Aquatics
Swimming and summer camp go hand-in-hand, and there is no better place than Camp Briar Hill. For lesson swim, Briar Hill is home to the area’s premier camp instructional program. Over the years, thousands of children have learned to swim at Briar Hill. We teach children at all levels, and previous swim lessons are never necessary to attend camp. Our large pool team is dedicated and highly trained. Our heated pools are always warm and inviting, and we have a dedicated shallow pool for our very youngest campers to feel confident while they learn. In the afternoon, the fun continues in our pools with a variety of free swim activities. Safety and supervision are always our main priority, and somewhat unique to Briar Hill, our counselors stay with their campers during all swim periods to help and play!
Lesson Swim
The Briar Hill swim program is dedicated to the safety and instruction of campers from Pre-K through 6th grade. We are a Red Cross Learn-To-Swim facility and base our instruction on Red Cross swim levels. Our Water Safety Instructors (WSI) and Lifeguards are all trained and certified by the Red Cross.
Planning for Success
Initial Swim Level
On your child’s first day, an experienced pool manager will observe and assign an initial swim level. For returning campers, this may be set from last year’s final swim level. Initial placements may be adjusted after one or two lesson periods. By the end of your child’s first week, you will receive an email with your child’s instructors, swim lesson time, and initial swim level.
Lesson Groups
We place your child in the best lesson group for them to learn and advance. Lesson groups focus on teaching Red Cross swim skills. We organize these skills using Briar Hill names and levels. The naming is to make lessons more fun, and the levels are designed to show rapid progress thereby building confidence.
View Briar Hill Swim Levels here.
Advancements
Swim skills are frequently re-evaluated. Children may “level up” over the course of a summer. When this happens, an advancement email is sent. Please note that advancements are heavily dependent on the number of days a child is enrolled in camp.
Free Swim
Free swim is all about safety and fun! Our pool team is incredibly big due to our instructional program. As a result, Lifeguards are everywhere during free swim - more than double the required number. Our two pools are separated by fencing, and campers must test before entering a new pool area. In particular, campers must pass a deep water test and wear a bracelet before accessing the deepest part of the large pool. Because our counselors stay with their campers during free and lesson swims, they can continue to help and play with them in the water.
