Find Your Child’s Starting Swim Level
Not sure which Dolphin Swim Club class fits your kid yet? The Swim Level Finder walks you through a few quick questions and gives you a clear starting level you can bring to Crystal Lake or Loves Park.
It only takes a few minutes, and front desk still confirms before lessons begin!
Already know the level? Skip the quiz and call the pool you prefer.
Start the Swim Level Finder
Answer a few questions about your swimmer’s age and skills, and you’ll get a suggested starting level from our real ladder. It only takes a few minutes, and front desk still confirms before class starts.
What happens when the starting level is a guess
When the starting level is just a guess, kids often land in water that feels too hard or too easy. Too hard and they shut down. Too easy and they stall out. Parents leave the first week still wondering if they picked right, and the next call starts from zero again.
The Swim Level Finder replaces that shrug with a clear suggestion you can bring to Crystal Lake or Loves Park.
How the Swim Level Finder works
Three simple steps get you from “not sure” to a real next step at Dolphin Swim Club.
- Answer age and skill questions (mostly Yes or Not yet).
- See a suggested starting level from our ladder.
- Claim a free trial lesson, and our front desk will confirm the level with you. Already a Dolphin family? Register for the level or call the pool you prefer.
This page is for parents placing a child in Dolphin Swim Club lessons. It is not a placement tool for another school’s level names, and it is not a final in-water assessment on its own.
What the Swim Level Finder looks at
The Swim Level Finder follows the same order our instructors teach at Crystal Lake and Loves Park: age first, then skills.
- Age (Baby Swim has a hard age window; Level A opens a little earlier than Level B and up)
- Water comfort, going underwater, and goggles
- Independent streamlines and back floats with bubbles
- Freestyle arms, side breathing, backstroke, and breaststroke
- Distance and endurance as levels climb toward Swim Team
The first skill your child is still working on points to the suggested level. Earlier skills stay in play as they move up.
What Dolphin Swim Club levels mean
Dolphin Swim Club levels run from Baby Swim through Level A, B, and C, then Levels 2 through 6, then Swim Team. Here is the plain overview from our ladder. Front desk still confirms after the quiz.
Baby Swim
Baby Swim is only for infants ages 4 months to 24 months. The focus is water comfort and motor skills in the water.
Level A
Level A is for new swimmers above 22 months. We work on water comfort, blowing bubbles, going underwater, assisted back floats and jumps, separation anxiety, and wearing goggles.
Level B
Level B is for swimmers above 24 months who are already comfortable in the water, can go underwater, and are okay wearing goggles for a full 30-minute class. We work on independent streamlines and back floats with bubbles.
Level C
Level C is for swimmers who already have independent streamlines, back floats, and bubbles. We work on freestyle arms with big reaches, side breathing with a floatie, and independent back kicks with backstroke arms.
Level 2
Level 2 is for swimmers who can already swim freestyle and backstroke about 5 to 10 feet, plus the earlier skills. We work on side breathing without a floatie and independent breaststroke.
Level 3
Level 3 is for swimmers who already have freestyle with side breathing, backstroke, and breaststroke. We work on endurance (about half the pool) and dolphin kicks.
Level 4
Level 4 is for swimmers who can already handle full-pool / about 25m endurance and dolphin kicks. We work on butterfly arms, flip and open turns, and stretching endurance from about 25m toward 75m.
Level 5
Level 5 is for swimmers who already have butterfly arms and turns. We work on endurance from about 75m toward 150m.
Level 6
Level 6 is the top lesson level on this ladder. The endurance path continues from about 150m toward 200m.
Swim Team
Swim Team is for swimmers who have moved through the lesson levels, or who can already swim a 200 of every stroke with flip and open turns. Ask front desk if you think your child is ready.
Heads up: Swim Team practices run a full hour, instead of the regular 30-minute lesson.
Skills feed forward. Even in a higher level, we still practice skills from earlier levels.
What the Swim Level Finder does not decide
The Swim Level Finder suggests a starting level. It does not replace an in-person look from our team. Front desk confirms placement, and we can adjust if day one feels too hard or too easy. You’re not locked into a bad guess if something feels off.
Ready to start lessons at Crystal Lake or Loves Park?
When you have a suggested level, the easiest next step is a free trial lesson. Our front desk will confirm the level with you and help you pick the right class. Already a Dolphin family, or want to talk it through first? Call the pool you want. That’s how a good visit ends: clear level, right pool, real next step.
Swim Level Finder FAQ
How accurate is the Swim Level Finder?
It gives a strong starting suggestion from age and skills on Dolphin Swim Club’s real ladder. Front desk at Crystal Lake or Loves Park still confirms before lessons begin, and we can adjust after the first class if needed.
Does the quiz replace an in-water look from your team?
No. The Swim Level Finder helps you arrive with a clear starting point. We still place your child in person.
What if the level feels wrong on day one?
Tell front desk. Skills build in order, and we can move a swimmer when the class is clearly too hard or too easy.
What age can my child start swim lessons at Dolphin?
Baby Swim starts at 4 months. Level A opens above 22 months. Level B and up need a swimmer older than 24 months.
Do earlier skills still matter in higher levels?
Yes. Every higher level at Dolphin Swim Club still practices skills from previous levels. That is how the ladder is built.
Should I choose Crystal Lake or Loves Park?
Choose the location where you want lessons. Both pools use the same level ladder, and you pick your pool when you claim a free trial or call. The quiz itself is not tied to one pool.
What should I do after I get a Swim Level Finder result?
Claim a free trial lesson, then mention the suggested level when our front desk reaches out so they can confirm placement. Already a Dolphin family? Register for the level at Crystal Lake or Loves Park, or give the pool a call.
Is Swim Team the same as Level 6?
No. Level 6 is the top lesson level on this ladder. Swim Team is for swimmers who have moved through the levels or who already meet the team swim standard. Ask front desk if you are unsure.
Find the right starting level
Take the Swim Level Finder, get a suggested level, then claim a free trial lesson so we can confirm it and get your child in the water at the right place on the ladder!
