About Starfish Academy
Starfish Academy offers lessons for swimmers of every age and level. New classes start every month. Members and nonmembers welcome. Group, semi-private, and private lessons are available.
The prerequisite for each level is the successful demonstration of skills from the preceding level, except for Learn to Swim Level 1, which has no prerequisites. It’s common for children to repeat levels while they are learning skills.
Cancellation Policy: The Aquatics department must receive cancellation notice at least 24 hours in advance to receive a refund.
Swim Lesson Dates & Times
OCTOBER: Starts 9/30, ends 10/27. Registration opens 9/10.
- Monday/Wednesday lessons: 9/30-10/23 (8 sessions)
- Tuesday/Thursday lessons: 10/1-10/24 (8 sessions)
- Saturday only lessons: 10/5-10/26 (4 sessions, Eagle River/Fairbanks only)
- Saturday/Sunday lessons: 10/5-10/27 (8 sessions)
NOVEMBER: Starts 10/28, ends 11/24. Registration opens 10/10. No class Halloween, 10/31
- Monday/Wednesday lessons: 10/28-11/20 (8 sessions)
- Tuesday/Thursday lessons: 10/29-11/21 (7 sessions)
- Saturday only lessons: 11/2-11/23 (4 sessions, Eagle River/Fairbanks only)
- Saturday/Sunday lessons: 11/2-11/24 (8 sessions)
OCTOBER: Starts 9/30, ends 10/27. Registration opens 9/10.
- Monday/Wednesday lessons: 9/30-10/23 (8 sessions)
- Tuesday/Thursday lessons: 10/1-10/24 (8 sessions)
- Saturday/Sunday lessons: 10/5-10/27 (8 sessions)
NOVEMBER: Starts 10/28, ends 11/24. Registration opens 10/10. No class Halloween, 10/31
- Monday/Wednesday lessons: 10/28-11/20 (8 sessions)
- Tuesday/Thursday lessons: 10/29-11/21 (7 sessions)
- Saturday/Sunday lessons: 11/2-11/24 (8 sessions)
Swim Lesson Descriptions
Parent and Child Aquatics, Ages 6-36 months
Builds basic water safety skills for both parents and children, helping infants and young children ages 6 months to about 3 years become comfortable in the water so they are willing and ready to learn. Parents or caregivers are in the water with their child and are encouraged to take the class until their child feels comfortable.
Little Ones with a Parent
Dates, time, and prices: SOUTH | EAST | EAGLE RIVER | WASILLA | FAIRBANKS
This level introduces basic skills to parents and children, including safety topics.
- Parents - How to enter/exit the water and hold baby in water
- Blowing bubbles
- Underwater exploration
- Submersion
- Front and back floats and glides
- Rolling from front to back and back to front
- Bobbing and drafting while breathing
- Good beginning swim habits
Preschool Aquatics, Ages 3-5
Gives young children about ages 3-5 a positive, developmentally appropriate aquatic learning experience that emphasizes water safety, survival and foundational swimming concepts. Skills are age-appropriate, helping participants achieve success on a regular basis while in a class environment with their peers. Children are encouraged to repeat either class until they're comfortable.
Preschool Aquatics 1 (Pre-K)
Dates, time, and prices: SOUTH | EAST | EAGLE RIVER | WASILLA | FAIRBANKS
This level helps participants feel comfortable in the water and enjoy the water safely.
- Blowing bubbles
- Face submersion
- Navigating the wading pool
- Back and front floating and gliding basics
- Open eyes underwater and retrieve submerged objects
- Treading with arm and hand actions
- Alternating and simultaneous arm and leg actions on front and back
- Class etiquette and terminology
- Pool Safety
Preschool Aquatics 2 (Pre-K)
Dates, time, and prices: SOUTH | EAST | EAGLE RIVER | WASILLA | FAIRBANKS
Gives participants success with fundamental skills, such as floating and basic locomotion, and improves participants’ coordination of simultaneous and alternating arm and leg actions.
- Bobbing
- Front and back floats and glides
- Recover from a front and back float or glide to a vertical position
- Tread water using arm and leg actions
- Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
- Finning arm action on back
- Fully submerging and holding breath
- Front, jellyfish and tuck floats
- Back float and glide
- Change direction of travel while swimming on front or back
- Pool Safety
Preschool Aquatics 3 (Pre-K)
Dates, time, and prices: SOUTH | EAST | EAGLE RIVER | WASILLA | FAIRBANKS
Builds on the skills in Preschool Aquatics 2 through additional guided practice in deeper water.
- Jumping and headfirst entry into the water
- Bobbing while moving toward safety
- Rotary breathing
- Change from vertical to horizontal position on front and back
- Tread water
- Push off in a streamlined position then begin flutter kicks
- Front crawl
- Scissor kick
- Water Safety
Learn to Swim, Ages 5+
Based on a logical, five-level progression that helps swimmers about 5+ years old develop their water safety, survival and swimming skills. It’s common for children to retake levels while learning skills.
Learn to Swim 1: Introduction to Water Skills
Dates, time, and prices: SOUTH | EAST | EAGLE RIVER | WASILLA | FAIRBANKS
Helps participants feel comfortable in the water.
- Blowing bubbles
- Bobbing
- Open eyes underwater and retrieve submerged objects
- Gliding and floating
- Recover to a vertical position from a glide or float
- Roll from front to back and back to front
- Tread water using arm and hand action
- Alternating and simultaneous arm and leg actions on front and back
- Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
- Water Safety
Learn to Swim 2: Fundamental Aquatic Skills
Dates, time, and prices: SOUTH | EAST | EAGLE RIVER | WASILLA | FAIRBANKS
Gives participants success with fundamental skills.
- Fully submerge and hold breath
- Front, jellyfish and tuck floats
- Recover from a front and back float or glide to a vertical position
- Change direction of travel while swimming on front or back
- Tread water using arm and leg actions
- Finning arm action on back
- Water Safety
Learn to Swim 3: Stroke Development
Dates, time, and prices: SOUTH | EAST | EAGLE RIVER | WASILLA | FAIRBANKS
Builds on the skills in Level 2 through additional guided practice in deeper water.
- Jumping and headfirst entry into the water
- Bobbing while moving toward safety
- Rotary breathing
- Survival and back float
- Change from vertical to horizontal position on front and back
- Tread water
- Push off in a streamlined position then begin flutter and dolphin kicks on front
- Front crawl and elementary backstroke
- Scissors kick
- Water Safety
Learn to Swim 4: Stroke Improvement
Dates, time, and prices: SOUTH | EAST | EAGLE RIVER | WASILLA | FAIRBANKS
Develops confidence in the skills learned and improves other aquatic skills.
- Headfirst entry from the side in compact and stride positions
- Swim under water
- Feet first surface dive
- Survival swimming
- Front crawl and backstroke open turns
- Tread water using 2 different kicks
- Front and back crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke and butterfly
- Push off in a streamlined position then begin flutter and dolphin kicks on back
- Water safety
Learn to Swim 5: Stroke Refinement
Dates, time, and prices: SOUTH | EAST | EAGLE RIVER | WASILLA | FAIRBANKS
Provides further coordination and refinement of strokes.
- Shallow angle dive from the side then glide and begin a front stroke
- Tuck and pike surface dives
- Front flip turn and backstroke flip turn while swimming
- Front and back crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke and butterfly
- Standard scull
- Water safety
Additional Lessons
Swim Team, Ages 9-16
Dates, time, and prices: SOUTH
This level focuses on increasing swimming distances and the specifics of the four competitive swimming strokes.
- Full one-hour workout
- Stroke refinement
- Increase endurance
A1: Beginner Adult Stroke Refinement, Ages 14+
Dates, time, and prices: EAST | EAGLE RIVER | FAIRBANKS
This level builds on the basic movements of swimming with strong assistance from instructors.
- Individual attention
- Increasing Endurance
- Stroke Refinement
- One-hour long swim workouts
Preschool Aquatics 1 (Pre-K)
