Unga Örnar was founded on 7 November 1931 by the labour movement and the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League (SSU), in order to function as a secular organisation for leisure and cultural activities for working class children.
The foundation of Unga Örnar was inspired by the Austrian organisation Rote Falken ('Red Falcons') which was founded in 1925.
During its early stages, activities of Unga Örnar were similar to the scout movement and members carried uniforms.
In order to circumvent the law Unga Örnar was declared to be formally to be independent from the Social Democratic Party, albeit with strengthened connections to Arbetarnas Bildningsförbund ('Workers Educational Association', ABF).
Unga Örnar, along with other civil society organisations, advocated from 1994 onwards for the incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Swedish law (which was done in 2020).