Bookmaking Night Canceled!

Tonight's Bookmaking Night is CANCELED! We are supposed to be getting a major snowstorm this evening so in the interest of everyone's safety, we are going to cancel this evening's activities at the playhouse. The next Bookmaking Night will happen January 29th! :)

Meet Anna!

Anna has been a part of our Literacy Program for about 6 months. She is 5 years old and completely awesome. I love being her tutor. She works so hard every session and we have such a good time! We have been working with various books and flashcards and last...

Signing til Dawn Tonight

Our class tonight is still on as scheduled. :-) If you can safely come, we'll be there. If you can't, don't worry, there will be more classesin the future. However! Next week's class is canceled due to a free child care opportunity for Dawn so she can go Christmas shopping!...

Reading Tips for Parents

This is a guest blog written by Hope McCarthy, one of our wonderful tutors at the McHenry Playhouse. Read aloud tipsWhen you read aloud you can model many of the reading “behaviors” that your child will need. Techniques to help are finger point, picture walk, vocabulary brainstorm, verbal tonation for...

GiGi’s Playhouse McHenryFamily Holiday Party! Who: Everyone! All ages! And Siblings too! What: Games, Crafts, Musical Fun and always yummie snacks! Where: 1720 N. Richmond Road, McHenry 60050 When: Sunday, December 14, 2008 ~ 2:30pm to 4:30pm ~ Why: Because Santa Clause is coming to town!Come and have some fun...

Down Syndrome Information Exchange: Two Articles…what a contrast in attitudes

Down Syndrome Information Exchange: Two Articles...what a contrast in attitudes

Passing on a good deal! This is the site where we bought our Sight Word Cards that incorporate pictures.CurrClick - Curriculum at a Click!This Friday, November 28th, put on your pajamas, put away your pocketbooks and "head over" to CurrClick's best ever Black Friday Freebie Giveaway and Homeschooling Through the...

New DSRTF Research Innovation Grant

The Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation continues it’s commitment to funding the most cutting edge research to improve cognition with the recent announcement for a new $250,000 extension for 2008-2009 of the DSRTF Research Innovation Grant to researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. This additional new grant...

N THE HANDS OF A CHILD

One of the resources shown at the Literacy Seminar is having a sale!If you sign up for their newsletter, they offer a free product each quarter. All In the Hands of a ChildProducts on Sale!(Excluding Super Memberships) Project Packs and Graphics Packsin eBook, Printed or CD format! Kit Packs too!!...

Play Date!

Monday November 24, 4:30pm a group of us are meeting at the Playhouse to play while we work on Literacy materials. Anyone is welcome to come play with us, we would love to have you!!Details are also in the calendar at the bottom of the blog.

Literacy Seminar

As parents, sometimes the task of teaching our kids how to read can seem overwhelming. There are so many programs, curriculums, games... where do we start? Enter Jeri Lynn Reid, 15-year special education veteran and a bottomless well of experience, ideas, and encouragement. Jeri walked in off the street and...

Blueprint for System Redesign in Illinois

As many of you know, this year Illinois was ranked 51st in the nation for services delivered to its citizens with disabilities. Such discouraging news begs the question, what can we do about it? Luckily, disability advocates already have drawn up a plan. The Blueprint for System Redesign in Illinois...