Water Safety Skills by Age: A Milestone Guide

Water safety skills build in steps, and each age has a few things to focus on. Toddlers can start parent-child lessons and learn to ask a grown-up first. Most children are ready for regular lessons by age 4, and most children in lessons can swim the front crawl by 5 or 6. School-age kids can master the five water competency skills and learn to help others safely, and teens can learn CPR and rescue. Ages are rough guides, and no skill at any age replaces adult supervision.

How to use this guide

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reminds parents that children develop at different rates, and not all are ready to begin swim lessons at exactly the same age (opens in a new tab). It suggests considering your child's emotional maturity, physical and developmental abilities and limitations, and comfort in the water. Your pediatrician can help you decide.

The American Red Cross describes water competency as three parts: water smarts, swimming skills and helping others (opens in a new tab). This guide follows the same idea. For each age you'll find:

• what adults must still do
• the habits a child can learn (water smarts)
• the swim skills to work on
• when they're ready, ways to help others

Where the AAP gives an age, we use it. Where no official age exists, we describe what to work on rather than inventing a deadline.

Ages 1 to 3

Adults: At this age the protection comes almost entirely from grown-ups. The AAP recommends touch supervision from an adult with swimming skills, within arm's length (opens in a new tab), and notes that toddlers aren't old enough yet to do what is needed when in trouble (opens in a new tab). Barriers and life jackets carry the load. See water safety for toddlers.

Swim skills: The AAP says swim lessons can begin for many children starting at age 1 (opens in a new tab). Parent-child classes can introduce water safety habits and start building basic water survival skills, such as back floating (opens in a new tab). For children under 4, the AAP says to look for:

• an adult within arm's reach, even during lessons
• a calm, age-appropriate class where your child feels safe
• warm water: ideally 87 to 94°F for children 3 and younger (opens in a new tab)

Habits: Start the phrase "ask a grown-up first." The Red Cross says to teach children to always ask permission to go near water (opens in a new tab).

Not sure your child is ready? Try the readiness check:

Ages 4 to 6

Swim skills: The AAP says that by their 4th birthday most children are ready for swim lessons (opens in a new tab), and at this age they can usually learn survival skills beyond back floating, such as treading water and getting to an exit point. By age 5 or 6, most children in swim lessons can master the front crawl (opens in a new tab).

What if they fall in? The AAP says good lessons practice falling in and swimming in clothes (opens in a new tab). The YMCA's Safety Around Water program teaches Jump, Push, Turn, Grab and Swim, Float, Swim (opens in a new tab) for unexpected falls.

Habits: The AAP says children should learn never to swim alone or without adult supervision, and to always ask permission (opens in a new tab) from a parent, lifeguard or instructor before getting into a pool or natural water.

Adults: Keep arm's-reach supervision for any child who can't yet swim well, and a life jacket near natural water.

For teaching ideas, use the Water Safety Lesson Plan for Grades K-2 lesson plan and see how to talk to kids about water safety.

Ages 7 to 12

Swim skills: The AAP says all children should learn how to get back to the surface from underwater, propel themselves at least 25 yards, and get out of the water (opens in a new tab). The Red Cross's five water competency skills add floating or treading for a minute and turning around. The Red Cross also says to learn these skills in every type of water environment you may encounter (opens in a new tab), from pools to lakes and the ocean.

A beginner certificate isn't the finish line. Water Safety USA notes that children completing entry-level lessons may still not have the basic skills and knowledge for water competency, and still need close and direct supervision (opens in a new tab). The AAP says to continue lessons at least until your child masters basic water competency skills (opens in a new tab).

Habits: buddy system, lifeguarded areas, feet first, no breath-holding contests, and a life jacket in natural water. CDC says life jackets should be used by children for all activities while in and around natural water (opens in a new tab).

Helping others: The AAP says older children should learn what to do if they see someone else struggling, and how to get help (opens in a new tab). Teach "reach or throw, don't go." See reach or throw, don't go.

Classroom options: our Water Safety Lesson Plan for Grades 3-5 and Water Safety Lesson Plan for Grades 6-8 plans, and the Red Cross's free Longfellow's WHALE Tales (opens in a new tab) for kindergarten through grade 5. More in water safety for kids ages 5 to 12.

Teens

Swim skills: Pool skills need to stretch to open water. The AAP explains that teens are more likely to drown in lakes, rivers, oceans and ponds (opens in a new tab), where waves, currents and drop-offs add risk.

Habits: feet first into new water, swimming only where lifeguards are on duty, never alone, sober, and a life jacket on every boat.

Helping others: The AAP recommends that caregivers and adolescents learn CPR and know how to perform safe rescue (opens in a new tab). Strong swimmers can train as lifeguards; in New York City, NYC Parks Swim Prep (opens in a new tab) gives free coaching to swimmers 16 and up preparing for the lifeguard test.

Know the danger in "skill games." CDC warns that hyperventilating or holding your breath underwater for long periods can cause you to pass out and drown (opens in a new tab). Experienced swimmers are not immune.

See water safety for teens and the Water Safety Lesson Plan for Grades 9-12 lesson plan.

Adults learning later

If you're reading this and thinking "I can't do half of these," you have plenty of company. CDC estimates that 40 million U.S. adults don't know how to swim (opens in a new tab). The same five skills are the goal at any age, and adult classes start from the very beginning. See water safety for adults and learning to swim as an adult.

Track progress

Write down what your child can do now, then check again after each session of lessons. The AAP says that once lessons start, you should be able to see gradual but consistent progress over time (opens in a new tab), and that refresher sessions may be needed.

For how lesson programs group these skills into levels, see swim lesson levels explained.

What you can do today

1. Find your child's row in the table above and pick one habit and one skill to work on this month.
2. Watch a class before you sign up. The AAP suggests asking to watch a class first (opens in a new tab) to see if it's right for your child.
3. Ask your pediatrician about readiness at the next checkup, especially for a toddler.
4. Practice one habit at home, like "ask first," until your child says it before you do.
5. Log a starting point in the progress tracker so you can see the change.