Find Your Element. Find Your Y.
Water is everywhere in the Pacific Northwest, especially with Whatcom County being home to many lakes, rivers, bays, and creeks. The Y is here to help you develop the swim skills you need to be safe, confident, and at home wherever you encounter water!
Knowing how to swim and be water-safe is a crucial life skill everyone should have. Swim lessons help kids, teens, and adults of all ages and abilities find joy in swimming and develop a lifelong love of water with a healthy appreciation for water safety.
Swim lessons at the Y are conducted under the careful supervision of certified lifeguards, ensuring the safety of every participant. Moreover, our highly trained swim instructors hold national certifications in instruction, CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation), AED (Automated External Defibrillator), and First Aid, ensuring they are well-equipped to handle any situation.
Swim Lessons Session Dates
Registration opens two weeks prior to each session start.
Upcoming Sessions:
- January 6 - January 29
- February 3 - February 26
- March 3 - March 26
- March 31 - April 23
- April 28 - May 21
- May 26 - June 18
- June 23 - July 16
- July 21 - August 13
- August 18 - September 10
- September 15 - October 8
- October 13 - November 5
- November 10 - December 8 *No Lesson November 26th - Thanksgiving Day
Time:
- 4:30 - 5pm Preschool A/B, Youth Level 1 & Youth Level 2
- 5 - 5:30pm Youth Level 3
- 5:30 - 6pm Preschool Level 1, Youth Level 4 & Youth Level 5
- 6 - 6:30pm Preschool Level 2, Youth Level 6 & Teen/Adult
- 6:30 - 7pm Preschool Level 3
Upcoming Sessions:
- January 7 - February 25
- March 4 - April 22
- April 29 - June 17
- June 24 - August 12
- August 19 - October 7
- October 14 - December 2
Time:
- 4:30 - 5pm Preschool A/B, Youth Level 1 & Youth Level 2
- 5 - 5:30pm Youth Level 3
- 5:30 - 6pm Preschool Level 1, Youth Level 4 & Youth Level 5
- 6 - 6:30pm Preschool Level 2, Youth Level 6 & Teen/Adult
- 6:30 - 7pm Preschool Level 3
Upcoming Sessions:
- January 10 - February 28
- March 7 - April 25
- May 2 - June 20
- June 27 - August 22 *No Lesson July 4th - Independence Day
- August 29 - October 17
- October 31 - December 19 *No Lesson October 24th - Halloween @ The Y Event
Time:
- 10 - 10:30am Preschool A/B, Youth Level 1 & Youth Level 2
- 10:30 - 11am Preschool A/B, Youth Level 1 & Youth Level 2
- 11 - 11:30am Youth Level 3
- 11:30am - Noon Preschool Level 1, Youth Level 4 & Youth Level 5
- Noon - 12:30pm Preschool Level 2, Preschool Level 4 & Youth Level 6
- 12:30pm - 1pm Preschool Level 3, Teen/Adult
Upcoming Sessions:
- January 4 - February 22
- March 1 - April 19
- April 26 - June 14
- June 21 - August 9
- August 16 - October 4
- October 11 - November 29
Time:
- 10 - 10:30am Preschool A/B
- 10:30 - 11am Preschool Level 1
- 11 - 11:30pm Preschool Level 2
Swim Lesson Stages
Stage A/B | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 | Stage 6 | Teen & Adult
Stage A: Water Discovery / Stage B: Water Exploration
This stage introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment through exploring body positions, blowing bubbles, and fundamental safety and aquatic skills.
Stage A/B
Bellingham YMCA
Stage 1: Water Acclimation
This stage increases students’ comfort with underwater exploration and introduces basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance.
Stage 1 (Preschool)
Bellingham YMCA
Stage 1 (School Age)
Bellingham YMCA
Stage 2: Water Movement
In this stage, students focus on forward movement in water and basic self-rescue skills performed independently.
Stage 2 (Preschool)
Bellingham YMCA
Stage 2 (School Age)
Bellingham YMCA
Stage 3: Water Stamina
This stage develops intermediate self-rescue skills performed at longer distances than in previous stages.
Stage 3 (Preschool)
Bellingham YMCA
Stage 3 (School Age)
Bellingham YMCA
Stage 4: Stroke Introduction
This stage introduces basic stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl and reinforces water safety through treading water and elementary backstroke.
Stage 4 (Preschool)
Bellingham YMCA
Stage 4 (School Age)
Bellingham YMCA
Stage 5: Stroke Development
This stage introduces breaststroke and butterfly and reinforces water safety through treading water and sidestroke.
Stage 5 (School Age)
Bellingham YMCA
Stage 6: Stroke Mechanics
This stage refines stroke technique on all major competitive strokes and encourages swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Stage 6 (School Age)
Bellingham YMCA
Teen & Adult
General classes for anyone over the age of 13.
Teen & Adult Swim Lessons
Bellingham YMCA