Disabilities and Chronic Conditions Sports Programs for Kids With Disabilities Organizations for Inclusive Sports By Terri Mauro Terri Mauro Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Terri Mauro is the author of "50 Ways to Support Your Child's Special Education" and contributor to the Parenting Roundabout podcast. Learn about our editorial process Updated on June 01, 2022 Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr LinkedIn Twitter Rich Scherr is a seasoned journalist who has covered technology, finance, sports, and lifestyle. Learn about our editorial process Print .shock / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Multi-Sport Programs Baseball Soccer Hockey Every child has the right to enjoy the fun of playing sports. Whether part of a team sport or enjoying an athletic activity geared for individuals, kids benefit from active pursuits. Many programs have been developed to get disabled children in the game. Find one that's right for your child. Multi-Sport Programs These programs provide structure and support for a variety of athletic activities. A benefit of connecting with these programs is that your child will be able to choose from among different sports. Paralympics Paralympics provides competition for athletes with physical disabilities. The organization oversees 28 different sports activities, including team sports such as wheelchair basketball and individual sports such as archery. Special Olympics Special Olympics offers opportunities in a variety of sports for people with intellectual disabilities. It offers over 30 Olympic-style individual and team sports. Special Olympics is a worldwide organization and is highly recognized. Unified Sports The Unified Sports program brings athletes with and without disabilities together. It is part of the Special Olympics. Programs include a Rivalry Series where well-known college sports rivals face off with teams made up of university students and local Special Olympics athletes. Studies show all kids benefit from participation in athletics. Additionally, research has found that while there are often significant barriers to participation in sports for disabled children, there are many ways to overcome these obstacles—and that the perception of challenges is one of the biggest barriers. After-School Activities for Kids With Disabilities Baseball The Little League Challenger Division and the Miracle League allow children with physical and mental disabilities to play baseball in a supportive, non-competitive environment. Little League Challenger Division Teams in the Little League Challenger Division are set up according to abilities rather than age. The formats include tee-ball, coach pitch, and player pitch games. Scorekeeping is discouraged. The players also wear the same uniforms as other Little League players. Miracle League The Miracle League was founded in 1998 with attention to the playing surface, ensuring it is free from safety hazards for players who use wheelchairs or walkers. Every player is a winner, and everyone scores a run each inning. Soccer American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) and US Youth Soccer offer programs designed to get children with physical and mental disabilities on the soccer field. AYSO VIP Program The AYSO's Very Important Player program gives everyone a chance to play. It uses buddies to assist the players as needed. US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer The US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer program helps communities establish programs to place young, disabled athletes on teams. Fitness Activities for Disabled Kids Hockey American Special Hockey Association provides an adaptive ice-hockey experience for people with physical and developmental disabilities, while Special Hockey International offers hockey for those with developmental disabilities. American Special Hockey Association The American Special Hockey Association program gives people with physical and developmental disabilities the chance to play ice hockey in an environment adapted for their disabilities. Special Hockey International The Special Hockey International program focuses on people diagnosed as having developmental disabilities. Teams are formed by ability rather than age. There are dozens of clubs throughout North America and Europe. They play to develop individual skills without standings or championships. But they have a yearly SHI tournament for fun and camaraderie. A Word From Verywell All kids can be athletes and benefit from participating in sports. For children with disabilities, the key is finding the right program that fits their interests and accommodates their disability. Luckily, there are many sports offerings to accommodate a variety of minds and bodies. If you don't find one that syncs up with your child's goals and needs, then consider contacting local sports programs to see if they have ideas—or consider starting one yourself. Community Inclusion for Disabled Kids 2 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Academy of Pediatrics. Parenting an athlete. Shields N, Synnot A. Perceived barriers and facilitators to participation in physical activity for children with disability: A qualitative study. BMC Pediatr. 2016;16:9. doi:10.1186/s12887-016-0544-7 By Terri Mauro Terri Mauro is the author of "50 Ways to Support Your Child's Special Education" and contributor to the Parenting Roundabout podcast. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit