It’s kindness that helps us appreciate the journey!

“It’s the Friends we meet along the way that help us appreciate the journey….” Brett would like you to meet some of his Playhouse friends….. They are so AWESOME and KIND!! Kindness is this month’s theme at GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix and you’ll see it spread around like confetti this month and well, pretty much every…

Read More

Five Instructional Strategies for Children with Down syndrome

By qcauthor | March 26, 2013 | GiGi’s Playhouse Quad Cities, IL/IA   Children with Down syndrome are capable learners who are excited and eager to learn. They just need to be given the opportunity to excel. They may learn at a slower pace, but are more than capable of learning. They are strong visual learners. This means that they…

Read More

GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix Tutoring teaches Empowerment and Independence, along with Math and Literacy

Guest Article by Kathy Tellis, whose daughter Larissa, is a GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix participant “We have been attending programs and events at GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix since it opened. Our daughter Larissa, who will be 15 in September, really lights up when we tell her we’re going to GiGi’s.  She has participated in several of their…

Read More

GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix-Maximize Your Child’s Potential

It’s back to school time and this year that means many changes for parents. Most schools will start the year virtually and may not be supporting tutoring or have the ability to offer programming for special needs students. Luckily, GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix has invested time and resources to move all programming online to ensure continuity…

Read More

GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix – Playhouse Refresh!!!!

In 2019 GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix provided almost 9,000 free program hours to our participants! That is a lot of little feet and hands (and some big ones) running around our beloved space. We are going to use this time while the Playhouse is closed to participants to begin a refresh project. When we open we…

Read More

GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix – “The Comparison Trap”

The Comparison Trap Submitted by Robin Lea Amos GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix Executive Director There is a quote that is credited to Albert Einstein “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” I don’t know if…

Read More

The “Gift” of Friendship-GiGi’s Playhouse

The “Gift of Friendship” that GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix offers is valued by our GiGi’s Families.  This blog was submitted by Marlene Schatzman, one of our GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix Moms who expresses what GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix means to her Family.     “As I sat at my computer drinking a cup of coffee, surfing the web,…

Read More

Importance of early development and socialization

During the the first years of a child’s life, he or she goes through their most significant developmental changes. “…[T]hey achieve the basic physical, cognitive, language, social and self-help skills that lay the foundation for future progress, and these abilities are attained according to predictable developmental patterns. Children with Down syndrome typically experience delays in…

Read More