Pre-School Program (3-5yrs)

Welcome to the Pre-School Program.

The pre-school years are a time of remarkable growth and independence. Children are naturally curious, energetic, and ready to take on new challenges—and the water provides the perfect environment for them to thrive.

During this stage, children develop the fundamental swimming skills that will set them up for a lifetime of water confidence and safety. Through playful, structured lessons, they learn to move independently in the water, follow instructions, and build the physical and emotional skills that extend far beyond the pool.

Our Pre-school Program’s levels and skill development progressions align with the National swimming curriculum guidelines. As children progress from Beginner to Advanced, they are taught attainable and challenging skills aimed at broadening their water independence, stroke technique, and water safety abilities.

Our classes develop skills in entries and exits, floating, sculling and treading water, swimming technique on front, swimming technique on back, survival skills, and underwater skills.

Our teaching practices and pedagogy reflect industry best practice. We are constantly engaging in professional development across both the swimming industry and early childhood education leaders to stay at the forefront of swim teaching excellence.

We aim to make the water an enjoyable experience so children can’t wait to get to the pool for their lesson every week.

In this program there are 5 Progressive Skill Levels:

PreSchool Program (3-5 yrs):
- Beginner
- Beginner Gold
- Confident
- Intermediate
- Advanced
For Curriculum Information and to work out what level you are CLICK HERE.

The Pre-school Program develops skills including:

Physical Development

Builds body awareness and coordination through guided movement patterns.
Strengthens core muscles and motor development through the improvement of swimming skills.
Promotes heart and lung function at a young age as cardiovascular skills are introduced.
Helps children develop healthy posture and flexibility.

Social & Emotional Growth

Swim classes provide opportunities for children to interact, share, and follow instructions in a group setting, developing social skills through teacher-student instruction and peer interaction.
Boosts confidence through positive water experiences and skill mastery.
Creates positive associations with water for lifelong swimming confidence.
Water can be very soothing, helping children manage anxiety, excess energy, and emotional regulation.

Cognitive Development

Enhances cognitive function, sensory integration, and overall brain development. Developmentally appropriate activities encourage the brain to form new connections, strengthen existing ones, and support neuroplasticity, which is essential for learning, memory, and emotional regulation.
Develops cognitive processing through repetition and routine.
Enhances listening and comprehension skills through visual and verbal cues.

Swimming & Water Safety Skills

Builds water confidence and skills through progressive activities, including floating, buoyancy, balance, breath control, leg and arm propulsion movement, skills in a prone position (on tummy), skills in a supine position (on back), skills in a rotated position (on side), entries and exits.
Children learn to respect water and understand how to behave safely around it (pools, lakes, bathtubs).
Drowning prevention. Follow the ‘Kids Alive Do the Five’—Fence the Pool, Shut the Gate, Learn to Swim, Supervise, Learn Resuscitation.
Develops swimming competencies that later transition into the School-Age program (5+yrs).

Pre-School Program Welcome Information:

Enrolling in your first class!

Look up the timetable:

Online – Look up the timetable and book online via your client portal.
- Log-in to your client portal. Instructions can be found here https://www.healthways.com.au/boxhill/swimming-pool/swimming-lessons/book-now/
- To work out what class level sounds like your ability level, please click here to go to the level skill descriptions https://aus.iclasspro.com/portal/healthways/news/1.
- Click on ‘Class Timetables & Bookings’.
- Click on ‘Find a class’. Select your student and click ‘See Classes’.
- Search the timetable for your student’s level, by putting their level code in the search magnifying glass.
- The class availability showing will automatically be for this week. To look forward to next week, click on the ‘Filter’ menu icon. Select ‘Sessions’, select the following week, click ‘Apply’.
- The list can be further filtered using other option in the ‘Filter’ menu if you wish.
- Click on a class to enrol or go on the waitlist.
By Phone:
- Mont Albert North ph. 98952300
- Ringwood ph. 98795777
In person – Visit the centre and speak to reception:
- MONT ALBERT NTH – Healthways Recreation Centre, 1-11 Arcade Road, Mont Albert North 3129
- RINGWOOD – Healthways Aquatic Centre, 108-110 New Street, Ringwood 3134

Please note that students can start at any time. Bookings can be made at any time during the term up to 10 days in advance, and bookings open for a new term 3 weeks in advance. However if you wish to start further in advance than that you can register your interest for a specific term in the future using the buttons below.

COME AND TRY OUR SWIM LESSONS NOW!…

SWIM STARTER PACK FOR $150.00. (Available for regular term classes only.)

To see whether our swim school is right for you, when you first enrol you’ll just pay a deposit of $150.00. This is called the ‘Swim Starter’. This covers your classes until the first monthly direct debit, so you can try the classes out. If you’re happy simply stay on and your first direct debit will happen as scheduled. If you don’t wish to continue, simply cancel your classes before your first direct debit. Easy!

What to Bring:

For children who are toilet-trained children: If your child is toilet trained, they can wear regular swimmers or bathers.
For children who are in the process of toilet-training: A swim nappy for your child is essential (reusable or disposable). Swim nappies are specially designed for water activities, with secure elastic fits to contain solids while allowing water to pass through. We encourage as many people as possible to have a reusable swim nappy to reduce waste and be handed down child to child. To encourage this, we offer reusable nappies in the swim-shop at a SALE price every day! Available in pink or blue & 6 different sizes.
Towel
Swim bag for wet clothes

What happens in the sessions?

During Pre-School classes, teachers use a variety of toys and teaching aids to engage children and support their mental and physical development. As your child progresses through the levels—from Beginner to Advanced — they’ll develop greater independence and confidence in the water, working directly with the teacher to master essential swimming techniques.

Skills are developed across key areas including floating, buoyancy, balance, body positioning, arm propulsion movements, leg propulsion, skills on tummy, skills on back, and breathing techniques that transition into our School Age curriculum (5+ years).

When are Pre-School classes?

Pre-School classes are available 7 days per week at both our Mont Albert North and Ringwood locations. Current times can be viewed through your iClassPro Parent Portal. Lessons run for 30mins.

If existing class times don’t suit your schedule, in your iClassPro parent portal you’ll see the place to register your interest for other days/times. We regularly review scheduling requests and aim to accommodate additional classes where possible.

How much does it cost?

Students can start at any time and cancel at any time. Payments are made 4 lessons at a time, such that in the middle of the month accounts are invoiced for the next month’s 4 lesson block. CLICK HERE for current prices.

What happens if you miss a class?

We know that life happens sometimes so we offer flexible make-up class and family swim options to provide the best service possible for our clients. CLICK HERE for information on what happens if you miss a class.

What happens with skill assessments?

At Healthways, our goal is to ensure that every individual progresses at their own pace and achieves their full potential in the water. Students are assessed by their teacher every 4-6weeks. Students will be recommended to move up a level as soon as they are showing confidence and competence with their skills. There are extra supports available for students with additional needs. CLICK HERE to read more about what happens with student assessments and supports for students with additional needs.

What happens after your child turns 5?:

Students who are 5 years old can swim in either the Pre-School Program (3-5yrs) or the equivalent level in the School-Age Program (5+yrs). Five year olds are the cross-over point between the two programs, and will be able to continue their learning in either age group as there are word-for-word equivalent levels for the two programs. By the time children turn 6 years old, the School-Age Program is more appropriate and students transition to their School-Age equivalent level. To find out more about our School-Age program CLICK HERE.

Tell a Friend:

Kids activities can be even more fun with friends! If you know other parents with pre-schoolers, invite them to join you in Pre-School Classes. Sharing this experience can be a great way to connect with other families while giving your child a fantastic start.

Share the link https://www.healthways.com.au/boxhill/swimming-pool/swimming-lessons/pre-school-program/

Do your other children need childcare? (Available at Mont Albert North Only)

Our onsite creche at Mont Albert North offers professional early childhood education for your children while you attend swimming lessons with your other child. Available Mon-Fri mornings. Please CLICK HERE to find out more.

Other FAQ’s:

Is the salt water pool’s temperature warm and of comfortable depth?

All our pools are salt-water pools, heated to 32C degrees. The teaching spaces for Pre-Schoolers allow for children to sit and stand independently on in-water steps and in-water platforms, while also being introduced to deeper water spaces with teacher assistance.

We use a salt water system which works by converting regular salt into a gentle sanitiser – giving you all the benefits of a clean pool while being softer on sensitive skin, eyes, and swimwear. Many parents notice their babies are more comfortable in salt-water pools compared to traditional chlorine pools.

For more information about how salt water pools work, please CLICK HERE.

What if my child has sensitive skin/eczema?

Our salt-water pools are gentle on sensitive skin! Unlike traditional chlorine pools, salt-water swimming offers several benefits for those with skin concerns:

The water is naturally softer and less irritating
Salt can actually help soothe and heal eczema patches
Lower chemical content means less skin and eye irritation

To best protect sensitive skin before and after swimming:

Apply a waterproof barrier cream 30 minutes before swimming
Rinse off in fresh water immediately after your session
Apply a good quality moisturiser while skin is still damp
Consider using a vitamin C spray to neutralise any remaining pool chemicals.

Can my child stay in the pool after the class to keep swimming?

For both scheduling and your child’s wellbeing, we require all participants to exit the pool after their session. Our 30-minute classes are specifically timed to match your young child’s optimal energy levels – swimming for longer can lead to overtiredness. Swimming lessons begin immediately after your class, making it important to exit promptly.

For any other enquiries, please feel free to speak to our friendly customer service team by phone, email, or in person.

You can look up the timetable, enquire or book:

About Us:

Our mission is to deliver exceptional swimming programs that empower students with lifelong learning and water safety skills in a positive, structured, and inclusive environment. At both our Ringwood and Mont Albert North locations, we partner with families to make swimming safe, fun, and easy to manage — supporting confident learners at every stage.

Our swimming programs are aligned with the national curriculum and taught by accredited, experienced instructors. We proudly provide all our staff with industry-leading teacher training and professional development opportunities.

Renowned for best practice teaching methods and industry-leading small class sizes, Healthways is proud to support our local community and families.