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We are helping to make the world a better, healthier and more joyful place—one athlete, one volunteer, one family member at a time.
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Young Athletes

Special Olympics Young Athletes, a sport and play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities (ID), ages 2 to 7 years old, offers families, teachers, caregivers and people from the community the chance to share the joy of sports with all children.

The Light Bulb Moment

Magic happened in Turin when the Sargent Shriver Global Messengers (SSGMs) connected with a group of talented college students to capture photos and spark a passion for storytelling.
4 Min Read

Breaking Barriers: Lessons Learned as a Young Athletes Intern at Special Olympics International

Dylan Brown shares her journey from volunteering at Special Olympics, to interning at their headquarters, emphasizing the profound impact of inclusion and early intervention for children with intellectual disabilities.
4 Min Read

Young Athletes Make History at Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025

Early childhood play program engaged over 2,000 children of all abilities in the joy of sport.
1 Min Read

Young Athletes Take the Floor

Pala Giani Asti was a party this morning as over 200 children from 7 area schools gathered for Special Olympics Young Athletes.
1 Min Read

Faces of Inclusion: YangLingZi School Championing Inclusion

In the heart of its region, YangLingZi School serves as a model of Unified Champion Schools, a place where students of all abilities come together to learn, play, and grow side by side.
4 Min Read

Tim Shriver and Tony Snell Speak Up for Parents of Children with Intellectual Disabilities

The following is an excerpt from an op-ed in Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, written by Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver and professional basketball player Tony Snell:
1 Min Read

The UPS Foundation Progresses Inclusion for People with Intellectual Disabilities with US $92K Grant to Special Olympics in Asia

In a world where the need for inclusion is increasingly urgent, The UPS Foundation has pledged US$92K to support Special Olympics Young Athletes programming.
2 Min Read

Advancing Inclusive Education in Kosovo with Unified Sports Opportunities

Special Olympics Global Leadership Coalition for Inclusion welcomes Kosovo at signing ceremony in Pristina
2 Min Read

Higher ‘Happiness Levels’ and Self-Confidence among Outcomes as Three-Year Sport Initiative Nears Finish

More than 5,000 children with intellectual disabilities have seen an improvement in their overall happiness, motor and social skills as a result of the EEA and Norway Grants-funded project.
4 Min Read

Basketball in Iceland: From Lay Ups to Lifelong Friendships That Turned into Family

In a small country with a population of less than 400,000 people, there is a family with 32 children. They hang out together, hold pizza parties, chat, laugh, but most of all, they play basketball.
4 Min Read