The More, the Merrier!
Everyone has a favorite day of the week. At GiGi University, our favorite day is Wednesday. Why? Because Wednesday is the day that GiGi U and GiGi Prep join as one class, and together, we have a group of fifteen students! What a class! The best part of this day...
For the LOVE of Speech!
Happy Valentine's Day! Love is in the air! What better way to ring in February - and better yet Valentine's Day - than with some special speech and language ideas you can try at home! Expand Vocabulary: Valentine's Day is synonymous with HEARTS! Hearts that are different shapes, colors, and...
You Wanted FIT… You Got It!!
If you've every been in the Playhouse on a Wednesday evening, a Friday evening, or a Saturday morning, you've probably had an encounter with the amazing GiGiFIT Teens class. These participants have strictly made it part of their weekly routine to be in this class and they won't miss it...
January Speech Participant Spotlight!
The Amina Grace Speech and Language Program has impacted Paige’s life so much for the better! Having a child with a speech problem is disheartening... all you wish for is that they can communicate to survive! Of course, Paige has had speech growing up: in early education, grammar school, junior high,...
Never Give Up!
There are times that, as a parent, you may feel like your child is not picking up a skill that you feel they should have. When this happens, it's natural to become discouraged, but that doesn't mean you should every give up!! There is a quote by George Evans that...
Skip the Sippy!
The sippy has so many wonderful features... mainly its convenience! It’s spill-proof, easy to carry for your child, can be taken on the go, and is practically indestructible from all the tosses, bumps, and drops it encounters daily. Now when the professionals (typically dentists, speech language pathologists, and pediatricians) are...
A Great Night’s Sleep is Possible!
Sleep is important for any child, but for your little one with Down syndrome, it’s especially important! Sleep is actually a vital process for brain growth and development. It’s your child’s time to process, organize and store all the information they learned that day. In addition, sleep is vital for...
Kindness can be found Everywhere
Anne and Jeff were so very excited while they were expecting their first child, Holland Elizabeth. They learned their daughter had Down syndrome and immediately turned to GiGi's Playhouse for support, but the excitement never faded. Unfortunately at 38 weeks in her mother’s womb, Holland passed away before she could...
New Year, New Career Skills!
It’s hard to believe that 2018 is almost over and 2019 is right around the corner! And with 2019 comes a new batch of students leaving their high school transition programs. While completing the transition program is an exciting time, it can also be full of unknowns with a lot...
Winter Themed Language Boosting Activities!
With the onset of winter in the Chicagoland area, you’re probably trying to find activities both indoors AND outdoors! Luckily, there's a flurry of activities to work on speech and language skills in your home, across the many sceneries of the holiday season, outdoors (if you dare!), and in your community! Below are five winter-themed language activities that you can work...
A Very Special Visitor
At GiGi's Playhouse, we are lucky to get the most amazing people walk through our doors on a daily basis. John Manley, who is a longtime friend of GiGi's and was on the board for the Special Olympics, came to visit us. His son, Charlie, had Down syndrome, coined the...
November Participant Spotlight!
" The Amina Grace Speech and Language Program has helped turn my daughter into a social butterfly! Through her speech therapy sessions, Louise has gained a large vocabulary, along with much-needed conversational skills. These achievements have led to a huge boost in her confidence and she is more outgoing amongst...