anyone in the chicago southwest suburbs intererested??

[jlgrafix]

What a wonderful idea! I never thought of having a signing play group before.

Just curious if there is anyone in the Plainfield/Naperville area that would be interested.

I help co-run a Down Syndrome Awareness Center in Plainfield (www.gigisplayhousetoo.com) and we can use that for a meeting place.

Jen

[lpotter]

I will have to pass your information on to my wife. We have been home with our daughter from China for almost six months and she already knows about 40 signs. She is so smart!

Larry (Erica & Julie, too)
http://www.thepotterfamily.org

[kris]

I'm in the Geneva/ St. Charles area. I have an 8 1/2 month old who just started signing back to me. I would love to be part of a playgroup with other signers. Nobody but me & my husband sign to him, so it would be good for him to see other mommies & babies signing...not to mention nice for Mommy to get out of the house too :D! Please email me if you live in the area & want to get together.

[Thdoy2]

I live in Plainfield and would like to join a playgroup around here if there is one.
--Sange

[grojas]

I'm in Buffalo Grove and although I don't have any "little guys" I would love to get together and sing/sign. I am a speech/language pathologist and have many songs I teach in sign. I would also love the opportunity to practice ST songs. Of course, I'm only available until Aug. 21 or so. Where the heck is Plainfield? I've heard of Naperville. Gloria

[Patti B]

Hi All! I love in Chicago Ridge/ Oak Lawn area! I have twin girls 14 months and am looking for a play group! Patti

[Thdoy2]

Where the heck is Plainfield? I've heard of Naperville. Gloria[/QUOTE]

Plainfield is just south of Naperville. You actually might of heard of Plainfield, it's high school was destroyed by the tornado almost 20 yrs ago.

[jlgrafix]

Hi Everyone,

Gloria has volunteered to lead us (YEAH Gloria!) in our first meeting.

It will be Aug 11 from 10:30 - 11:30 am at GiGi's Playhouse Too in Plainfield.

A map can be found here:
http://www.gigisplayhousetoo.com/contact.asp

Please RSVP if you can make it.

Hope to see you all then,
Jennifer

[jlgrafix]

Just a reminder that the group will be gathering at GiGi's Playhouse Too (http://www.gigisplayhousetoo.com/contact.asp) from 10:30-11:30 on Friday Aug 11 for the Signing Time playgroup.

Please let me know if you need directions.

See you tomorrow!
Jennifer

[musictchr1]

How did it go?? I wasn't able to make this one, but would love to attend in the future... keep me posted!!!

[grojas]

I thought it went great especially for a first time. The group consisted of approximately six or seven moms and one, two or three children each. Most of the kids have Down Syndrome but some didn't. The ages ranged from tiny (one little girl named Lily maybe 9mo. or so not sure) to first or second grade. The room was spacious with lots of wonderful toys and equipment. We started the group by singing a Circle Song (to introduce ourselves), then we did a dance called the Brainy Walk (actually teaches cross-lateralization skills). We then did one of the Zoo Animal Songs (ST), Silly Pizza Song (ST) and the Rainbow Song-Colors (ST). It was so adorable.....this one little guy...as soon as he heard ST CD left the toys and equipment, plopped himself right in front of me and with a big smile said, "SIGN TIME"!!! After about 20 minutes or so the temptation of toys, equipment overcame the desire to sing and sign but I thought that format would be useful for future groups because it gave me an opportunity to discuss some things with the moms. The kids would re-join the group when they heard something interesting. As a speech pathologist I of course appreciated the opportunity to discuss with moms the importance of introducing the kids to phonological awareness skills (just as one example). I showed them how these skills can also be addressed throught the use of song and sign as in a song I have called Banana Blueberry Boogie or how at an early age they could benefit from letter-sound correspondence with a song I have called The Letter-Sound Song. The group decided to continue meeting and you should get in touch with Jennifer (at GIGI's or on this forum) and try to meet up with them. Several of the moms are getting quite proficient with Sign because of ST exposure and said they would lead the group. I could possibly return one more time and then I go back to work so I couldn't do it anymore. But I think there's engough interest to keep the group going. It was FUN and there's so much information for parents that I would make an entire course of it if I could. Gloria

[faux56]

Shoot! I'm so sorry I missed the play group.

I got really busy with work this week and I forgot to check to board to see if it was still on.

Keep me posted for the next one. I'd love to join you all.

Gloria, sounds like you made a lot of kids happy that day. :)

Maria
Leo 12/4/02 Speech disorder,allergies
Joey 3/6/06 Learning to sign already

[jlgrafix]

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to remind you that we are having another Signing Time play group on Friday Aug 18 from 10:30-11:30 at GiGi's Playhouse in Plainfield.

Gloria has generously offered to lead us again in signing and signing along with the Signing Time songs.

And if it is ok with everyone we are going to video tape a segment of the kids signing and signing. There is a group of us trying to get Signing Time on Oprah and are sending in tapes of how the kids love Signing Time.

For now this is the only other group date planned and I know our kiddos are going back to school so schedules are going to change. Please suggest a time/day you would like to see this group meet.

Thanks
Jennifer

[Orah]

Hi there, I'm Deborah (married, age 27) Mom of two hearing children Emily 20 months and Walter 6 months. I would love to join or start a play group. I live the furthest south, near Joliet. But would be very willing to host during the winter months here. We have plenty of room for even up to 6 Mom's and kids. Please let me know if you are interested in trying this again. I joined after you guys had the first play group. I hope it went well. my yahoo id is pdekledzik if you want to contact me that way. Thanks! Look forward to hearing form some of you.

[musictchr1]

I'm even farther out (in LaSalle county!), but Joliet is an easy 60 minute drive for us, so New Lenox couldn't be too much farther.

Keep me posted! :)

[Orah]

You are the first person to respond, so hopefully there will be more. My husband was all for it. He even said we need to use the house we've been given, it isn't just for us. So, moms and or dad's with little signing wonders; come one come all for a signign play group!!
If you want to go ahead and meet, we don't HAVE to wait for others. But we can if you wish. Let me know.
Deborah

[jlgrafix]

Just wanted to let you all know that we are going to be starting up the playgroup again at GiGi's Playhouse in Plainfield.

The next date is set for Nov 10 from 4:30-5:30. We are going to start meeting every other week.

Hope to see everyone then!

Jennifer