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Aquatics Programs
Are you looking to swim laps, join our popular American Red Cross swim lessons, or just splash around with the kids? You've come to the right place. The City of Shaker Heights offers both an indoor and outdoor pool, as well as a variety of aquatic programs for all ages. View our current catalog or register now.
Pools
Open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, this beautiful outdoor swimming pool boasts lap lanes, a diving well, water slides, and a lazy river. There's also a separate tot pool and splash pad. Learn more about the Thornton Park pool.
Outside of the Thornton Park Pool season, residents are invited to swim at the Shaker Middle School Pool.
- The Shaker Middle School pool is generally available from two weeks after Labor Day until two weeks before Memorial Day.
- Indoor swimming is not available during school breaks, or when the schools are closed for holidays, professional days, or conferences.
- Only Shaker Heights residents and qualifying students and families of the Shaker Heights School District are permitted. Valid ID may be required.
- No cash accepted at pool entry. All passes and daily admissions are available for purchase online.
- Children ages 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Thursday:
Lap Swim - 8 – 9:30 pm
Saturdays:
Lap Swim - 8 am – 4 pm
Open Swim - 1 – 4 pm
Sundays:
Lap Swim - 10 am – 2 pm
Open Swim - 11 am – 2 pm
Learn-to-Swim
Swim classes are available for infants, children, teens, and adults. Regardless of your ability, our swim lessons offer caring, patient, and safe instruction from trained and certified instructors who can help even the most timid of swimmers learn to enjoy the water. Every beginner class starts with the basics, like becoming comfortable in the water and learning safety and basic strokes, then moves on to stroke development, refinement and improvement, then developing ease and efficiency in the water. In addition to Red Cross swimming classes, we also have a free app that can help you stay motivated between classes and progress to the next level.
Group Swim Lessons
Level 1 - Introduction to Water Skills (ages 18-24 months): Introduce new swimming and water safety skills that are developmentally appropriate and engaging for toddlers. It is important to understand that Parent and Child Aquatics is not designed to teach toddlers to become good swimmers or even to survive in the water on their own.
Level 2 – Fundamental Aquatic Skills (ages 24-36 months): Introduce swimming and water safety skills that are developmentally appropriate for older toddlers. Routines that are familiar are extremely important to this age group. Each class uses toys, songs, fun and games to keep the children engaged and enjoying the water experience, all-the-while teaching them basic aquatic skills.
Level 1 - Introduction to Water Skills (ages 3+): Participants are introduced to basic skills as the foundation for future skills and the development of water competency (the basic minimum skills needed for water safety).
Level 2 – Fundamental Aquatic Skills (ages 3+): Builds on skills learned in Level 1. Participants begin to perform skills at a slightly more advanced level and begin gaining rudimentary propulsive skills on both the front and the back. This level marks the beginning of independent aquatic locomotion skills.
Level 3 – Stroke Development (ages 3+): Participants learn to swim the front crawl and elementary backstroke at rudimentary levels, are introduced to the scissors and dolphin kicks, learn the survival float and increase the time duration for treading water. Participants also learn the rules for headfirst entries and begin to learn to enter the water headfirst from a seated position at poolside (if the water is 9 feet deep or deeper).
Level 4 – Stroke Development (ages 6+): This level introduces new swimming and water safety skills to build on previously learned skills and improves swimming stroke proficiency and swimming for longer distances.
Level 5 – Stroke Development (ages 6+): Refine all six swimming strokes, swimming for longer distances, introduce new water safety skills while building on ones previously learned, and perform flip turns on the front and back.
Level 6 – Swimming and Skill Proficiency (ages 6+): Refine swimming, physical fitness in the water and water safety skills that were taught throughout the levels. The expectations are quite high in regard to distance and quality. Additionally, in Fitness Swimmer, you learn principles of training and how to evaluate your own level of fitness.
Private Swim Lessons
Private swim lessons are modified and customized lessons to fit each participant's needs. This low-pressure environment means you or your child will feel supported in learning and succeeding at their own pace. Participants taking private swim lessons will receive specific input, which is very helpful in making minor adjustments as you or your child develop swimming confidence.
Aquatic Safety Classes
- Longfellow's WHALE Tales
- Lifeguard Certification & Recertification
- Lifeguard Instructor Certification
- Water Safety Instructor Certification
Teaches children about water safety in different environments, such as pools, waterparks, oceans, lakes and rivers. Come and join us for snacks, interactive activities, games and more. Each class offers two unique water safety topics addressing potential water hazards that may be present around the home and community, and touches on sun safety, boating safety, weather concerns and much more.
The American Red Cross Lifeguarding r.24 course is designed to provide entry-level lifeguard participants with the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize and respond to aquatic emergencies and to provide care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries and sudden illnesses until emergency medical services personnel take over.
The Lifeguard Instructor course trains candidates to teach American Red Cross Lifeguarding, Lifeguarding Blended Learning, Shallow Water Lifeguarding, Aquatic Attraction Lifeguarding, Waterpark Skills, CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and Bloodborne Pathogens Training.
The Water Safety Instructor (WSI) Course trains American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor candidates to teach courses and presentations in the Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety program by developing their understanding of how to use the course materials, how to conduct training sessions and how to evaluate participants’ progress.
Aquatic Fitness - Shallow Water Aerobics
Take the plunge and try this low-impact workout that builds muscle strength and boosts your endurance. It’s fun, and it can be as challenging as you like. These water workouts are done in a shallow end of the pool. The buoyancy of the water is easy on your joints. That makes water aerobics a good choice if you have joint problems, chronic pain, are recovering from injury, or just want a low-impact workout.
Competitive Swimming - North Coast Aquatic Team
The North Coast Aquatic Team is a competitive swim program located within Shaker Heights which offers a pre-competitive entry level group to get you started. The team has programming at the Shaker Heights Middle School Pool. Opportunities for swimmers ages 6 and older including adults. Try outs are available year round. Learn more at the NCAT website or contact Director/Head Coach Eric Peterson via email.