A Visitor from Thousand Waves Martial Arts Center
karate at the playhouse The benefits of karate for people with Down syndrome are endless; it focuses on development of balance, coordination, discipline, focus, attention, physical fitness, and confidence. Senpai Sam Boyer introduced the study of Seido karate to individuals with Down syndrome the past several Thursdays in place of...
Winter Tutoring Spotlight
1:1 Math and Literacy Tutoring Program This winter season was a tough one for our tutoring programs! We battled cold and flu season, new tracking worksheets, new phonics programs, and new coordinators for both Math and Literacy. The volunteers and students were so good at rolling with the punches; making...
Paired Progressions: High Knee
Being a part of an international network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers has its perks! One of those perks is that we have brilliant minds within the network that are constantly researching, advocating, and enhancing programs. One of the latest updates to our purposeful programs are Paired Progressions. We have...
Ready for RibFest 2018
It's RibFest Time! Volunteer at RibFest = Earn money for GiGi's Playhouse Chicago! We have ONE shift on Saturday, June 9th and need thirty (30) volunteers to fill these slots: GATE - 6:00–10:00 pm ID LINE - 6:30–10:15 pm BEVERAGE - 6:30–10:15 pm VIP TENT - 6:30–10:15 pm KIDS SQUARE - 5:15–8:30 pm Volunteering is...
Elvis has left the building
We had a SUPER time! As most of you know, March 21st was World Down syndrome day and we did not miss the opportunity to celebrate it! Our theme was "Super". You could come as a super hero or a super star/rock star. The playhouse was decked out and we...
Celebrate the Up side of Down syndrome!
March is Our Month! So many fun and exciting things have been planned in the month of March to celebrate our people with Down syndrome; and we can’t wait to put them in the spotlight! First we have our “i have a voice” gala on March 10th. It is our...
Program Spotlight: Amina Grace 1:1 Speech
What is the Amina Grace Program? The Amina Grace Speech and Language program is a great asset to our list of programs. We are only one of eight GiGi's locations to offer this program. The program is named after a little girl with Down syndrome. Her mother, like so many...
Teen Tastic FUNraiser: Custom Made Cards
Just in time for Valentine's Day, our Teen Tastic program participants hand-made custom cards for your friends and loved ones. The cards are custom designed and come in three sizes. The suggested donation for each size is listed below. Small Cards: $1 Medium Cards: $2 Large Cards: ...
Volunteer Spotlight: Kathleen Tynes
We are excited to spotlight our new volunteer Literacy Coordinator, Kathleen Tynes. If you have not yet met Kathleen, you are sure to run into her soon. She's at the playhouse several days a week making sure our playhouse is ready to roll-out the new literacy program in 2018! The...
Halloween Fun: An Opportunity to Lead
Teens Plan Halloween Party at GiGi's The pinata aftermath! The teens from Teen Tastic are at it again! This time they put on their party planning hats to plan the spookiest, scariest Halloween Party that GiGi’s Playhouse – Chicago has ever seen. Their planning began months...
3rd Annual Get Down With Down Syndrome a HUGE Success!
Get Down With Down Syndrome 2017: A Fun Filled Afternoon of Dancing and Inspiration! The 2017 Get Down With Down Syndrome Dance-A-Thon was a success on many levels. With nearly 300 people in attendance, it was our largest event to date! We raised over $31,000 and contributions are still rolling...
Teen Tastic! Ready to Dance at 3rd Annual Dance-A-Thon
GiGi's Teen Tastic group has been hard at work learning a new dance. During Teen Tastic, which meets every other Thursday, they selected the song, My Type, and created an original dance routine. They can't wait to debut it at our 3rd annual Get Down With Down Syndrome Dance-A-Thon on...
