Special Olympics Young Athletes is designed for children with intellectual disabilities, aged 2 to 7. Young Athletes introduces the world of sports to children in an early childhood and encourage them as well as their families to engage in the Special Olympics movement.

Young Athletes focuses on the learning of basic skills that are crucial for cognitive development. For example, physical activities could aid the development of motor skills and hand-eye coordination. At the same time, children's social skills could be improved through interacting with peers and instructors, which helps them to build up self-confidence.