Metroparks Working with Partners to Offer FREE Swim Lessons

In partnership with multiple community organizations located within the five county area in southeast Michigan, your Metroparks are excited to bring swim lessons to you for FREE. Participants will learn basic water safety skills and get an introduction to swimming. No prior experience is needed, certified instructors will work with participants at their level with ease and understanding of their comfort in the water.

All registered participants will receive a swimsuit, swim caps, goggles, bag, and a towel.

Winter Swim Lessons – Registration Ongoing

We are working with several partners this fall to offer FREE swim lessons. Registration for partnered sites will be added as available.

Whitmore Lake Public Schools – Adult Swim Lessons

Whitmore Lake Public Schools is offering lessons for adults with small class sizes, patient instructors and proven curriculum. Water safety is important for everyone, and these lessons are geared towards all skill levels, INCLUDING water shy. Registration is open. Click here to register.

Howell Highlander Aquatic Center

Registration is ongoing. https://highlanderaquatics.gymmasteronline.com/portal/login
(click on “sign up” and complete the registration process)

YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit – Adult Swim Lessons

YMCA is offering lessons for adults at multiple branch locations. Registration is ongoing.

City of Detroit – Swim in the D – Multiple Recreation Center Locations

Registration opening soon.

Dearborn Heights School District #7 – Annapolis High School

Lessons are available for preschool through level 6.

To stay in the know for future swim lessons and registration details please sign up for our email newsletter. Click here to complete the email sign up.

Lets Get Everyone in the Pool

Your Metroparks are committed to improving water safety so that all Michiganders can safely and confidently enjoy the pools, lakes and rivers our state has to offer. In 2021, the Metroparks worked with an external consultant to identify the barriers to swim instruction and the gaps in water safety. Thanks to responses from all across our communities, we learned that the cost of swim lessons were too high, particularly for people of color and for city of Detroit residents. The consequences are stark: studies show 70 percent of Detroit kids have little to no swim experience. So we began building partnerships and funding lessons to make them FREE for residents in communities across all five counties we serve.

In 2023 we announced and launched a 5-year plan to expand these efforts.

Learn more about those initial partnerships and their impacts in this short film.