Water Safety & Swim Lessons
At YMCA Camp Immokalee, we believe every child deserves to feel safe and confident around water. Our Safety Around Water program teaches basic lifesaving skills like floating, treading water, and safely exiting the pool or lake — essential tools for beginner swimmers.
This program is not focused on swim strokes like freestyle or backstroke. It’s all about building survival skills for kids who need them most.
About Safety Around Water (SAW)
Our Safety Around Water program launches in Spring 2025 and offers structured, engaging lessons for kids of all ages. Through a blend of pool and lake sessions, children learn to respond to unexpected situations, gaining skills like swimming to the edge, floating, and safely exiting the water. Lake Brooklyn’s clear, shallow areas provide the perfect environment for kids to feel comfortable in natural waters.
Who It’s For
- Kids who test Red or Yellow on a swim test (beginner or early swimmers)
- Available for families in Keystone Heights and surrounding areas
- FREE thanks to community support!
Key Skills Include
- Jump, Push, Turn, Grab: Teaching kids how to orient themselves if they unexpectedly enter deep water.
- Swim, Float, Swim: Building stamina and control to move safely to the edge, even in open water.
Our goal is simple: give every child in the Lake Region the confidence to safely enjoy the water while building skills that last a lifetime.
Lesson Options
Beginning the week of June 2
If your child is enrolled in Camp Immokalee Day Camp:
- They’ll complete two 30-minute lessons each day during camp to finish the 8-session program.
- They’ll also enjoy a bonus lake safety session at the end (weather permitting).
If your child is NOT enrolled in Day Camp:
- Lessons are held Monday–Thursday for two weeks (Fridays reserved for rain makeup).
- Choose between:
- 8:00–8:30 AM, or
- 5:30–6:00 PM
- Kids will complete 8 sessions, plus an extra lake session if weather allows.
- We may add additional session times later this summer based on demand!
The Lake Region’s First Pool-to-Lake Program
With very few public pools in our area, we’re meeting a real need by bringing this program to Lake Brooklyn, right in Keystone Heights. As the area’s first pool-to-lake safety program, SAW offers a unique experience for kids to become comfortable in lake settings under the watchful guidance of certified instructors. Our swim lessons for kids also aim to get kids in the lake during their time with us.
Supporting a Safer Community
Safety Around Water at Camp Immokalee is made possible by generous donations and community support. With $60, you can sponsor a child’s water safety education, helping ensure that cost isn’t a barrier for local families. Every donation allows us to reach more kids, bringing the benefits of water safety to families throughout the Lake Region.
Join us in creating a community where every child can feel safe and confident in the water, whether at the lake, pool, or beyond.
Donate Today to help build a safer, more connected community on the water.
