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Learning to swim is one of the most important skills a child can learn. Drowning is among the leading causes of death for children ages 1-4, with most of these incidents occurring in the family’s own pool.

Luckily, children can start swim lessons as early as 6-12 months old. We know finding budget-friendly options can be challenging, so we’ve compiled a list of some of the free and discounted swim lesson options around New York State.

Check in with your local YMCA or parks department for additional help.

Free/Discounted Swim Lesson Resources:

• City Swim Project, based in Buffalo, offers free swim lessons for children ages 3-18 at various locations in the city.
   
• YMCA Buffalo Niagara now offers free swim lessons for both members and non-members, thanks to a grant from a NY SWIMS initiative.


• The YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County was awarded a grant from the Alliance of New York State YMCAs to provide free swim lessons.


• NYC Parks offers free swim lessons at recreation centers across the city. Registration for this program takes place via a lottery system.
   
• The YMCA of Greater Rochester offers free parent/child swim lessons for infants and toddlers under 3. You can find their schedule here.