Survival Skills That Save Lives
Self-Rescue Lessons at Swim Gym of Lakewood Ranch
Our Self-Rescue program is designed for children ages 6 months to 8 years and focuses on teaching critical water survival skills. Infants learn breath control and how to roll onto their backs to float independently. Older children master the swim-float-swim sequence — a lifesaving chain of movements designed to get them to safety.
These aren’t just swim lessons. These are skills that prepare children for unexpected water exposure.
Gentle, Structured, and Child-Focused
Our Self-Rescue lessons are formatted in 10 minute sessions taken consecutively Monday thru Thursday for an average of 8 weeks.
Self-Rescue Float
(Infants 6 – 12 months)
Self-Rescue Swim-Float-Swim
(Children 1+ years old)
To begin Self-Rescue Lessons, your little swimmer must be at least 6 months old and able to get into a sitting position independently, without assistance. This helps ensure they're developmentally ready to begin building confidence and learning essential water safety skills!
Your child’s journey to Self-Rescue at Swim Gym begins by clicking Schedule Now and selecting the start date and lesson time that works best for your family. After enrolling and paying for your first week of lessons, you’ll receive a link to register with Infant Swimming Resource (ISR).
Lessons are $140 per week and take place Monday through Thursday, with each lesson lasting about 10 minutes. These short, focused sessions are intentionally designed to prevent muscle fatigue while building strong skills through repetition and consistency. This structure helps children develop the muscle memory and confidence needed to respond in real water situations.
Every child learns at their own emotional and physical pace, and most programs average around eight weeks in length. Our instructors provide a gentle approach with patience and encouragement, creating an environment where children feel supported as they learn. Safety is always our priority, but we believe learning should still feel positive and empowering for both children and parents.
Self-Rescue sessions can begin any week on Monday, depending on availability. We recommend scheduling in advance whenever possible so you can secure the lesson time that works best for your family and avoid being placed on a waitlist.
Please be aware that missed classes are not refundable.
$140
/ Weekly Self Rescue Tuition*
*$140 per child paid weekly | auto-pay options available
National Registration
$105
/ National Registration
$105.00 per child paid to Infant Swimming Resource via link provided in your welcome email once a class is scheduled. The fee covers the cost of the screening process by ISR medical personnel for physical and developmental readiness of your child, supplies, and education programs for the general public and medical community.
One on One
10 Minutes
Mon - Thurs for 8 weeks
Swim Gym of Lakewood Ranch
Preparing for Your Self-Rescue Lessons
Self-Rescue lessons are a little different from traditional swim classes, and that’s intentional. Because these lessons focus on teaching important water safety and self-rescue skills, the structure and preparation may look a bit different from what families expect at a typical swim school.
Before your child’s first lesson, we encourage you to review the list of recommended items so you arrive prepared and ready for a smooth start. Having everything you need ahead of time helps your child stay comfortable, focused, and ready to learn during their short, structured lesson.
If you have any questions before or after booking, our team is always happy to help. Please feel free to reach out by phone or email — we’re here to support you and your swimmer every step of the way.
Your child's National Registration must be approved prior to the first day of lessons. Without it, your child will not be able to enter the pool. The fee of $105 per child and is not collected by Swim Gym of Lakewood Ranch, the link to complete this is provided in your confirmation email.
Please bring 3 towels to every lesson. The towels will create a clean, dry surface for your child to lie on that will limit his or her exposure to the damp pool deck, which could potentially harbor germs.
Dress your child in 2 layered washable (non-disposable) swim diapers. These are required if your child has not been potty trained for more than 6 months and is under 3 years old. They can be purchased at Swim Gym of Lakewood Ranch location.
Your child should not have anything to eat or drink for 2 hours prior to their scheduled lesson.
Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) is the result of more than 50 years of research and development in aquatic survival training for infants and young children. The goal of ISR is simple but powerful: to teach children how to respond if they ever find themselves in the water unexpectedly.
Through ISR lessons, children learn how to roll onto their backs to float, rest, breathe, and—when developmentally ready—swim to safety using the swim-float-swim sequence. We often call this becoming an “aquatic problem solver,” because your child learns how to think and react in the water. These skills can greatly increase a child’s chances of surviving an aquatic accident—even if they enter the water fully clothed.
Absolutely. Safety is the foundation of everything we do at Swim Gym. ISR maintains strict safety protocols and each lesson is carefully tailored to your child’s age, development, and comfort level. Your child’s health and well-being are closely monitored every day during lessons.
As part of the registration process, parents complete a detailed medical and developmental history to ensure lessons are customized specifically for their child. All ISR instructors complete an intensive and highly specialized training program that exceeds the standards of traditional swim instruction.
Parents are also an important part of the process. You’ll receive access to the ISR Parent Resource Guide, created by Dr. Harvey Barnett and JoAnn Barnett, which helps families understand water safety and how to support their child’s learning. When it comes to teaching infants and young children survival skills in the water, ISR is widely recognized as one of the safest and most effective programs available.
Yes! For children who are developmentally ready, swimming is an important part of survival in the water. ISR students learn the swim-float-swim sequence, which allows them to move through the water, rest and breathe when needed, and continue swimming toward safety.
What makes ISR different from traditional lessons is that we focus on both swimming and survival skills. Your child isn’t just learning strokes—they’re learning how to think and respond in the water so they can become confident, capable aquatic problem solvers.
Yes—refresher lessons are an important part of the ISR process. Young children grow and change rapidly during their first few years of life, both physically and cognitively. As their bodies grow, their water skills need to grow with them.
Refresher lessons help children adjust to their new body size, strength, and coordination while reinforcing the survival skills they’ve already learned. The timing of refreshers depends on your child’s age, growth, confidence level, and skill development. Your instructor will guide you on when refresher lessons will be most beneficial so your child continues building efficiency, confidence, and strong water safety habits.
ISR research shows that children retain their skills at a 94–100% rate up to one year after completing lessons. However, like any skill, consistency matters. Young children are naturally curious and may pick up habits from watching other swimmers or from activities that can interfere with their learned responses—such as supported floating or certain types of play in shallow water.
During your child’s lessons, your instructor will help you understand which activities support your child’s progress and which ones might interfere with their Self-Rescue skills. Staying in touch with your instructor and scheduling refresher lessons when needed helps ensure your child maintains safe and effective habits in the water.
