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Carolyn making great strides in Speech!
“Carolyn has made great strides in speech. I have been seeing her for a few months. We’re working on expanding sentence length – to do this, it really works to engage Carolyn in tasks that challenge her cognitively, as her receptive language is very strong. Carolyn loves a good challenge! We work on “language puzzles”…
Read MoreLiz Breaking Down Barriers
If you’ve been to GiGi’s Playhouse, specifically Hugs & Mugs, chances are you’ve met our intern, Liz. While we all know her great smile and infectious laugh, but how much do we really know her? We spoke to Liz and her mom, Beth, to talk about Liz’s experience at GiGi’s, interning at Hugs & Mugs,…
Read MoreMeet Our Intern Jessica
Jessica joins us for her internship from Aurora University. She has been helping in the Career Programs such as Hugs & Mugs, GiGi Prep, and most recently GiGiU. Jessica has been with GiGi’s since August 2022 and will be with us until May 2023. While volunteering in Hugs & Mugs, Jessica spends her time 1:1…
Read MoreHayden living her best life!
Hayden started her journey at age 2 as the youngest child ever to be part of the GiGi’s Literacy program in Hoffman Estates. She then moved to the Deerfield Playhouse when it opened in 2019 and is still a member there. Now at age 16, she is working as a volunteer at the House of…
Read MoreCareer Programs
At the Hoffman Estates Playhouse, we offer progressive career programs to adults 18 and older. The goals of our career programs are to increase self-confidence, increase career skill knowledge, increase personal wellness, and increase the quality of life of our participants. To start off the career programs journey, participants enroll in GiGi Prep. GiGi Prep…
Read MoreDown syndrome Awareness Month
October is right around the corner which means it is almost Down syndrome Awareness Month! To celebrate we are hoping to hear from our families about their story and journey of their child with Down syndrome. We hope to hear everything from the celebration of birth to their Best of All moments! A “Best Of…
Read MoreThere’s a Birthday Party in Hugs and Mugs!
You’re invited!! Do you have a birthday coming up? Have your party at Hugs & Mugs! We have a wonderful cafe space and a gym to run around and have fun! Everyone is also served a cup of gelato. Our gelato flavors are Birthday Cake, Mint Chip, Lemon, Chocolate, Vanilla, and Sea Salt Caramel. We…
Read MoreWelcome to Lauren Scudieri
This month has brought many new staff, including our new Community Education Manager, Lauren Scudieri! Here are a few words from Lauren: “My name is Lauren Scudieri and a little bit about me, I recently moved from Arizona and very happy to be back in my home state! I have two googly-eyed dogs named Gunther…
Read MoreHugs & Mugs Welcomes New Store Manager
Happy 4th of July everyone! This week, GiGi’s would like to introduce you to our new Hugs & Mugs store manager, Jennifer Spencer! Jennifer has been with GiGi’s for just over a week, and we have been so grateful to have her be a part of our team. Here’s a little bit about her: …
Read MoreA Message From Megan
Hello GiGi’s Playhouse! My name is Megan Frey, and I am the new Career Programs Manager here at the Hoffman Estates playhouse. This means I help oversee GiGi Prep, GiGiU, GiGi Professional, and Hugs & Mugs. I graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2017 with my undergraduate degree in Recreation Therapy. I completed my 560-hour…
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