BROOKLYN

Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA
1121 Bedford Ave at Monroe St, Bedford-Stuyvesant (718-789-1497, ymcanyc.org). Subway: G to Bedford–Nostrand Aves.
Dates: Registration is ongoing; classes run Jun 28–Aug 16.
Cost: $125 for eight 30-minute lessons
Ages: All ages; parent must swim with kids under 4.
The city YMCA programs cater to 12 different age groups for beginners and intermediates, each with its own piscine name. If your babe is 11 months, he’s a “kipper,” while your three-year-old may be a “pike” or an “eel,” depending on his ability.

Betsy Head Playground
Hopkinson Ave between Livonia and Dumont Aves, Brownsville (718-965-6581, nycgovparks.org). Subway: 3 to Saratoga Ave.
Dates: Register on Jul 7; classes run Jul 8–23.
Cost: FREE. Kids under 6 attend two 30-minute classes per week; those 6 and up attend three 45-minute classes per week.
Ages: 1½ to 14; parent must swim with kids under 5.
The outdoor city pool at Betsy Head Playground, in the Brownsville section, is Olympic-size—larger than a football field—but lifeguards abound, so you can feel safe about letting your little ones learn to swim here.