A Sensory Friendly Fourth of July
Written by: Emily Mangan, GiGi's Playhouse Chicago Intern Summer is flying by and the Fourth of July is right around the corner! As we look forward to watching fireworks, hosting barbeques and attending parades, we understand that the Fourth of July can be overwhelming for everyone, but especially our friends...
Welcome, Emily!
Hi everyone! My name is Emily Mangan and I am an intern at GiGi’s Playhouse Chicago this summer. I just finished my junior year of undergrad at Baylor University, and I am happy to be home for the summer. As a Pre-Occupational Therapy student, GiGi’s Playhouse is a great...
Finding Our Groove: A Tutor’s Experience with Art and Literacy at GiGi’s Playhouse Chicago
At GiGi’s Playhouse Chicago, we believe that every tutoring session is an opportunity to connect, learn, and grow, not just for our students, but for our tutors as well. Recently, we had the pleasure of watching a special connection form between one of our literacy tutors, Michelle, and her student,...
Welcome, Melissa!
Hi everyone! My name is Melissa, and I’m so excited to be joining GiGi’s Playhouse Chicago for the next 14 weeks as part of my doctoral capstone project at UIC, where I’m currently an occupational therapy doctoral student. During my time here, I’ll be leading the Art Explosion and Playhouse...
Celebrating Our 2024 Brew HaHa Award Winners!
GiGi’s Playhouse Chicago is bursting with pride! At this year’s Brew HaHa Fundraising Event, we had the absolute joy of recognizing three incredible individuals (and one amazing family!) whose passion, dedication, and love for our community make the Playhouse a brighter, more magical place every day. Meet our 2024 honorees!...
Join the Football Squares for a Cause! 🏈🏈🏈
How to Play Football Squares: Grid Setup: Create a 10x10 grid of squares. Assign one team name for the top (columns) and one for the side (rows). Fill the squares 1 to 100, making it easier for people to choose their desired square(s). See an example one you can use...
GiGi’s Open House
Last week, we kicked off our Open House events with coffee and bagels. As we welcomed families back to the playhouse, they shared highlights of their past, present, and future experiences with GiGi's Playhouse. Past: Q: What was the highlight of 2024? "We were so happy to see the interactions...
Sing, Play, and Learn at LMNOP and Open House!
Looking for a fun, engaging way to bond with your little ones while building foundational skills? Join GiGi’s Playhouse Chicago for our signature LMNOP (Language, Music ‘N Our Peeps) program! What is LMNOP? LMNOP is one of GiGi’s Playhouse’s signature programs, designed for children ages 0–3 and their...
Join GiGi’s Playhouse January Bingo Challenge!
🎶 There was a Playhouse that had a game, and BINGO was its name-o! 🎶 This January, GiGi’s Playhouse is kicking off 2025 with a month-long Bingo challenge filled with fun, connection, and amazing prizes. From January 1 to January 31, we’re inviting everyone in our community to participate,...
Start the New Year with GiGi’s Playhouse Open House Events!
Happy New Year from all of us at GiGi’s Playhouse Chicago! We’re thrilled to welcome 2025 with a series of exciting open-house activities and events throughout January, and we’d love for you to join in on the fun. These activities and events are the perfect opportunity to experience our programs,...
Beat the Winter Blues with Fitness
Written by Isabel and Saba The winter months can bring shorter days, colder weather, and a common case of the “winter blues.” For many people, including individuals with Down syndrome, this season can lead to feeling less energetic, less motivated, and even a bit down. But don’t worry—there’s a powerful...
Learning About Kwanzaa At GiGi’s Playhouse
Written by: Saba, Isabel, and GiGi’s Playhouse Interns During the GiGi’s Professional program, our interns learned all about Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa is an African American holiday celebrated from December 26th - January 1st. There are 7 days of Kwanzaa, each representing one of The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa: Umoja (Unity) Kujichagulia...
