Special Olympics Level 1 Young Athletes is an inclusive sport and play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities (ID), ages 2 to 7 years old. Young Athletes introduces basic sport and motor skills, like running, jumping, balancing, kicking, throwing and locomotor movements. Young Athletes offers families, teachers, caregivers and people from the community the chance to share the joy of sports with all children. Children of all abilities take part, and they all benefit. 

When a child becomes comfortable with the Level 1 Young Athletes activities introduced, they can then transition to participate with a Level 2 program. Level 2 classes focus on individual sport skill development and early game play concepts. This is a nice bridge program for children who may not necessarily be ready for Special Olympics team sports, but still need gradual introduction to the world of sports. A variety of sports can be covered during a Level 2 program such as track & field, soccer, basketball, tennis, volleyball, floorball and flag football. Children ages 6-12 with and without intellectual disabilities are eligible to participate.