Dippers and Dabblers
Dippers & Dabblers
Exclusively for those progressing through Little Dippers, our Dippers and Dabblers classes are all about preparing our little swimmers for the day they go into the water without their adult, either in our Swim Academy or with primary school or another provider. The beauty of our programme is its adaptability; we can see a three year old with no swimming experience entering our Little Dippers programme and another three year old in Dabblers, achieving their 10m badge, and everything in between! In these levels, our focus is on helping children realise their swimming potential, whilst teaching personal survival skills to them. Our Dippers & Dabblers are fun-loving, strong-swimming, ever-ready little superstars – just stand back when they jump in or you’re getting soaked!
What are the Learning Outcomes for your Dipper? 
- Entering the water in a safe and controlled manner whilst responding to the teacher’s signals
- Blow bubbles with face in the water or below the water’s surface
- Can show that they can lift their head to breathe in preparation for 5m swims, with or without adult support
- Balance and move on seahorse independently around pool space
- Roll from front to back with or without support whilst travelling through the water
- Carry out three different floating positions (star, pencil or mushroom) on front or back with or without adult support
- Jump in from poolside from standing with confidence and return to poolside with little or no assistance
- Push off from the wall on the front in a streamlined position, with or without adult support
- Swim on back with woggle support and no adult assistance
- Dive down to pick up a sinking object from under the water
- Turn with or without a woggle in a 360 degree turntable action with head out of the water
- Show an understanding of regaining feet from front/back
- Exit the water independently in a safe and controlled manner without any support
Click here to find your nearest Dippers class (existing customers only).
Our Dabblers class has 2 levels with increasing levels of difficulty between Levels 1 and 2. Our teachers are trained to work with children who are both levels within the same class, adapting activities to suit the child’s ability and potential.
What are the Learning Outcomes for your Dabbler? 
Level 1
- Is able to answer a question on poolside safety rules
- Is able to blow bubbles into the water with face submerged
- Is able to perform a star float and back with/without support and regain their feet afterwards
- Is able to move through the water whilst on their back, using an alternating leg action for 5m
- Is able to move through the water 5m on their front, using front paddle action whilst rolling to breathe
- Is able to perform two floating positions on front or back
- Is able to perform a push and glide from the wall on front or back, with no support
- Is able to jump into the pool safely unaided and return to the side
- Has attempted a circular action of legs over 3m on a woggle
- Is able to swim independently and safely on a seahorse
- Can demonstrate a treading water action with legs, with or without aids
Level 2
- Is able to bob up and down, submerging the face four times, exhaling underwater
- Is able to pick up an object from below the water’s surface
- Is able to push and glide on back, tuck and roll forward to return to poolside
- Has demonstrated they can swim 3m on front using a Breaststroke type leg action on a woggle
- Is able to swim 5m front paddle i.e. arms and legs whilst rolling to breathe and is able to return to wall
- Has attempted a 3m Back Crawl / paddle swim
- Is able to perform a star float, slowly changing to a narrow float and return to a star float on the back
- Is able to swim 2m, dolphin leg kick on the front
- Has demonstrated that they can tread water for 10 seconds
- Is able to scull 5m head first using a woggle, arms only
- Be capable and happy to be in the water without a parent
Click here to find your nearest Dabblers class (existing customers only).