Young Athletes

Young Athletes is an inclusive program for children of all abilities aged 2–7 that builds core motor, social, and cognitive skills through fun, play-based activities. By introducing basic sport skills—along with lessons in sharing, taking turns, and following directions—it helps children stay active, form friendships, and develop healthy habits for the future. Young Athletes is easy to do and fun for all; it can be done at home, in schools or in the community using the Young Athletes Activity Guide or the Young Athletes App (available in Apple and Google Play stores), and basic equipment. Through Young Athletes, all children, their families, and people in the community can be a part of an inclusive team!

Young Athletes welcomes children and their families into the world of Special Olympics by helping children develop in the following ways:

• Motor skills: Children with intellectual disabilities who took part in Young Athletes developed motor skills more than twice as fast as others who did not take part.
• Social, emotional and learning skills: Parents and teachers of children who took part in the Young Athletes curriculum said the children learned skills that they will use in primary school.
• Expectations: Family members say that Young Athletes raised their hopes for their child’s future.
• Sport readiness: Young Athletes helps children get ready to take part in sports when they are older.
• Acceptance: Inclusive play helps children without a disability to better understand and accept others.

During the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, a Young Athletes Festival presented by Gillette Children’s will be hosted to bring this exciting program to the national stage, creating a one-of-a-kind experience for children and families to play, connect, and celebrate inclusion.

This three-day festival will feature interactive, sport-based activity stations designed to build fundamental motor skills in a fun and welcoming environment. The first and third days of programming will take place at the Fan Zone at the National Sports Center in Blaine, where families can sign up for an hour-long time slot and rotate through stations like Get Fit, Strike and Throw, Running, Balance, Jumping, and Strider Bike, working toward completing them all before receiving a ribbon to celebrate their achievement. The second day will be hosted at the MDI Fan Zone at Mall of America, offering a more educational experience with opportunities to learn more about Special Olympics, in addition to fine motor skills challenges. It will also take place in tandem with the Mall’s “Toddler Tuesday"—an event that includes exclusive discounts for children 6 and under (and their caretakers!) throughout the Mall.

Who is Invited to Register?
The program is specifically designed for children ages 2 through 7.

• Children with Intellectual Disabilities (ID): This includes those with cognitive delays or closely related developmental disabilities.
• Unified Partners: Children without intellectual disabilities are also invited to register as “Unified Partners” to promote inclusion and peer-to-peer play.

Registration Requirements & Qualifications
While the program is inclusive and less formal than the competitive sports for ages 8+, there are standard Young Athletes Registration forms to complete:

• Identification: A parent or guardian must identify if the child has an intellectual or developmental disability on the registration form.
• Waivers & Releases: Most local programs require a signed Athlete Release Form and a Likeness Release to allow for photos and emergency medical care if needed.

Inclusive Health

Young Athletes is powered by Special Olympics Health, made possible by the Golisano Foundation. Special Olympics’ health programming focuses on improving the physical and social-emotional well-being of people with ID by increasing inclusion in health care, wellness and health systems for Special Olympics athletes and others with ID.

Special Olympics Health activities are supported by many sources, including in the United States, by Grant Number NU27DD000021 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with $18.1M (64%) financed with U.S. federal funds and $10.2M (36%) supported by non-federal sources. These contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.