Free guide

Learn to swim, one stage at a time.

A simple guide for kids, parents and adults: five stages from your first steps in the water to swimming 25 metres, plus how to stay safe around water.

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In short

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Learn in five stages: get comfortable, float, glide and kick, breathe, then swim to safety.

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Move on only when a stage feels easy.

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Kids learn through play, with an adult always within arm's reach.

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Adults: practise where you can stand, wear goggles, and breathe out slowly.

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Never swim alone, and watch children near any water.

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Want to learn faster? We can introduce you to an independent swim teacher.

The five stages

From your first splash to swimming 25 metres.

Swim schools around the world teach in this order. Move on only when a stage feels easy, and go at your own pace. Everyone learns at a different speed.

Get comfortable in the water

Feel calm standing and walking in water that reaches your chest.

How to practise

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Walk across the pool while holding the edge.

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Put your face in the water and blow bubbles out through your mouth and nose.

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Hold the edge, dip your whole head under, then come back up slowly.

Ready to move on

You can put your face in and blow bubbles without rushing to come up.

Float and stand up

Let the water hold you up, then get back on your feet by yourself.

How to practise

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Float on your front like a star, holding the edge or a helper's hands.

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Float on your back with your ears in the water and your eyes on the sky.

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To stand up, pull your knees to your chest, push your hands down, then put your feet down.

Ready to move on

You can float for five seconds on your front and on your back, and stand up on your own.

Glide and kick

Move through the water in a straight line.

How to practise

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Push off the wall with your arms stretched out in front, and glide.

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Hold a kickboard and kick from your hips, with long, loose legs.

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Push off, glide, then kick, going a little further each time.

Ready to move on

You can push off, glide and kick for about 5 metres.

Breathe as you swim

Keep moving while you breathe, without stopping to stand up.

How to practise

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Holding a kickboard, turn your head to the side to breathe in, then put your face back in to breathe out.

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Add arm pulls, one arm at a time, while you keep kicking.

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When you get tired, roll onto your back to rest and breathe, then roll back.

Ready to move on

You can swim and breathe for 10 metres without standing up.

Swim to safety

The skills that matter most if you ever fall into water.

How to practise

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Swim 25 metres without stopping.

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Stay at the surface for one minute by floating or treading water.

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Turn around, find the nearest edge, and climb out by yourself.

Ready to move on

You can do all three, with a teacher or a strong swimmer watching. Now you can work on strokes and distance.

Based on the stages used by the Red Cross Learn-to-Swim programme and Swim England.

Tips

Learning as a child, and learning as an adult.

Kids and adults learn the same stages, but they need different things to feel safe and keep going.

For parents of young swimmers

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Make it play: games, toys and songs teach more than pushing.

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Stay within arm's reach the whole time, even with armbands or a ring.

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Let your child choose when to put their face in. Never force it.

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Short and often works best: 20 to 30 minutes, a few times a week.

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Cheer every small step, like the first bubbles or the first float.

For adults who never learned

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Many adults learn to swim. Feeling nervous at the start is normal.

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Practise where your feet touch the bottom, and go at your own pace.

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Wear goggles. Seeing under water makes it much calmer.

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Breathe out slowly under water. Holding your breath is what makes people panic.

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Come with a friend, and think about a teacher: they spot problems early, so you learn faster.

Water safety

Swimming is a life skill in Cambodia.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged 5 to 14 in Cambodia. Learning to swim helps, and so do these habits.

Watch children near any water

Keep young children within reach near pools, rivers, ponds and even buckets of water at home.

Never swim alone

Always swim with someone who can help, even once you can swim well.

Rivers and the sea are harder than a pool

Currents, waves and dark water make them much harder. Swimming in a pool is a good start, but it isn't everything.

Throw, don't go

If someone is in trouble, throw them something that floats and shout for help. Don't jump in unless you are trained to rescue.

Source: UNICEF Cambodia, 2025

Practise at Caracol

Come and practise in our pool.

Anyone can come and practise during opening hours. Pay the normal pool entry at the front desk.

Pool rules for learners

No lifeguard on duty

Everyone swims at their own risk, so bring someone who can swim.

Children under 10

Children under 10 need an adult with them in the pool area, unless they're in a lesson with their teacher.

Stay where you can stand

Practise only where your feet touch the bottom until you reach stage 5.

Bring a swim cap

Wear proper swimwear and a swim cap while you're learning. Goggles help too.

Coming to lessons often?

Each visit costs $3 at the door. From 14 visits a month, a $40 monthly swim pass costs less.

See swim passes

Want a teacher?

Independent swim teachers teach at our pool. They set their own price and you pay them directly. Tell us the swimmer's age and level, and we'll introduce you to one.

Learn to swim FAQ