Swimming Lessons

We have partnered with UNM Health Sciences to provide online instructional videos!

Lesson Sign Up: Online Only

Follow these steps to complete your transaction:

1. Sign up for a household (or sign in if you have visited a City of Albuquerque pool)
2. Find the lesson you are interested in
3. Add to cart
4. Proceed to checkout
5. Bring your receipt to the first day of lessons

Sign Up for Swim Lessons

View all available lessons

Classes are arranged by age:

• Parent Tot 1 Guppy: 6 to 18 month
• Parent Tot 2 Minnow: 18 months to 2 years
• Preschool 1 Jellyfish: 3 to 4-1/2
• Preschool 2 Starfish: 4 to 5 years
• Child (Pods 1-5): 6 to 17 years
• Adult: 18 and older

Child classes are organized by "pods" or skill levels. Lessons offered at Betsy Patterson Pool, East San Jose Pool, Eisenhower Pool, Highland Pool, Los Altos Pool, Montgomery Pool, Rio Grande Outdoor Pool, Sierra Vista Pool, Sunport Pool, Valley Pool, West Mesa Aquatic Center, and Wilson Pool

Metro Swim, Dive, and Water Polo

Child Lesson Pods

Children over the age of 5 are divided into pods based on skill level. When your child masters the skills in the pods listed below, he or she will earn a certificate and move to the next pod.

Pod 1 - Sea Horse- Water Acclamation/Floating

Students focus on being comfortable in the main pool, 3 feet deep (or shallowest end of the pool), while working on the basics of floating and kicking.

Pod 2 - Alligator - Freestyle

Students learn fundamentals of freestyle and treading water. After completion of this course, students should be able to swim 10 to 15 yards of coordinated freestyle.

Pod 3 - Otter - Backstroke

Students learn to become comfortable on their back and coordinated backstroke. After completion of this course, students should be able to swim 10 to 15 yards of coordinated backstroke and 15+ yards of freestyle.

Pod 4 - Octopus - Breaststroke/Butterfly

Students learn coordinated breaststroke and diving. After completion of this course, students should be able to swim 10 to 15 yards of coordinated breaststroke, 25 yards of freestyle and backstroke, and treading for 1 minute. Students will also learn coordinated butterfly. After completion of this course, students should be able to swim 10 to 15 yards of coordinated butterfly.

Private Lessons

The City of Albuquerque Aquatics Division will not be offering private lessons during the summer.

Summer Swimming Lessons

Registration will start May 6^th at noon for June swimming lessons and June 16 at noon for the July lessons. 

After receiving feedback from Albuquerque parents and swimming lesson instructors, five of our City pools will transition from the traditional 2 week (8 day) sessions to one week (4 day) sessions this summer season. West Mesa Aquatic Center, Highland Pool, Wilson Pool East San Jose Pool, and Los Altos Pool will provide one week lessons throughout the summer. The cost for the new 4 day classes will be the same as the 8 day classes; $40.00 per session. The one week lessons will be 45 minute long classes and the class count will be closer to 3 students per class as opposed to the traditional two week lessons; 30 minute classes with a 5:1 ratio. The below table shows how much instructor time each child will receive.