education
Facilitating Language in Toddlers and Preschoolers
“So what kind of homework can you give my child to work on… they’re so young?” As a therapist, I LOVE THIS QUESTION. Play is work for our littles and the “homework” actually is something you as a parent can do! Below are some things YOU can do at home in your daily routine to…
Read MoreTeaching Imitation WITH Snacks!
Imitation is a key learning step in a child’s way to spontaneously producing words! Sometimes, our little ones are not responsive to “say…”! Therefore, we’ve come up with a fun way to teach imitation using some yummy snacks! How to Play and What to Say: Pick your child’s favorite bite-sized snack. Pour them into a…
Read MoreJanuary 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, and finally high school. The…
Read MoreSkip 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 telling you to toss the…
Read MoreNew 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 of questions going through your…
Read MoreNovember 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 peers. We are thrilled with…
Read MoreNavigating the Early Intervention Program
Here is your Parents’ Guide to Navigating the Illinois Early Intervention Program Early action yields best results! Each state has an Early Intervention program tailored to providing services and support for babies and young children with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. These services include, but are not limited to, speech and language (including feeding) therapy, physical…
Read MoreThe Life of an Amazing Volunteer!
GiGi’s Playhouse is very fortunate to have the dedicated hard work of some amazing volunteers to keep us going strong! One of these volunteers is Lauren Abry. We had one of our GiGi Professionals, Brian Rogala, interview her in our new GiGi Professional space to find out more about her. Here’s how it went: Brian:…
Read MoreOctober Participant Spotlight!
“Cristina has been in the GiGi’s Playhouse Amina Grace Speech & Language Program for only four months. However, within that short amount of time, her speech and clarity has improved immensely. Cristina has worked with Taylor on a speech she gave to over 75 people in early October. We had many people come up to…
Read MoreGiGi University in the House!!
Have you even come into the Playhouse on a Monday, Wednesday, or a Friday and seen a group of adults working incredibly hard while having the time of their lives? Working out? Or working incredibly hard in the classroom? If you answered YES to any of these questions, then you have had the privilege of…
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