Gig's Playhouse is expanding!

I am so excited--a new Gigi's Playhouse opened in our hometown Rockford, IL recently. They gave us a tour when we were home for a visit, and it is awesome! They now have Playhouses in Chicago, Atlanta, Des Moines, IA, Rockford, Sioux City, IA, New York City, and the Chicago suburbs of Fox Valley, Hoffman Estates, and McHenry. They are working on getting one in the Quad Cities, too. For those who haven't heard of it, Gigi's Playhouse centers are "Down syndrome awareness and educational centers that provide resources, specialized teaching, and support to individuals with Down syndrome, their families and the community." Here's the link to their website: http://gigisplayhouse.org I was expecting a nice playland for kids with DS, but it's much more than that. They offer math and reading tutoring for free, and special programs to address speech and language, social skills, and fine and gross motor skills. I was very impressed with the large collection of therapeutic toys and equipment that they have. Another cool feature is a 6-inch raised stage, complete with spotlights for the children to "perform" on. I only wish we lived closer so that we could go regularly. We are planning to try to make the March 19th Program Day, and would love to meet up if anyone else is in the area.

That is so awesome, I'm jealous!