American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Program

The American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Program offers swim lessons for infants, children, teenagers, and adults. The program includes swim lessons for infants, swim lessons for children, swim lessons for teenagers, and swim lessons for adults. Red Cross swim lessons are available throughout the country, and families can find a class in their area or visit their local pool and ask for Red Cross swim lessons.

• Ages: 6 months–18 years old

Launched in 2014, the American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Program marked a century of swimming safety education. Classes are taught by Water Safety Instructor® certified professionals, commonly referred to as a WSI™. The program aims to help participants gain the knowledge and skills to become water competent, which includes being water smart and knowing how to prevent and respond to water emergencies. Red Cross training providers can help participants learn to swim in a safe environment and at their own pace. The Red Cross Swim app, sponsored by The ZAC Foundation, can help children and adults learn to be safer in and around water and allows tracking kids’ progress as they learn to swim. The Red Cross Centennial Campaign is increasing impact in communities with high drowning rates or numbers of drownings and helps training providers reach families who would not otherwise have the opportunity to access this training. The Aquatics Centennial Campaign aims to create an ecosystem of water safety in each community that starts with teaching children and adults to become water competent, which is a combination of knowing water safety, having swimming skills, and knowing how to help others in a water emergency.

Last updated May 14, 2026.