Learn about our programs

Upcoming program dates

Spring 2025 Dates

Registration is now open!

Summer 2025 Dates

Registration is now open!

Learn to Swim programs

  • Group ICS Swimming Lessons

    Ages: 5 - 13

    Length: 45 minutes

    Leader to swimmer ratio: 1 leader to 5-6 swimmers

    Price: $149

     

    ICS is a learn to swim program run in partnership with the Swim Academy. Participants in the ICS program register for a timeslot that works best for their families and our program (and our team!) makes sure that they are in the correct class to challenge and develop their skills. That means there are no levels to track. Instead, each of our swimmers progresses through 54 skills at their own rate, and is awarded each as they achieve them. 
     

  • Swim academy logo
DayTime Slot 1Time Slot 2Time Slot 3Time Slot 4
Mondays6:05 - 6:50 p.m.6:50 - 7:35 p.m.  
Wednesdays6:05 - 6:50 p.m.6:50 - 7:35 p.m.  
Fridays6:05 - 6:50 p.m.6:50 - 7:35 p.m.7:35 - 8:20 p.m. 
Saturdays10:35 - 11:20 a.m.11:20 - 12:05 p.m.12:05 - 12:50 p.m.12:50 - 1:35 p.m.
Sundays10:35 - 11:20 a.m.11:20 - 12:05 p.m.12:05 - 12:50 p.m.12:50 - 1:35 p.m.

Teen ICS

The Teen ICS program is our ICS program for older swimmers. Those who will be most successful in teen ICS are swimmers who are 13-16 years old and are completing the ICS program (or equivalent). Please reach out to our team to learn if teen ICS is right for your swimmer.

Ages: 13 - 16

Length: 45 minutes

Leader to swimmer ratio: 1 leader to 5-6 swimmers

Sessions offered: Fall, Winter, Spring

Lesson days offered: Saturdays at 12:50, Sundays at 12:50 p.m., Wednesdays 6:50 p.m. (dates above)

Price: $149

Register Here!


 

Beginner Youth ICS

Ages: 10 - 15

This program is designed especially for youth/teens that have little or no experience in the water.

Length: 45 minutes

Leader to swimmer ratio: 1 leader to 5-6 swimmers

Sessions offered: Fall, Winter, Spring

Lesson days offered: Saturdays at 10:35 a.m., Mondays 6:50 p.m., Fridays 6:05 p.m. & 7:35 p.m. (dates above)

Price: $149

Please Note: Registration for this program is not available online or through our customer service desk. Eligibility must be approved by a member of our Aquatics Leadership Team via email to mu.aquatics@umanitoba.ca, and share with us the age of the child who wishes to participate and a brief description of their swim ability. 


 

  • Private/semi-private swimming lessons

    Private and semi-private swimming lessons are available for individuals who require or want more personalized instruction. All selections are open to children and adults. For semi-private lessons, it is the responsibility of the participants to find the group they would like to swim with and register for the program at the same time. A semi-private lesson is for 2 people of approximately the same ability. Should you wish for the lesson to be semi-private, please register one participant online and call a member of our customer service team at (204) 474-6100 to add the second participant.

    Ages: Any

    Length: 45 minutes

    Leader to swimmer ratio: Private 1 leader to 1 swimmer, semi-private 1 leader to 2 swimmers

    Sessions offered: Fall/ Winter/ Spring/ Summer

    Price:
    Private: $391
    Semi-private: $55 to add an additional participant 


    Register Here!

  • Child and swim leader playing in the water during a swimming lesson
DayTime Slot 1Time Slot 2Time Slot 3Time Slot 4
Mondays6:05 - 6:50 p.m.6:50 - 7:35 p.m.  
Wednesdays6:05 - 6:50 p.m.6:50 - 7:35 p.m.  
Fridays6:05 - 6:50 p.m.6:50 - 7:35 p.m.7:35 - 8:20 p.m. 
Saturdays10:35 - 11:20 a.m.11:20 - 12:05 p.m.12:05 - 12:50 p.m.12:50 - 1:35 p.m.
Sundays10:35 - 11:20 a.m.11:20 - 12:05 p.m.12:05 - 12:50 p.m.12:50 - 1:35 p.m.

Camp Swimming Lessons

Add more pool time to your camp experience! Register for camp swimming lessons and your child will get to participate in a 45 minute swimming lesson based on the ICS program during each camp day. The campers will be picked up and returned to their group during one hour of their scheduled recreation time. Note: Swimmers' camp-specific activity may be disrupted by their swim lesson. 

Swimming occurs at either 9 AM or 3 PM and will be assigned by the aquatics leadership team based on camp group assignment. All children registered in Camp Swimming Lessons should plan to arrive at camp each day at 8:30 a.m. Please plan your drop off accordingly.

Due to program content scheduling, camp swimming lessons are not available for participants registered in: Archery Fencing Racquetball, Becoming a Mini U Leader, Outdoor Adventures, U9 and U11 Hockey Camps, and Fun Froggie Fitness.

Ages: Any

Length: 45 minutes

Leader to swimmer ratio: 1 leader to up to 5 swimmers

Weeks offered: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8  

Price: $102

Tots swimming

Just getting your feet wet? This program will help the young swimmers become comfortable in the water in a fun, safe, and encouraging environment.

Parent and Tot is designed for children to have fun in the water with a parent or guardian while learning swimming fundamentals.

Ages: 0-3

Length: 30 minutes

Leader to swimmer ratio: 1 leader to 7 swimmers and 7 parents/guardians

Sessions offered in Fall, Winter, and Spring: 

  • Saturdays: 10:35 AM and 12:05 PM
  • Sunday: 10:35 AM and 12:05 PM
  • Monday: 6:05 PM
  • Wednesday: 6:05 PM
  • Friday: 6:05 PM

Summer Session (July - August) days offered:

  • Session 1: June 30 - July 11
    • 4:30 - 5:00 PM
  • Session 2: July 14 - July 25
    • 5:00 - 5:30 PM
  • Session 3: July 28 - August 8
    • 5:00 - 5:30 PM
  • Session 4: August 11 - August 22
    • 4:30 - 5:00 PM

Price: $113

Register Here!

Adult swimming

The perfect swimming lessons for adults of all swimming abilities. If you’re starting to learn the basics or looking to refine your skills, look no further than our adult swim lessons. These classes are a great environment to practice your strokes, improve your fitness, and make new friends!

It is never too late to learn how to swim. This course is for new swimmers and is designed to help participants progress at their own rate. The course will cover: basic flotation, movement and breathing skills, and an introduction to swim strokes. Course will be primarily in the shallow end. Previous experience in the water is not necessary for participation in this course.

Ages: 18+

Length: 45 minutes

Leader to swimmer ratio: 1 to 7

Sessions offered in Fall, Winter, and Spring: 

  • Sundays 10:35 AM, 12:05 PM and 12:50 PM
  • Mondays 6:05 and 6:50 PM
  • Wednesdays 6:50 PM
  • Fridays 6:05 PM and 7:35 PM
  • Women's Only Introduction Swimming Lessons: Saturdays 2:40 - 3:25

Summer Session (July - August) days offered:

  • Session 1: June 30 - July 11
    • 5:15 - 6:00 PM
  • Session 2: July 14 - July 25
    • 4:30 - 5:15 PM
  • Session 3: July 28 - August 8
    • 5:15 - 6:00 PM
  • Session 4: August 11 - August 22
    • 4:30 - 5:15 PM

Price: $149

Register Here!

Steps to becoming a Lifeguard

Ages: 10 -13

This course is the first step to becoming a lifeguard if you are under the age of 13.

Bronze Star is a preview to the world of lifeguarding. This course will introduce basic lifesaving skills and water safety procedures. Participants develop problem-solving and decision-making skills as individuals and as members of a team. An endurance swim of 400 meters is required for the successful completion of this level.

Prerequisites: Swim ability is the only prerequisite, participants must feel comfortable in deep water without a floatation device. 

Sessions Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring

Days offered :

  • Sundays 12:05 PM - 1:05 PM
  • Monday 6:35 - 7:35 PM

Materials: Canadian Lifesaving Manual (recommended) $49

Price: $155

Register Here!

What to expect at lessons

Report card update

Swimmers in Tots, ICS, and Private lessons will receive a digital progress report at the end of their swim session. Participants in our tots programs will continue to receive a paper report card with written feedback. 

At the end of each session ICS, and Private lesson swimmers will receive an email update on their skill progress. The email will list the skills they have earned since the last update. Any questions, or to request a resend of the progress email can be sent to mu.aquatics@umanitoba.ca. 

Swim skills

To reference what skills you child is still working towards, please see our breakdown of swimming skills!

Mini U Swim Skills

Parking 

  • In most cases, parking on campus is free on weekends, and weekdays after 4:30. Please be sure not to park in a 24 hour reserved spot. Additional parking is available in any adjacent lot. See this interactive parking map for more details:

Campus Parking Locations

Building access

  • Use the west or east entrance to the ALC. Once in the Agora, program participants are asked to enter through the second floor of the Active Living Centre. Participants will be asked to confirm program time and name at the entrance.
  • All visitors are asked to remove their outdoor footwear once admission to the facility is granted. Please feel free to bring indoor footwear with you for wearing while in the facility.
  • Outdoor footwear will not be permitted on the pool deck. 

Photos

  • If you would like to take a photo of your child at lessons, please ask a member of our team to help so we can ensure that only your swimmer is in the photo. 

Pool temperature 

  • Our pool is used as a training centre for our Manitoba Bison athletes and is required to be held between 27-28 degrees Celsius. Users may find the temperature to be cool.
  • We recommend planning your swim attire accordingly. Your child may be more comfortable in a swim shirt or wetsuit. 

Parent/Guardian accompaniment

  • Participants age 11 years of age and younger who are actively participating in our programs must: 
    • arrive and leave their program with their parent / guardian.
    • be supervised by a parent / guardian for the duration of their program.
  • Participants age 12 years of age and older who are actively participating in our programs:
    • May be granted permission for independent arrival and departure for their program. Parents / guardians who wish to grant this can do so, with written permission. 

Change room, toileting and locker use

  • Swimmers and their guardian will be permitted to use the male / female and community change room spaces. 
  • The community change room space is limited. Please use the larger male /  female change rooms when appropriate. 
  • Saving / reserving private changing room space in the Community Change Room is not permitted. When not actively using a space, please place belongings in a locker so that others may use the space.
  • Day use lockers are available in all changing rooms. You may wish to bring your own lock to secure your belongings.
    • Locks can be rented or purchased from the front desk at the Active Living Center. 

 

Mini U Summer Swimming Experience

Please see below for summer swimming details.

Notices

  • The pool will be closed in Week 9: August 25 - 29, 2025 inclusive. 

  • Ratio

    A minimum swimmer to adult ratio of 7 swimmers to I adult is maintained at all times in the swimming pool. There will be lifeguards on duty at all times, as well as one or more group leaders per group (plus volunteers when available).

  • Flotation Devices

    All children 7 and under must wear a life jacket or swim belt. Parents interested in their child not wearing a flotation device are expected to send a written note indicating their permission. Our group leaders will present this note to our lifeguards who will administer a swim test for the participant prior to each swim time.
     

  • Fire Evacuation

    In the unlikely event of a fire alarm, our team will evacuate the pool.
     

    Should it be safe to do so:

    • Individuals in the observation deck will be evacuated to the Active Living Centre lobby.

    • Swimmers will be kept on the pool deck and supervised by their swim leader.

    • Further evacuation may be required (to be determined by the fire warden on duty)

  • Summer Swimming Lesson Pick Up

    Any participant registered in both 4:30 swimming lessons and a day camp program will be picked up from camp by a lifeguard and taken to their lesson. Parents are required to sign their children out from the head lifeguard at promptly 5:15pm. Any child registered in a 5:15pm swimming lesson and a day camp program must be picked up from camp by their parent/guardian.

  • Toys

    Our wiggle bridge is available for participants (registered for programs in the 8-11 or 12+ program areas) who pass a swimming test administered by a lifeguard prior to each swim time.

Cancellation policy

Contact us

Mini U Programs
146 Frank Kennedy Centre
420 University Crescent
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

Aquatics Team: 204-474-6508
Customer Service: 204-474-6100

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