The YMCA has been teaching kids how to swim for more than a century, providing lessons about water safety in a fun and safe environment. As part of the Y’s Safety Around Water Program, children will have the opportunity to develop this essential lifeskill while enrolled in YMCA summer camp.*

Each week, summer day campers must participate in a swim test before entering the pool. Based on their swimming abilities, campers are given a red, yellow, or blue wristband. To earn a blue wristband swimmers must have enough strength, skill, and confidence to jump into the deep end of the pool, tread water, and swim the length of the pool using a front crawl stroke without stopping.

To improve their swimming skills, all red and yellow wristband campers will participate in 15-minute swim lessons several times a week. Our goal is to help all non-swimmers and intermediate swimmers “Go Blue” by the end of summer.

*PLEASE NOTE: Program offering vary by location.

Since the program’s launch in 2008, the Y has provided more than 10,000 free swim lessons for kids in Joliet.  This is made possible through the generosity of local businesses and grantors, including the United Way of Will County.