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Learning how to swim can prepare you for a lifetime of fun, fitness and water safety. Register for swimming lessons at one of our pools.
Mark your calendars with these upcoming 2025 registration dates:
Winter Registration dates:
When searching for programs in ActiveNet, use "Kitchener Swims" in your search, or reference the new name in our swimming lessons descriptions.
Visit our ActiveNet questions page to find answers to common questions or watch our YouTube video to learn more about searching on ActiveNet.
Pools may open up more class spaces or times closer to the start of each session. If there are no spaces available when you check ActiveNet, add yourself to a waitlist or visit ActiveNet closer to when the session starts to check if there are new spaces available.
In early 2025, we launched Kitchener Swims, a program based on the Lifesaving Society’s Swim for Life program, widely used across Canada. In partnership with the Lifesaving Society, recognized experts in lifeguarding, swim lessons, and drowning prevention, the program will teach basic swim skills for safe water activities and introduce advanced skills for lifesaving, lifeguarding, and aquatic sports.
You can register for swimming lessons at these pools:
Depending on the age of a swimmer or lesson level, we have different caregiver requirements:
Open the accordions below to learn about the swimming lessons we offer at our pools.
Below, you will find the new Kitchener Swims titles and descriptions. Titles of similar levels from the previous program are next to the new title in brackets to help find the best fit. Use the new title when searching for lessons in ActiveNet.
Kitchener Swims Parent & Tot 1
Designed for 3 to 12-month-olds to learn to enjoy the water with their parents. A guardian must be in the water with the child for this level.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Parent & Tot 2
Kitchener Swims Parent & Tot 2
This level is designed for children aged 12 to 24 months to learn to enjoy the water with their parents. A guardian must be in the water with the child for this level.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Parent & Tot 3
Kitchener Swims Parent & Tot 3
Designed for 2 to 3-year-olds to learn to enjoy the water with their parents. A guardian must be in the water with the child for this level.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Preschool 1
We encourage the parent to participate until their child lets them know they can do it themselves.
These preschoolers, ages 3 to 5, will have fun learning to get in and out of the water. We'll help them jump into chest-deep water. They'll float and glide on their front and back, get their faces wet, and blow bubbles underwater.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Preschool 2
These preschoolers, ages 3 to 5, learn to jump into chest-deep water by themselves and get in and out wearing a lifejacket. They submerge and exhale underwater, and wearing a lifejacket, they glide on their front and back.
A caregiver 12 years or older must be in the pool area, including the viewing galleries, during the lesson.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Preschool 3
These youngsters, ages 3 to 5 years, will try both jumping and a sideways entry into deep water while wearing a lifejacket. They'll recover objects from the bottom in waist-deep water. They'll work on kicking and gliding through the water on their front and back.
A caregiver 12 years or older must be in the pool area, including the viewing galleries, during the lesson.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Preschool 4
Advanced preschoolers ages 3 to 5 will learn to do solo jumps into deeper water and get independently. They'll also do sideways entries and open their eyes underwater. They'll master a short swim on their front, wearing a lifejacket and gliding and kicking on their side.
A caregiver 12 years or older must be in the pool area, including the viewing galleries, during the lesson.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Preschool 5
These youngsters, ages 3 to 5, get more adventurous with a forward roll entry wearing a lifejacket and treading water for 10 seconds. They'll work on front and back crawl swims for 5 m, interval training, and getting a giggle out of whip kick.
A caregiver 12 years or older must be in the pool area, including the viewing galleries, during the lesson.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Child 2
These beginners, ages 5 to 12, will become comfortable jumping into the water with and without a lifejacket. They'll learn to open their eyes, exhale, and hold their breath underwater. They'll work on floats, glides, and kicking through the water on their front and back.
Children under 10 years old require a caregiver 12 years or older to be in the pool area, which includes the viewing galleries, during the lesson.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Child 2
These advanced beginners, ages 5 to 12 years, will jump into deeper water and learn to be comfortable falling sideways into the water wearing a lifejacket. They'll be able to support themselves at the surface without an aid, learn whip kick, swim 10 metres on their front and back, and be introduced to flutter kick interval training (4 x 5 metres).
Children under 10 years old require a caregiver 12 years or older to be in the pool area, which includes the viewing galleries, during the lesson.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Child 3
These junior swimmers, ages 5 to 12 years, will dive and do in-waterfront somersaults and handstands. They'll work on 15 m of front crawl, back crawl, and 10 m of whip kick. Flutter kick interval training increases to 4 x 15 m.
Children under 10 years old require a caregiver 12 years or older to be in the pool area, which includes the viewing galleries, during the lesson.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Child 4
These intermediate swimmers, ages 5 to 12, will swim five metres underwater and lengths of front, back crawl, whip kick, and breaststroke arms with breathing. Their new bag of tricks includes completing the Canadian Swim to Survive Standard. They'll cap it off with front crawl sprints over 25 metres and 4 x 25 metres front or back crawl interval training.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Child 5
These swimmers, ages 5 to 12, will master shallow dives, cannonball entries, eggbeater kicks, and in-water backward somersaults. They'll refine their front and back crawls to over 50 metres, swims of each, and breaststrokes to over 25 metres. Then, they'll pick up the pace in 25-metre sprints and two interval training bouts: 4 x 50-metre front or back crawl and 4 x 15-metre breaststroke.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Child 6
For children 8 years and older that have successfully completed Level J
*child must be comfortable swimming alone in deep water*
Children under 10 years old require a caregiver 12 years or older to be in the pool area, which includes the viewing galleries, during the lesson.
Swimmers will continue to develop their strokes for lifelong training. Additional lifesaving skills will be taught including rescue breathing, introduction to barrier devices and AED. Swimmers will perform first aid treatments through roleplay. Distances increase to 75 metres with a timed swim of 150 metres.
Once this level is successfully completed, swimmers will be able to:
Next level: Rookie Patrol
Swimmers continue stroke development with 50-meter front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke swims. Lifesaving Sports skills include a 25-meter obstacle swim, and a 15-meter object carry. First aid assesses conscious victims, contacts EMS, and treats bleeding. Fitness improves in 350-meter workouts and 100-meter timed swims.
Pre-requisite: Kitchener Swims Child 6
Next level: Ranger Patrol
Swimmers develop better strokes over 75 metres swims of each stroke. They tackle lifesaving sports skills in a lifesaving medley, using timed object support and rescue with a buoyant aid. First aid focuses on the assessment of unconscious victims and the treatment of victims in shock and obstructed airway procedures. Skill drills develop a strong lifesaving foundation.
Pre-requisite: Rookie Patrol
Next level: Star Patrol
Swimmers are challenged with 600-meter workouts, 300-meter timed swims, and a 25-meter object carry. Strokes are refined over 100-meter swims. First aid focuses on treating bone or joint injuries and respiratory emergencies, including asthma and allergic reactions. Lifesaving skills include defense methods, victim removals, and rolling over and supporting a victim face-up in shallow water.
Pre-requisite: Ranger Patrol
Teens ages 12 to 17 will work towards a 10-15 metres swim on their front and back, do jump entries from the side and recover an object from the bottom in chest-deep water. Improve fitness and the flutter kick with 4 x 9-12 metres interval training.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Teen 2
Kick it up by working on two interval training workouts of 4 x 25 metres, kicking and front or back crawling. Swimmers ages 13 to 17 can perform dive entries and demonstrate breaststroke arms and breathing over 10-15 metres, support themselves at the surface for 1-2 minutes, and show off their handstands in shallow water.
Level highlights include:
Next Level: Kitchener Swims Teen 3
No sweat (or at least none anyone can see). Teen swimmers ages 13 to 17 will learn eggbeater, stride entries and compact jumps. They'll be doing a 300 metres workout and, sprinting 25-50 metres, and mastering the front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke.
Level highlights include:
Adults ages 18+ will work towards a 10-15 metres swim on their front and back, do jump entries from the side and recover an object from the bottom in chest-deep water. Improve fitness and the flutter kick with 4 x 9-12 metres interval training.
Level highlights include:
Next level: Kitchener Swims Adult 2
Kick it up a notch by working on two interval training workouts of 4 x 25 metres, kicking and front or back crawl. Swimmers aged 18+ can perform dive entries and demonstrate breaststroke arms and breathing over 10-15 metres. They'll be supporting themself at the surface for 1-2 minutes and showing off their handstands in shallow water.
Level highlights include:
Next Level: Kitchener Swims Adult 3
No sweat (or at least none anyone can see). Adult swimmers aged 18+ will learn eggbeater, stride entries and compact jumps. They'll be doing a 300-metre workout, sprinting 25-50-metre, and mastering the front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke.
Level highlights include:
Adapted Aquatics - Beginner (warm pool)
Adapted Aquatics—Beginner is for children and youth with special needs and little or no swim experience. The program will take place in our warm-water pool. The ratio is 1-1 with a volunteer. Each 40-minute class includes transition time to get in/out of the pool. Inclusion Membership is required to register.
Age: 4+
Adapted Aquatics - Intermediate/Advanced (25m pool)
Adapted Aquatics—Beginner is for children and youth with special needs and little or no swim experience. The program will take place in our warm-water pool. The ratio is 1-1 with a volunteer. Each 40-minute class includes transition time to get in/out of the pool. Inclusion Membership is required to register.
Age: 4+
Adapted Aquatics - Fit Swim (25m pool)
Adapted Aquatics Fit Swim is for swimmers with special needs. Swimmers are encouraged to develop strokes for fitness or competition. It's a fun way to keep active. Swimmers must be able to swim 25 metres and be comfortable in deep water without assistance. One-on-one support from a volunteer may not be available for all swimmers at this timeslot. Inclusion Membership is required to register.
Age: 13+
We also offer private lessons. If you’re looking for one-on-one support or lessons outside of our schedule, contact your local pool for more information.
Learn about lifeguard and leadership training on our lifeguarding page. You can also learn about lifeguarding in Ontario from the Lifesaving Society.
Open the accordions below to learn about our pool guidelines.
For swim admission purposes, a caregiver is defined as someone 12 years or older, responsible for the child.
A swimmer to caregiver ratio defines the number of swimmers that can be supervised by a caregiver. Example: (4:1 ratio) means four swimmers can be supervised by one caregiver.
An aquatic staff member may request any swimmer attempts a swim test at any time. To ensure the safety of all swimmers, if at any point a swimmer exhibits any signs that they are tired or weak, aquatic staff may ask them to leave any deep area of a pool and return to the shallow area to attempt a swim test. This also includes anyone over the age of 10. It is up to the lifeguards on duty to allow swimmers to return to the deep area.
Children who are not fully toilet-trained, or adults with incontinence, must wear watertight elastic pants, or specially designed disposable swim diapers available for purchase at the pool.
Contact Us
City of Kitchener
200 King Street West,
Kitchener, Ontario
Telephone: 519-741-2345,
TTY: 1-866-969-9994
mailto:info@kitchener.ca
