Superhero Run/Walk FAQ
The countdown is on for the 2022 Superhero 5K, 1 Mile Walk, and Kids Dash that is part of the nationwide GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge. Our local GiGi's along with many others around the nation have held or are holding these special events to help raise awareness of the need for...
Welcome, Kathryn!
This summer we have a new face here at the Playhouse. Please help us welcome Kathryn! She will be tutoring in literacy and math, providing handwriting sessions, and helping with many of the summer programs and events! We're excited to have her with us. We asked her to tell us...
Summer 2022 Programming
Summer 2022 Session-Based Programming What does session-based mean? Session-based programs are programs that are set to meet several weeks in a row. You register for the entire session with the expectation that you will attend each week. We know life happens and you may miss a session or two so...
Bubbles & Bananas!
BUBBLES Leah had a best of all moment when we were working on oral motor exercises. Oral motor skills are hard, but bubbles are amazing. The ability to purse your lips correctly and blow the right amount of air for bubbles is a skill you may take for granted. It...
Don’t answer the question! What?
Don’t answer the question! What? In speech sessions I frequently have participants repeat after me so I can model correct pronunciation and/or sentence structure. When doing this teaching technique with question skills and a literal/concrete person, like our friends with Down syndrome, you may not get the question repeated, but...
Volunteer Appreciation Month/Week 2022
Did you know that April is Volunteer Appreciation Month? As an organization that is 99% volunteer-run, we would be silly not to show some appreciation for our amazing volunteers. Below is a list of volunteers that have been helping here at the Playhouse so far this year! Many are listed...
Shark Teeth
SHARK TEETH In working with Leah during a recent Speech and Language session, a major breakthrough happened when we called her smile, “shark teeth”. This was while working in a mirror to get proper teeth and tongue placement for making speech sounds. It was difficult to get her teeth closed...
Personal Blog, star date 3.21
Personal Blog, star date 3.21 Ok, so only Star Trekkies will get that, but this is a personal BLOG. As you all may know, while I have been the contracted Speech Pathologist here at GiGi's for about 2 years this year was my first year of being fully on staff...
Dancing Shoes
We ALL put on our dancing shoes earlier this spring! This spring we had two fantastic dance programs for our participants. First, Arthur Murray dance studios sent Wesley and Aime to the playhouse during the Teen Tastic & Fantastic Friends programs to show us ballroom dancing. Participants aged 13 and...
Don’t pack it up!
Not that World Down Syndrome Day has come and gone for another year, you're probably packing up your fun, colorful, crazy socks for them to be pulled out again next year. As we were cleaning up all the WDSD items we had out here at GiGi's for the celebration packets...
Meet Kylie
Please help us welcome Kylie to the Playhouse. If you've been to a Friday night or Saturday morning program recently there's a good chance you've seen Kylie! Kylie is an intern from Augustana. She is helping out as a greeter at many of our programs in addition to other volunteer...
World Down Syndrome Day 2022
World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is just around the corner and we have lots of fun ways for your to show your support and love and to celebrate! WDSD Shirts & Celebration Kits Our annual WDSD shirts are now available for purchase. We suggest ordering by March 1st to ensure...