Swimming Lessons
Information about swimming lessons at City of Albuquerque pools.
2025 Fall Swimming Lessons
Registration starts August 9, 2025 at 10 a.m. for all fall classes. Sign up online or in person.
Not sure what class to sign up for? These questions can help you decide what would work best for your children:
Swim Lesson Selection Assistant: English
Swim Lesson Selection Assistant: Spanish
Sign up
Sign up can be done online or in person during normal operational hours.
If you have any questions or issues registering please e-mail [email protected]
Metro Swim, Dive, & Water Polo
Child Lesson Pod Levels
Classes are divided into pods by age up to 6 years. Students 5+ are divided into pods based on skill level. When students master the skills in each pod, they will earn a certificate and move to the next pod.
- Parent Tot 1 Guppy: 6 to 18 months
- Familiarization with basic water safety swim skills – child and parent will be introduced to floating, breath control, and other safety skills.
- Parent Tot 2 Minnow: 18 months to 2 years
- Building up to independent water exploration- using games, songs, and acclimation skills to allow the child to develop a fun, comfortable, and healthy relationship with the water.
- Preschool 1 Jellyfish: 3 to 4-1/2 years
- Independent water acclimation - child will begin to receive familiarization with fundamental swim skills needed to learn how to swim without assistance through playful skills and songs.
- Preschool 2 Starfish: 4 to 5 years
- Transition from water exploration to independent floats- child will be introduced to safety float, front float, back float, superhero glides and other safety skills that will set the foundation for future swimming technique and development of strokes.
- Pod 1-Sea Horse: 6 to 14 years
- Water Acclamation/Floating-Focus on being comfortable in the main pool, 3 feet deep or shallowest end of the pool, and work on the basics of floating and kicking.
- Pod 2-Alligator: 6 to 14 years
- Freestyle-Fundamentals of freestyle and treading water. After completing this course, students should be able to swim 10 to 15 yards of coordinated freestyle.
- Pod 3-Otter: 6 to 14 years
- Backstroke-Become comfortable back and coordinated backstroke. After completing this course, students should be able to swim 10 to 15 yards of coordinated backstroke and 15+ yards of freestyle.
- Pod 4-Octopus: 6 to 14 years
- Breaststroke/Butterfly-Coordinated breaststroke, butterfly and diving. After completing this course, students should be able to swim 10 to 15 yards of coordinated breaststroke, swim 10 to 15 yards of coordinated butterfly, 25 yards of freestyle and backstroke, and treading for 1 minute.
- Adult: 14+
- Adventures in Aquatics: 6 to 14 years
- Introduction to aquatic activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, diving, and water polo
- Should be able to swim 25 yards unassisted without stopping
Additional Classes
- Paddle Boarding:
- Offered for both youth and adult. Participants will learn the basic of using a paddle-board. To include how to stand up, changing positions, paddling technique, how to steer, how to get back on the board from the water and more. Equipment provided: paddle-boards, helmets and life-jackets.
- Kayak:
- Offered for both youth and adult. Participants will learn the basics of using a kayak. Focus is on how to paddle, steer and maneuver. Kayaks are provided are open water kayaks, not river kayaks. Helmets and life-jackets provided.
Cost
$40 per student, per session.
Are you in need of a scholarship?
Free swim lessons are available through the Shanta Strong Swim Fund.
All scholarships have been awarded at this time
Shanta Strong Swim Fund Scholarship Info & Application
Class Instruction Breakdown
8 Day Sessions:
- 8 classes total
- 30-minute classes
- 5 students per class
- 48 total minutes with instructor
4 Day Sessions:
- 4 classes total
- 45-minute classes
- 3 students per class
- 60 minutes total with instructor
2025 Fall Schedule
Betsy Patterson Pool at Sandia High School 505-767-5448
| Sessions | Start Date | End Date | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Session One Sunday Mornings |
September 7 | October 26 |
|
Highland Pool 505-768-3940
| Sessions | Start Date | End Date | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Session One Sunday Mornings (4 - Day Structure) |
October 5 | October 26 |
|
Los Altos Pool 505-768-4901
| Sessions | Start Date | End Date | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Paddle Board Class Saturdays |
August 8 | September 13 |
|
|
Session One Saturdays (4 - Day Structure) |
September 27 | October 18 |
|
|
Session Two Saturdays (4 - Day Structure) |
October 25 | November 15 |
|
Valley Pool 505-768-5349
|
Session One Mondays and Wednesdays |
September 1 | September 24 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Session Two Mondays and Wednesdays |
October 6 | October 29 |
|
West Mesa Aquatic Center 505-836-8718
|
Session One Tuesdays and Thursdays |
September 9 | October 2 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Session Two Tuesdays and Thursdays |
October 7 | October 30 |
|