Private Swim Lessons
Group Swim Lessons Reading YMCA
Reading YMCA Swim Team

Reading YMCA Pool Open Swim Hours

Mon

Tues

Wed

Thur

Fri

Sat

Sun

6:30AM - 7PM

6:30AM - 7PM

6:30AM - 7PM

6:30AM - 7PM

6:30AM - 7PM

10AM - 2PM

8AM - 2PM

Hours are subject to change.  Click here to view the current aquatics schedule/calendar

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Aquatics Director

Rebecca Beres

[email protected]

Discover programs for every swimmer

From tiny splashers to serious champs, and adults who just want to move in the water. Our indoor pools are open year-round, staffed by trained instructors to support your journey.

Aquacise Fitness Class

Low-Impact, High-Results

Perfect for adults looking to work out without the pressure. This water-based fitness class improves cardio, strength, and flexibility, all in a joint-friendly, fun format.

  • Water resistance workouts

  • Suitable for all fitness levels

  • Social, supportive environment

View Class Schedule

Reading Y Swim Team

Take Your Skills to the Next Level

Join the Reading Y Swim team where dedication meets community. This program focuses on proper stroke technique and endurance for all levels of competitive swimmers.

  • Ages 6–18
  • Stroke technique refinement
  • Multiple weekly practices + competitive meets
  • Focus on honesty, respect, and dedication
Reading Y Swim Team
Reading Y Swim Team at 2025 YMCA National Long Course Championships. Reading YMCA Swimmers Pictured (L-R):  Logan Sensenig, Ava Knopsnyder, Alexis Nonnemacher, Jack Martin, and Abigail Kissling

Reading YMCA’s Swim Team Makes a Splash at 2025 National Championships

From July 29 to August 2, 2025, top YMCA swimmers from across the country competed at the YMCA National Long Course Swimming Championship in Ocala, Florida. The event brought together some of the fastest youth swimmers in the nation for record-breaking races, high-energy relays, and unforgettable team spirit.

Click here to read more

Swim Lessons

Learn Swimming, Build Confidence

Whether your child is just learning to splash or mastering their stroke technique, the YMCA of Reading & Berks County offers progressive swim lessons for all ages and skill levels. 

Group Swim Lessons
Private Swim Lessons

Our structured swim lessons guide participants from water discovery all the way to advanced stroke mechanics:

  • Parent & Child (6 mos–3 yrs): Stage A & B – comfort in water, bubbles, assisted floats
  • Preschool (3–5 yrs): Stages 1–3 – acclimation, movement, stamina
  • School Age (6–12 yrs): Stages 1–6 – progression through stroke introduction, development, mechanics
  • Teen & Adult: Beginner to advanced levels

YMCA Swim Level Guide

Infant & Toddler

6 months – 3 years

Stages A – B

Preschool

3 – 5 years

Stages 1 – 4

School Age

5 – 12 years

Stages 1 – 6

Teen & Adult

5 – 12 years

Stages 1 – 6

Swim Starters: Parent & Child Lessons

Outcomes: Accompanied by a parent, infants and toddlers learn to be comfortable in the water and develop swim readiness skills through fun and confidence-building experiences, while parents learn about water safety, drowning prevention, and the importance of supervision.

A. Water Discovery: Introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment

  • Blow bubbles on the surface, assisted
  • Front tow chin in water, assisted
  • Water exit parent & child together
  • Water entry parent & child together
  • Back float assisted, head on the shoulder
  • Roll, assisted
  • Front float chin in water, assisted
  • Back tow assisted, head on shoulder
  • Wall grab assisted

B. Water Exploration: Focuses on exploring body positions, blowing bubbles, and fundamental safety and aquatic skills

  • Blow bubbles mouth & nose submerged, assisted
  • Front tow blow bubbles, assisted
  • Water exit assisted
  • Water entry assisted
  • Back float assisted, head on chest
  • Roll assisted Front float blow bubbles, assisted
  • Back tow assisted, head on chest
  • Monkey crawl assisted, on edge, 5 ft.

Swim Basics: Recommended skills for all to have around water

Outcomes: Students learn personal water safety and achieve basic swimming competency by learning two benchmark skills:

  • Swim, float, swim, sequencing front glide, roll, back float, roll, front glide, and exit
  • Jump, push, turn, grab

1. Water Acclimation: Increases comfort with underwater exploration and introduces basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance

  • Submerge bob independently
  • Front glide assisted, to wall, 5 ft.
  • Water exit independently
  • Jump, push, turn, grab assisted
  • Back float assisted, 10 secs., recover independently
  • Roll assisted
  • Front float assisted, 10 secs., recover independently
  • Back glide assisted, at wall, 5 ft.
  • Swim, float, swim assisted, 10 ft.

2. Water Movement: Encourages forward movement in water and basic self-rescue skills performed independently

  • Submerge look at object on bottom
  • Front glide 10 ft. (5 ft. preschool)
  • Water exit independently
  • Jump, push, turn, grab
  • Back float 20 secs. (10 secs. preschool)
  • Roll Front float 20 secs. (10 secs. preschool)
  • Back glide 10 ft. (5 ft. preschool)
  • Tread water 10 secs., near wall, & exit
  • Swim, float, swim 5 yd.

3. Water Stamina: Develops intermediate self-rescue skills performed at longer distances than in previous stages

  • Submerge retrieve object in chest-deep water
  • Swim on front 15 yd. (10 yd. preschool)
  • Water exit independently
  • Jump, swim, turn, swim, grab 10 yd.
  • Swim on back 15 yd. (10 yd. preschool)
  • Roll Tread water 1 min. & exit (30 secs. preschool)
  • Swim, float, swim 25 yd. (15 yd. preschool)

Swim Strokes: Skills to support a healthy lifestyle

Outcomes: Having mastered the fundamentals, students learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique, developing skills that prevent chronic disease, increase social-emotional and cognitive well-being, and foster a lifetime of physical activity.

4. Stroke Introduction: Introduces basic stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl, and reinforces water safety through treading water and elementary backstroke

  • Submerge retrieve object in chest-deep water
  • Swim on front 15 yd. (10 yd. preschool)
  • Water exit independently
  • Jump, swim, turn, swim, grab 10 yd.
  • Swim on back 15 yd. (10 yd. preschool)
  • Roll Tread water 1 min. & exit (30 secs. preschool)
  • Swim, float, swim 25 yd. (15 yd. preschool)

5. Stroke Development: Introduces breaststroke and butterfly and reinforces water safety through treading water and sidestroke

  • Endurance any stroke or combination of strokes, 50 yd.
  • Front crawl bent-arm recovery, 25 yd.
  • Back crawl pull, 25 yd.
  • Dive kneeling
  • Resting stroke sidestroke, 25 yd.
  • Tread water scissor & whip kick, 2 mins.
  • Breaststroke 25 yd.
  • Butterfly simultaneous arm action & kick, 15 yd.

6. Stroke Mechanics: Refines stroke technique on all major competitive strokes and encourages swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle

  • Endurance any stroke or combination of strokes, 150 yd.
  • Front crawl flip turn, 50 yd.
  • Back crawl pull & flip turn, 50 yd.
  • Dive standing
  • Resting stroke elementary backstroke or sidestroke, 50 yd.
  • Tread water, retrieve object off bottom, tread 1 min.
  • Breaststroke open turn, 50 yd.
  • Butterfly 25 yd.