Sunday Swim Lessons at Rutgers Cook-Douglass
Strong swimmers. Confident kids.
Lessons are for all ages and levels. Lessons take place on these dates:
- 9 Lessons: Sundays, January 12, January 19, January 26, February 2, February 9, February 16, February 23, March 2, March 9
Click HERE for swim lesson level selector guide.
Click HERE for some Frequently Asked Questions.
Classes for levels 1, 2, 3, and parent-tot are 30 minutes. Classes for level 4 are 45 minutes. The classes for levels 5 & 6 are 60 minutes. Classes for Adults are 45 minutes.
Membership (options starting at $77) is required to register.
Lesson location:
Cook/Douglass Recreation Center
50 Biel Road
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
IF YOU ATTEMPT TO REGISTER AND THE SCREEN READS “CLOSED REGISTRATION,” YOU MAY NEED TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP! This error can also occur if you attempt to register an inactive individual on your membership, such as clicking to register the parent when you are actually trying to register a child.
REFUND POLICY:
A full refund will only be issued if a member withdraws 7 days prior to the first class. After this date, no refunds will be issued. Memberships are non-refundable. The membership is good for other programs at the YMCA.
We cannot guarantee make-up periods for late arrivals or missed lessons. (Make-up lessons, in time slots other than the one you have registered for, will only be available in classes which are not filled to capacity.) Please consult with the on-deck staff before making up a missed class.
Parents may watch from the windows next to the pool, but are not permitted on the pool deck during the lesson. As lesson time is limited, please refrain from asking an instructor questions while the lesson is in progress–we will usually have a check-in person present who can either answer your question, or help you determine an appropriate time to speak to the instructor.
Adults and Teens
Lessons for beginners and intermediate swimmers age 13 to adult. (Advanced swimmers looking for competitive technique should register for stage 6.)
Registration Information
| Open | Close | Register At | Member | Non-Member | Program Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/16/24 | 1/12/25 | Online / Front Desk | $ 160.00 | - | $ 160.00 |
Available Sessions
| Date(s) | ||
|---|---|---|
|
01/12/25 - 03/09/25
Su - 12:10 pm - 45 mins
|
Register Closes 01/12/2025 |
Parent-tot (Stage A/B, under 3 years old)
Parents accompany children in the water, introducing infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment through exploration and encouraging them to enjoy themselves while learning about the water, exploring body positions, floating, blowing bubbles, and fundamental safety and aquatic skills.
Registration Information
| Open | Close | Register At | Member | Non-Member | Program Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/16/24 | 1/12/25 | Online / Front Desk | $ 126.00 | - | $ 126.00 |
Available Sessions
| Date(s) | ||
|---|---|---|
|
01/12/25 - 03/09/25
Su - 11:00 am - 30 mins
|
Register Closes 01/12/2025 |
Small group youth lessons
For youth ages 3 to 12. Students enrolled in small-group lessons will be placed in a class of appropriate level, with a maximum of 4 students per instructor.
Registration Information
| Open | Close | Register At | Member | Non-Member | Program Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/16/24 | 1/12/25 | Online / Front Desk | $ 193.00 | - | $ 193.00 |
Available Sessions
| Date(s) | ||
|---|---|---|
|
01/12/25 - 03/09/25
Su - 12:30 pm - 30 mins
|
Register Closes 01/12/2025 |
Special Needs Swim Lessons
This class is reserved for swimmers needing extra attention due to needs relating to physical, neurological, or other issues. Please call the YMCA when enrolling to ensure we are aware of the student’s particular needs and appropriateness to be served by our swim lesson program.
Registration Information
| Open | Close | Register At | Member | Non-Member | Program Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/16/24 | 1/12/25 | Online / Front Desk | $ 193.00 | - | $ 193.00 |
Available Sessions
| Date(s) | ||
|---|---|---|
|
01/12/25 - 03/09/25
Su - 12:30 pm - 30 mins
|
Register Closes 01/12/2025 |
Stage 1&2 - Age 3-5
Students develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water in stage 1. This lays the foundation that allows for a student’s future progress in swimming. In stage 2, students focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water while also continuing to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water.
Registration Information
| Open | Close | Register At | Member | Non-Member | Program Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/16/24 | 1/12/25 | Online / Front Desk | $ 126.00 | - | $ 126.00 |
Stage 1&2 - Age 5-12
Students develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water in stage 1. This lays the foundation that allows for a student’s future progress in swimming. In stage 2, students focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water while also continuing to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water.
Registration Information
| Open | Close | Register At | Member | Non-Member | Program Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/16/24 | 1/12/25 | Online / Front Desk | $ 126.00 | - | $ 126.00 |
Stage 3 - Age 5-12
In stage 3, students learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than the previous stages in the event of falling into a body of water. This stage also introduces rhythmic breathing and integrated arm and leg action.
(Swimmers younger than age 5 may register for this class if they are able to swim independently in deep water, however, this is rare. Swimmers age 3 and 4 should remain in the Stage 1&2 – Age 3-5 class until it is clear they are comfortable swimming without any flotation devices or instructor assistance.)
Registration Information
| Open | Close | Register At | Member | Non-Member | Program Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/16/24 | 1/12/25 | Online / Front Desk | $ 126.00 | - | $ 126.00 |
Stage 4 - Age 5-12
Students in stage 4 develop stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl and learn the breaststroke kick and butterfly kick. Water safety is reinforced through treading water and elementary backstroke.
(Swimmers younger than age 5 may register for this class if they are able to swim independently in deep water, however, this is rare. Swimmers age 3 and 4 should remain in the Stage 1&2 – Age 3-5 class until it is clear they are comfortable swimming without any flotation devices or instructor assistance.)
Registration Information
| Open | Close | Register At | Member | Non-Member | Program Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/16/24 | 1/12/25 | Online / Front Desk | $ 160.00 | - | $ 160.00 |
Available Sessions
| Date(s) | ||
|---|---|---|
|
01/12/25 - 03/09/25
Su - 11:00 am - 45 mins
|
Waiting List | |
|
01/12/25 - 03/09/25
Su - 11:45 am - 45 mins
|
Register Closes 01/12/2025 |
Stage 5 - Age 5 to 12
Students in stage 5 work on stroke technique and learn all major competitive strokes. The emphasis on water safety continues through skills such as treading water.
Registration Information
| Open | Close | Register At | Member | Non-Member | Program Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/16/24 | 1/12/25 | Online / Front Desk | $ 183.00 | - | $ 183.00 |
Available Sessions
| Date(s) | ||
|---|---|---|
|
01/12/25 - 03/09/25
Su - 11:00 am - 1 hr
|
Register Closes 01/12/2025 |
Stage 6 - Age 5 to adult
In stage 6, students refine stroke technique on all major competitive stokes, learn about competitive swimming, and discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle.
Registration Information
| Open | Close | Register At | Member | Non-Member | Program Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/16/24 | 1/12/25 | Online / Front Desk | $ 183.00 | - | $ 183.00 |
Available Sessions
| Date(s) | ||
|---|---|---|
|
01/12/25 - 03/09/25
Su - 12:00 pm - 1 hr
|
Register Closes 01/12/2025 |