Engage children with cognitive disabilities through developmentally appropriate play activities designed to foster physical, cognitive and social development;
Welcome family members of children with cognitive disabilities to the Special Olympics network of support;
Raise awareness about the abilities of children with cognitive disabilities through inclusive peer participation, demonstrations and other events.
Young Athletes™ is a versatile program that is designed for families to play with their young athletes at home in a fun atmosphere but is also appropriate for preschools, schools and playgroups. The benefits for this program have been proven worldwide. First and foremost, these activities will help the children improve physically, cognitively and socially. The flexibility of Young Athletes™ ensures the opportunity to welcome families and their young children to the Special Olympics family.
This program is designed to address two specific levels of play:
LEVEL 1 includes physical activities focused on developing fundamental motor tracking and eye-hand coordination.
LEVEL 2 concentrates on the application of these physical activities through a sports skills activity program and developing skills consistent with Special Olympics sports play. The activities consist of foundational skills, walking and running, balance and jumping, trapping and catching, throwing, striking, kicking and advanced skills.