You are your child’s biggest advocate!
Many professionals will help you and your child through life. But you are vital to your child's success. To help your child: Learn all you can about Down syndrome. This can help you know what to expect and how you can help your child. Find out what type of financial help...
Promoting Oral-Motor Strength and Coordination at Home!
It is important for our kiddos to have strong and mobile articulators. Articulators include our lips, cheeks, jaw and tongue. Children with Down syndrome, due to low muscle tone, often have weak muscles of the face. Development of oral motor skills includes teaching these muscles to move in the right...
Join us for Friday Friends!
Join us for Friday Friends tonight at 7 p.m. for Jammin’ with Rick! Bring your guitar, keyboard, drums, cymbals, or any instrument you like. Enjoy a fun night out with you friends! Snacks and drinks will be provided. Get ready to party and dance! Friday friends is a fun night...
Today kicks off National Down Syndrome Awareness Month!
Hey all, guess what? TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY CELEBRATING DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH!!!! Proudly post a picture of someone you know who has Down syndrome :) Let’s make this a month of happy celebrations. We're looking forward to a month of seeing pictures of our wonderful individuals from the playhouse, our...
Do you or somebody you know have questions about Down syndrome?
For those who may not know what Down syndrome is - We have you covered! What Causes It? Normally, at the time of conception a baby inherits genetic information from its parents in the form of 46 chromosomes: 23 from the mother and 23 from the father. In most cases of...
Promoting Social Communication in Individuals with Down syndrome – Eye Contact
Recently we posted about teaching appropriate VS inappropriate distances to stand next to a person when interacting. Today it’s all about eye contact. Eye contact plays a crucial role in social communication. When you are listening and when you are talking, it is considered appropriate to look at the other...
New Programs This Fall!
We are thrilled to offer exciting new programs for our families this fall! Programs at GiGi’s Playhouse offer foundational learning opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome, their families and the community. Check out our new programs beginning in October! Leaps and Bounds: Join us for our first Leaps & Bounds at...
The benefits of volunteering!
Serving and volunteering has always been a meaningful activity for me, as it probably has been for you. From my teens, to young adult years, and to now entering the workforce; I have found and continue to find many positive rewards from giving back, doing for others and finding meaning in...
Here are a few ways to provide additional speech and language skills!
Are you the parent of an adolescent or adult with Down syndrome? If yes, then this post is for you! Parents can provide additional practice for speech and language skills at home and in the community. Different activities in the home and community help children and adolescents continue to acquire...
Speech and Language Tips from Sarah!
This week is all about the little ones! What are some tips and tricks for parents to keep in mind? Our very own Speech-Language Pathologist, Sarah, has the answer. Here are five easy ways to promote language development for our toddler and preschool-aged kiddos. Expand – It is crucial for...
First Week of GiGi U!
We have a great group of new students this fall for GiGi U! Our session started August 31st and we had an amazing first week! GiGi U is a progressive learning program for adults, comprised of a 12-week instructional program, followed by an internship with the GiGi’s Playhouse Cafe, Hugs & Mugs....
Fall Literacy and Math Tutoring!
The GiGi's Playhouse Literacy and Math Tutoring Programs are based on proven methodologies from professionals in the field. This highly individualized program provides custom-made materials relevant to each student's level of learning, interest and age. The focus extends from sight word recognition to matching, selecting and naming,phonics, comprehension, number recognition...