Kick
- Introduction to Elementary Backstroke
- Changing from a vertical to horizontal position on back and front
- All registration is in-person or by phone. Registration starts at 4:00pm on weekdays and 8:00am on Saturdays (See specific swim lesson sections above for starting time of each registration date.)
- No online registration. All registration is in-person or over the phone.
- All classes are 30 minutes long unless otherwise noted.
- Three students must be registered to run a class. In cases where only one student is registered, parents can opt to transfer to another class, get a credit on their account, request a refund, or pay for the second student.
- Children learn better in the appropriate level. Swim tests are available for proper lesson placement, please call us to schedule an appointment for placement testing.
- Don’t miss out on all the exciting opportunities at the Mount Rainier Pool! Please note that classes fill up quickly. Registration is done on a first-come-first-served basis through our online registration page. Payment is due at the time of registration
Click here to view more information on scholarship opportunities.
Mandatory (Free) Placement Tests
DURING FAMILY SWIMS
All participants are required to complete a placement test before registering for classes. There are no appointments as tests will be done drop-in on a first-come, first- serve basis. We will stay until all tests are completed. Parent or Guardian must be present during test. Placement tests are held during Family Swims. For more information, please scroll down this page.
*Note – Mandatory swim tests are not required for Parent & Child, Preschool 1 and Level 1 classes.
Click here to view schedule for Family Swims to complete your placement tests.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Wait List Procedures
Make-ups
Do you have more questions or would like to speak to someone in person? Our front desk is here to help. You can call them directly at (206) 824-4722 or email her at frontdesk@desmoinespool.org.