Volunteer Spotlight – What do you like about volunteering, Haley?
Haley and is an occupational therapy student at UW-Milwaukee. She has been volunteering with GiGi's Playhouse over the past few years at the Hoffman Estates and Milwaukee locations as the program leader for Friends, Fun, & Fitness and Teen Tastic. She states that she loves the safe, welcoming environment for individuals...
MOM LIFE – TRUE CONFESSIONS
Do you ever have one of those days? The ones where you wish your child didn't have a disability? Today was one of those days. If I could’ve taken away Down syndrome, I would have. It wasn’t a terrible day; it was just a typical day with a few challenges...
Volunteer Spotlight – Becky!
Have a few hours that you want to spend volunteering? Make a difference in the lives of others and make friends while you're here! Becky first volunteered at GiGi's Playhouse Milwaukee in 2017. She has taught cooking classes with both Fantastic Friends and Teen Tastic. She is super excited to...
Lifeline in a time of COVID
At Home programs support people of all ages with Down syndrome and peers during this difficult time of separation. Through purposeful programs designed to support the individual needs of each participant, our community is thriving! Check our calendar for program dates. https://gigisplayhouse.org/milwaukee/calendar/ GiGi's virtual At Home programming has been a...
The History of GiGi’s Playhouse
Did you know how GiGi's Playhouse began? My 6-year-old son, Franco, created our first logo! We started as a Down Syndrome Awareness Center and our tagline was Educate Inspire Achieve. Though, whenever I spoke about the Playhouses I always added the word Believe to our tag line too! As time...
Program Highlight – Meet our Teens!
Teen Tastic is a great social program just for our teens with disabilities. Teen Tastic focuses on building social skills with friends with and without Down syndrome by participating in team-based activities in a casual and fun setting. Skill development includes understanding compromise, turn-taking and problem-solving abilities. Teen Tastic has...
Pulling For Down syndrome!
Wisconsin Arm Sports Thanks so much to WI Arm Sports for your support, training, and especially for extending the invitation to include our friends in the State Arm Wrestling Tournament. We are so grateful for your kindness and for inspiring us all to try our best, we are all #strongertogether! Thank...
Program Highlight – Our Virtual Book Club is Rocking the Internet!
Book Club takes our literacy program as well as our teens and adults to the next level. They work on comprehension, visualization, vocabulary, character development, sequencing and so much more! Book Club online is going fantastically. Everyone has been so engaged, participating, and responding to questions. Every single participant is...
Volunteer Spotlight – Ms. Diane!
Ms. Diane joined the Milwaukee Playhouse when we opened in 2015! She has been a tutor for all five of our years open and has been the Program Leader for Book Club (for ages 14+) for the past two years. Three years ago she also lead TEAM (cooking and fitness...
Volunteer Spotlight – Natalie!
Natalie joined the Milwaukee Playhouse as a volunteer this spring during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was a Fantastic Friends leader at the Madison Playhouse before coming to Milwaukee. We are thrilled to have a veteran Program Leader guiding our bi-weekly adult social program. Natalie is guiding the...
Playhouse Champions!
What is a Playhouse Champion? All of us that share the joy of GiGi's Playhouse with others are champions. We LOVE our community and want to share it with everyone! Through this event we are committing to sharing acceptance in our neighborhoods. We would love to be together in person,...
Program Highlight – GiGi Kitchen – Coming Soon!
GiGi’s Kitchen emphasizes the importance of health and wellness through nutrition education, kitchen safety, food preparation, social activities, and a shared meal/snack. Participants will learn about and progress through kitchen independence skills including measurements, food handling, knife skills, ingredient identification, palette expansion, and nutrition. Participants will be introduced to various...