Young Athletes

Photo by Jennifer Hardy/CRS

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. This section also includes the Young Athletes Activity Guide, which provides activities to run Young Athletes in schools, communities and homes.

• Young Athletes Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Young Athletes Brochure (PDF)
• Young Athletes Poster (PDF)
• Let’s Play Together YA (video): Promotional video introducing Young Athletes.
• Young Athletes Stories: Stories about the impact of Young Athletes around the world.
• Young Athletes Research: Results from Young Athletes research studies.
• Young Athletes Equipment (PDF): A list of equipment and resources needed to conduct YA activities in a home, school or community.
• Young Athletes Equipment Kits for Purchase: Buy Young Athletes equipment kits online through School Health (US-based).
• Impact of Young Athletes (PPT): A high-level presentation aimed at sharing the goals and impact of Young Athletes.

• Instructions for running the games and activities in Young Athletes. This version is for online viewing (PDF): English • Chinese • French • Spanish • Arabic • Russian • Estonian • Slovak
• Activity Guide for Printing in English (PDF): A high resolution file for printing the instructions for running the games and activities in Young Athletes.

Watch Young Athletes have fun demonstrating activities that build critical skills for a healthy life. Gifs are short and repetitive videos that can be downloaded and easily shared over text, WhatsApp, or any messaging service. Gifs are perfect for reaching parents, coaches, and volunteers who need quick examples on how to lead Young Athletes activities at home, school, or in the community.

• Foundational Skills: Video of activities that develop foundational skills, which help children become aware of themselves and their surroundings. Download: Booklet (PDF) • Card (PDF)
  
  • Gifs demonstrating Advanced Sports Skills (ZIP):
    Arabic • Chinese • English • French • Russian • Spanish
    
• Walking and Running: Video that highlight different activities to improve walking and running skills. Download: Booklet (PDF) • Card (PDF)
  
  • Gifs demonstrating Walking and Running Skills (ZIP):
    Arabic • Chinese • English • French • Russian • Spanish
    
• Balance and Jumping: Video that include activities, like Jumping High and Leaping Lizards, that focus on the core skill of balance. Download: Booklet (PDF) • Card (PDF)
  
  • Gifs demonstrating Balancing and Jumping Skills (ZIP):
    Arabic • Chinese • English • French • Russian • Spanish
    
• Trapping and Catching: Video of activities that children use to stop a ball with their body or catch it with their hands. Download: Booklet (PDF) • Card (PDF)
  
  • Gifs demonstrating Kicking Skills (ZIP):
    Arabic • Chinese • English • French • Russian • Spanish
    
• Throwing: Video that includes activities, like Train Tunnel and Target Practice, that focus on grip, release, aim and other important skills in throwing. Download: Booklet (PDF) • Card (PDF)
  
  • Gifs demonstrating Throwing Skills (ZIP):
    Arabic • Chinese • English • French • Russian • Spanish
• Striking: Video of activities that teach children how to hit a ball with their hand or an object. These skills develop hand-eye coordination. Download: Booklet (PDF) • Card (PDF)
  
  • Gifs demonstrating Striking Skills (ZIP):
    Arabic • Chinese • English • French • Russian • Spanish
• Kicking: Video that includes activities, like Penalty Kick and Cone Dribble, that teach children how to kick a ball with their feet. Download: Booklet (PDF) • Card (PDF)
  
  • Gifs demonstrating Kicking Skills (ZIP):
    Arabic • Chinese • English • French • Russian • Spanish
• Advanced Sports Skills: Video of activities that introduce children to basketball, football (soccer) and softball skills. Download: Booklet (PDF) • Card (PDF)
  
  • Gifs demonstrating Advanced Sports Skills (ZIP):
    Arabic • Chinese• English • French • Russian • Spanish

• Young Athletes Curriculum lessons (ZIP) and resources (all 8-weeks included in one PDF). Resources are in: English • Arabic • French • German • Russian • Spanish
• Summary Cards Weeks 1 – 8 (PDF): Lesson Summary Cards are provided as prompts for teachers and coaches to use while teaching. They also serve as a resource for families to learn about their child’s experience in the program.

Quality Young Athletes activities begin with well-trained coaches, supported family members and individuals engaged in supporting children through Young Athletes and as they transition to competitive Special Olympics sports opportunities.

• Young Athletes Coaches Training (PPTX): Standardized resource for SO Programs to use in training new Young Athletes coaches in all three models of Young Athletes.
• Young Athletes Coaches Training Facilitators Guide (PDF): Guide for SO Programs on how to implement the Young Athletes Coach Training.
• 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.

• Developmental Sports Resources

• Young Athletes at Home: Young Athletes offers families a collection of resources and activities for inclusive play at home.
• Guide for New Parents of Children with ID (PDF): This is a resource guide to support parents and families of children newly diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
• Young Athletes Family Flashcards (PDF): Fun and engaging flashcards for families to use at home to run Young Athletes activities.
• Young Athletes at Home Guide (PDF): Guide for families and caregivers to continue at home the Young Athletes activities their child is doing in a school or community program.
• Special Olympics Coloring Book (PDF)
• Young Athletes at Home: Training with Special Olympics Athlete Leaders (video): Special Olympics Athlete Leaders from around the world have come together to showcase activities that Young Athletes can do at home.
• Overview & Equipment Recommendations (PDF): One-pager to support families implementing Young Athletes activities at home.

Additional tools and resources for coaches, teachers, families and Special Olympics Programs supporting Young Athletes.

• Young Athletes in Unified Champion Schools (PDF): Overview of using the YA Activity Guide in Unified Champions Schools for US Programs.
• Young Athletes Educator Flashcards (PDF): Flashcards for teachers to use in the classroom to support Young Athletes activities in building social emotional learning (SEL) skills.
• Young Athletes Inclusive Adaptation Cards (PDF): These flashcards include the same activities from the original Young Athletes Activity Guide and Flashcards, but they also include recommendations for adapting the activities so that all children, regardless of their challenges, can participate in the same activity. The categories of challenges include Limited Mobility, Assistive Devices, Hard of Hearing, Visual Impairment, Non-verbal and Sensory Processing Disorder.
• American Indian/Alaska Native Implementation Guide (PDF): The Special Olympics Young Athletes AIAN Implementation Guide is a comprehensive resource to empower indigenous through inclusive play. The Young Athletes Indigenized games nurture the foundational motor and movement skills essential for all children, while also connecting them to Traditional Games within each American Indian/Alaska Native community and honoring tribal languages and traditional foods.
• Young Athletes Motor Assessment (PDF): A tool designed for educators, parents, caregivers and coaches who are interested in having an objective measure of motor performance for children participating in Young Athletes.
• Special Olympics Elementary School Playbook (PDF)
• School to Home Resources: Bring the fun of YA from the classroom to the living room! Package (ZIP) of resources (1 package = 1 classroom) include sport skills packets (Foundational Skills, Throwing, etc.) which consist of activity booklets, cards, and certificates. Materials also include stickers, wearables (crown, party hat, medallion) and an interactive tracker. Design files available upon request.
  English: Foundational Skills • Walking and Running • Balancing and Jumping • Trapping and Catching • Throwing • Striking • Kicking • Advanced Sports • Stickers • Wearables • Tracker
  Spanish: Foundational Skills • Walking and Running • Balancing and Jumping • Trapping and Catching • Throwing • Striking • Kicking • Advanced Sports • Tracker
• Unified Young Readers Club Guide (PDF)
• Lesson Plan Template (PDF)
• Young Athletes Lesson Plan (PDF): Visual template for creating a lesson plan.
• Young Athletes in Libraries: Learn about how to conduct Young Athletes in library settings.
• Young Athletes in Motion, Presented by Special Olympics and Hip Hop Public Health (video): Featuring 100+ young athletes representing 28 countries, this video promotes fitness and health by inspiring children and families with and without intellectual disabilities to warm-up, cool down and stay active as we transition more and more into remote and blended learning environments.

• Young Athletes Registration Forms: Young Athletes registration forms, including an overview of policies and practices.

• Lock Up (ZIP): Official Young Athletes lock-up.
• Design Standards (PDF): Branding information for Young Athletes.

• Design Standards (PDF): Branding information for our holistic ECD programming, including Young Athletes, new parent education and support, Healthy Young Athletes, and more.
• Programming Logos (ZIP): Official ECD Programming Lock-ups.
• All Design Materials (ZIP)

• YA Demonstration (video): Sample of a Young Athletes demonstration from the 2011 World Games in Athens, Greece.
• SO New Jersey School Guide (PDF): Resource from New Jersey about inclusive gross motor education and play.
• SO Canada Young Athletes Nutrition Guide (PDF): Resource from Canada to support children and families with healthy eating.
• Community Program Suggestions (PDF): Resource from Special Olympics New Jersey with tips and suggestions for starting a community program

Resources to support implementation of Young Athletes that are in one of Special Olympics’ five (non-English) primary languages: Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, French and Russian. (More resources coming soon.)

All resources in this section are in Spanish.

• YA Activity Guide in Spanish (PDF): Instructions for running games and activities.
• Guide for New Parents of Children with ID in Spanish (PDF): This is a resource guide to support parents and families of children newly diagnosed with ID.
• Young Athletes Coaches Training in Spanish (PPTX): Standardized resource for SO Programs to use in training new coaches in all three models of Young Athletes.
• Young Athletes Coaches Training Facilitators Guide in Spanish (PDF): Guide for SO Programs on how to implement the Young Athletes Coach Training.
• Young Athletes Curriculum (ZIP) in Spanish: Curriculum lessons and resources (all 8-weeks included in one PDF).
• Young Athletes Fact Sheet in Spanish (PDF): Introductory overview
• Young Athletes Brochure in Spanish (PDF): Marketing brochure.
• Young Athletes Poster in Spanish (PDF): Promotional poster.
• Meet Gael (MOV): A 1-minute video highlighting the impact of Young Athletes on Gael and his family.
• Meet Megan (MOV): A 1-minute video highlighting the impact of Young Athletes on Megan and her family.
• Meet Isaí (MP4): A 1-minute video highlighting the impact of Young Athletes on Isai and his family.
• Olimpiadas Especiales in Atletas Jóvenes: A 2-minute video about the power of Young Athletes, as part of the #activatopoder campaign.
• Activa tu poder con Atletas Jóvenes: A 3-minute video highlighting Young Athletes activities at the Special Olympics Latin America Regional Games.
• Individual Registration Form in Spanish (PDF): Young Athletes participant registration form.
• School Registration Form in Spanish (PDF): Registration form for schools.
• Photo Release Form in Spanish (PDF): Release allowing use of photos from Young Athletes participants.

All resources in this section are in French.

• YA Activity Guide in French (PDF): Instructions for running games and activities.
• Young Athletes Curriculum in French (ZIP): Curriculum lessons and resources (all 8-weeks included in one PDF).
• Guide for New Parents of Children with ID in French (PDF): This is a resource guide to support parents and families of children newly diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.