Oak Bay aquatics offers a variety of aquatics activities for all ages, abilities, and skill levels including public swims, lane swimming, group and and private lessons, and more!
Swim Lessons
Oak Bay Aquatics provides a range of swim lessons for all ages at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre Pool. Our swim program, the “Oak Bay Way,” includes various programs and lesson levels. See below for details.
Preschool Swim Lessons
Parent and Tot (4 months-3 years)
Splish Splashers (4–12 months) – An introductory class for you and your baby. The goals of this class are buoyancy and movement, proper support, and enjoyment of the water. Underwater skills are demonstrated and tried if comfortable.
Bubble Blowers (1–2 years) – This class is for you and your toddler. You will cover proper support positions, buoyancy and movement, and floats and glides. The emphasis will be on enjoyment in the water.
Tiny Turtles (2–3 years) – This class is for your toddler to get used to swimming on their own with their instructor. The goal of this level is to try new skills including basic floats, glides, and kicking with buoyant objects.
Preschool (3-6 years)
Tadpole – This is the first swimming level for preschoolers. Children learn to safely enter & exit the pool, blow bubbles, submerge, and kick with kickboards. Assisted front & back floats are introduced.
Guppy – Children learn to float on their own for the first time. This level will introduce gliding and breath control under water. Children will learn to do front glides on their own.
Salamander – Your child will build upon their skills and learn to glide while kicking. There is an introduction to big arms and a 3m distance swim. Your child will be introduced to swimming in deep water (assisted).
Otter – Children learn how to swim independently in the big pool. The class will learn side glides and be introduced to front crawl and treading water. Children will also explore deep water activities. There is a 7m distance swim.
Dolphin – This level will challenge your preschooler with 10m of front swim and 15m of back swim. Your child will develop their back crawl and be introduced to diving and whip kick.
Stingray – Your child will work on 15m of front swim and perform 25m of back swim. Children will be introduced to dolphin kick and boating safety and continue to develop their dives and whip kick.
School Age Swim Lessons (Ages 6-12)
Oak Bay Swim Intro
This class is for your school aged child who is new to swimming. The goal of this class is developing comfort, buoyancy, and movement in the water. Floats, glides, and underwater skills will be introduced.
Oak Bay Swim 1 – Let’s get swimming! This level introduces your child to the many types of floats, glides, and swimming on your front and back. Deep water activities with PFDs and underwater skills will also be explored.
Oak Bay Swim 2 – This level will help your child build skills in front & back crawl. Deep water activities, treading water, and whip kick will be introduced. Endurance will be developed through games and other fun activities.
Oak Bay Swim 3 – Let’s dive in! Underwater orientation will be explored through dives, jumps, and somersaults. Roll-over glides and whip kick skills will be practiced. 15m endurance will be developed through games and challenges.
Oak Bay Swim 4 – Let’s dive in! Underwater orientation will be explored through dives, jumps, and somersaults. Roll-over glides and whip kick skills will be practiced. 15m endurance will be developed through games and challenges.
Oak Bay Swim 5 – This level will introduce eggbeater and breaststroke and increase strength treading water. Swimmers will also learn how to stay safe in, on, and around water with PFD’s and HELP Huddle training. Level 5 has a 50m endurance challenge.
Oak Bay Swim 6 – Breaststroke and elementary backstroke will continue to be refined. Dolphin kick, scissor kick, and deep-water object recovery techniques are introduced. 100m endurance will be developed through games and front and back crawl challenges.
Oak Bay Swim 7 – Technique will be progressed for front and back crawl. New entries will be practiced including stride entries and dives. 200m endurance will be built by challenging personal bests.
Oak Bay Swim 8 – Practice and fitness will be the focus of this level, improving front and back crawl, as well as breaststroke and elementary backstroke. Your child will learn about ice safety and hypothermia. 300m endurance will be built through fitness challenges.
Oak Bay Swim 9 – Technique is perfected for front and back crawl, as well as breaststroke and elementary backstroke. Shallow dives and other entries will be mastered. 400m endurance will be built to prepare for your next steps in swimming, fitness, or lifeguarding!
Adult & Youth Swim Lessons
Adult Beginner – It’s never too late to learn to swim! This class will help you develop or increase your comfort in the water and give you the skills you need to stay safe. This course includes a free practice pass for the duration of the course. Prerequisite: No previous swimming experience required.
Adult Intermediate – This class will help you increase your swimming skills and the distance you can swim. You will be introduced to dives, front crawl, and back crawl. This course includes a free practice pass for the duration of the course. Prerequisite: Comfortable floating on the water & ability to swim 15m continuously.
Adult Advanced – This class will help you develop or improve your stroke techniques as well as increase the distance that you can swim. You will decide which strokes you want to work on and then receive the instruction and feedback you need to achieve your goals. This course includes a free practice pass for the duration of the course. Pre-requisite: The ability to swim front crawl and back crawl continuously for 25m and is comfortable swimming in deep water.
Youth Beginner – It’s never too late to learn to swim! This class will help you develop or increase your comfort in the water and give you the skills you need to stay safe. This course includes a free practice pass for the duration of the course Prerequisite: No previous swimming experience required.
Youth Intermediate – This class will help you increase your swimming skills and the distance you can swim. You will be introduced to dives, front crawl, and back crawl. This course includes a free practice pass for the duration of the course. Prerequisite: Comfortable floating on the water and ability to swim 15m continuously.
Private Swim Lessons
Private lessons are 30-minute sessions scheduled to align with the group lesson dates.
Private lessons can be booked online or through Reception at 250-370-7106.
Private Swim Lesson Cancellation Policy:
To cancel a private lesson, please call Reception at 250-595-7946.
- Morning lessons must be cancelled by 6:00pm the night before, or you will be charged for the lesson.
- Afternoon and evening lessons must be cancelled by 9:00am the day of the lesson, or you will be charged for the lesson.
- All lessons cancelled in accordance with the cancellation policy will be credited to your account.
- Rebooking cancelled lessons will not be possible.
All lessons must be paid in full at the time of booking.
Become a Swim Instructor
Bronze Star (Optional course) (Prerequisite: 8-12 years old) – Bronze Star is an introductory pre-Bronze Medallion training program that helps to prepare candidates for success in Bronze Medallion. The Lifesaving Society’s Bronze Star develops swimming proficiency, lifesaving skill and personal fitness. Candidates refine their stroke mechanics, acquire self-rescue skills, and apply fitness principles in training workouts.
Bronze Medallion (Prerequisite: 13+ years old OR Bronze Star) – Teaches an understanding of the lifesaving principles embodied in the four components of water rescue education: judgment, knowledge, skill and fitness. Rescuers learn advanced lifesaving techniques for challenging rescues of increased risk involving conscious and unconscious victims in varying water depths. This course has a timed swim of 400 meters in 12 minutes.
Bronze Cross (Prerequisite: Bronze Medallion) – The Lifesaving Society’s BC begins the transition from lifesaving to lifeguarding. Candidates strengthen and expand their lifesaving skills and begin to apply the principles and techniques of active surveillance in aquatic facilities. BC emphasizes the importance of teamwork and communication in preventing and responding to aquatic emergencies. BC is a prerequisite for advanced training in the Society’s National Lifeguard and leadership certification programs. This course has a timed swim of 400 meters in 11 minutes.
Swim Instructor (Prerequisite: 15+ years old, Bronze Cross) – The Lifesaving Society Swim for Life Instructor certification prepares candidates to teach and evaluate basic swim strokes and related skills. This course includes both classroom and pool time and a minimum of 8 hours of required teaching experience.
Become a Lifeguard
Bronze Star (Optional course) (Prerequisite: 8-12 years old) – Bronze Star is an introductory pre-Bronze Medallion training program that helps to prepare candidates for success in Bronze Medallion. The Lifesaving Society’s Bronze Star develops swimming proficiency, lifesaving skill and personal fitness. Candidates refine their stroke mechanics, acquire self-rescue skills, and apply fitness principles in training workouts.
Bronze Medallion (Prerequisite: 13+ years old OR Bronze Star) – Teaches an understanding of the lifesaving principles embodied in the four components of water rescue education: judgment, knowledge, skill and fitness. Rescuers learn advanced lifesaving techniques for challenging rescues of increased risk involving conscious and unconscious victims in varying water depths. This course has a timed swim of 400 meters in 12 minutes.
Bronze Cross (Prerequisite: Bronze Medallion) – The Lifesaving Society’s BC begins the transition from lifesaving to lifeguarding. Candidates strengthen and expand their lifesaving skills and begin to apply the principles and techniques of active surveillance in aquatic facilities. BC emphasizes the importance of teamwork and communication in preventing and responding to aquatic emergencies. BC is a prerequisite for advanced training in the Society’s National Lifeguard and leadership certification programs. This course has a timed swim of 400 meters in 11 minutes.
Standard First Aid & CPR-C (Prerequisite: 13+ years old) – Provides comprehensive training covering all aspects of first aid, CPR and AED use! Whether you need training for employment or simply want to be prepared to respond to life-threatening emergencies, this course will give you the skills and knowledge to act with confidence.
National Lifeguard (Prerequisite: 15+ years old, Bronze Cross, and Standard First Aid) – The primary role of a lifeguard is to prevent incidents and, where this fails, the timely and effective resolution of emergencies. National Lifeguard builds on the previously learned lifesaving principles and is designed to prepare candidates to be professional facilitators of safety in aquatic environments. This course has a timed swim of 400 meters in 10 minutes.