Young Athletes
Special Olympics Young Athletes is a sport and play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities (ID), ages 2 to 7 years old.
Young Athletes welcomes children and their families into the world of Special Olympics by showing how all children can be valued for their talents and abilities. The following section includes basic and introductory information on Young Athletes.
Want to learn more about Young Athletes or have questions about programming? Contact ecd@specialolympics.org and one of our team members will reach out with additional information.
Core Resources
Get started today with the following Young Athletes resources!
Young Athletes in Schools (PDF)
One-pager to support coaches training and implementing Young Athletes in schools.
Young Athletes in Communities (PDF)
One-pager to support coaches training and implementing Young Athletes in communities
Young Athletes in Homes (PDF)
One-pager to support coaches training and implementing Young Athletes in homes.
Stories about Young Athletes
Stories about the impact of Young Athletes around the world.
Young Athletes Equipment (PDF)
A list of equipment and resources needed to conduct YA activities in a home, school or community.
More Resources to Discover
Young Athletes Activity Guide
The Activity Guide is the essential Young Athletes resource and provides instructions for running games and activities.
Young Athletes Family Flashcards
Fun and engaging flashcards for families to use at home to run Young Athletes activities.
Young Athletes Lesson Plans
The Young Athletes Year-Long Lesson Plan resource is a 30-week motor and social play program. It is easy to use and provides everything a teacher needs to implement it in the school.
Young Athletes App
Support at-home programming with the Young Athletes app! The app is for families and caregivers of young children, with and without IDD, ages 0 – 7 years old. Families get personalized activities based on their child's development, access health resources, and chat directly with others in their area. They can also connect with their child's provider to develop a shared plan of care based on their recommended activities. Download on the Google Play or Apple app stores today!
Junior Athletes
Junior Athletes is a non-competitive, multi-sport play program for children with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities from ages 6 to 12. Resources currently offered for Junior Athletes implementation include a comprehensive introduction guide, lesson plans and an eLearning coaches course.