GiGi's Playhouse Rochester

☀️🌿 Our Fantastic Friends Morning Crew enjoyed a beautiful day out in the community today! We headed to Cobbs Hill Park for a relaxing stroll, completed a fun nature scavenger hunt, and enjoyed a snack outside together.

We love being able to get out and explore, especially during the summer months. Experiences like these give our participants the opportunity to connect with friends, enjoy nature, and discover all that our amazing community has to offer. 💙💛

Here’s to making memories, embracing adventure, and soaking up every bit of summer fun! ☀️

CommunityConnections DownSyndromeAchievement PlayhouseLife RochesterNY 🌻💙

What an incredible day at our Drive for GiGi’s event yesterday! 💙🚗

We’re still soaking it all in and can’t wait to share more photos, highlights, and memories from this amazing event in the days ahead. But today, we want to shine the spotlight on the people who made it all possible…

✨ Our incredible volunteers! ✨

From the early morning setup crew to volunteers stationed at multiple stops throughout the drive, and those who stayed until the very end to help clean up, you truly showed up for GiGi’s.

A special thank you to our volunteers from L3Harris, our dedicated Youth Board, and our amazing GiGi’s Playhouse family. From moms and friends to community members who simply wanted to help make a difference, every one of you played a part in making Drive for GiGi’s such a success.

Because of your time, energy, and support, we are able to continue providing purposeful programs and creating opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

Stay tuned, we have so much more to share from this unforgettable day! 🚗✨

💙💛

We just launched something super exciting at GiGi’s Playhouse Rochester this summer—our STEM Kids program! 🔬⚙️✨ And we had an AMAZING first class last night!

We kicked things off by learning what STEM stands for (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and talked about chemistry 🧪 and how different ingredients can react in totally surprising ways!

Then came the BEST part… hands-on science time! 🙌
Our participants became real scientists and made their very own lava lamps 🌋🫧

We made hypotheses about what would happen when we mixed vegetable oil, water, and Alka-Seltzer tablets 💭➡️💡
And the results did NOT disappoint—colorful bubbles, big reactions, and so many “wow!” moments 🤩🌈

It was all about exploring, experimenting, and thinking like scientists 🔍✨
So much curiosity, so much excitement, and so many proud STEM moments!

Can’t wait for our next STEM Kids adventure!! 🚀💙

Volunteers Needed for The Drive 2026! 🚗

The countdown is on! Our annual Drive for GiGi's is coming up on Sunday, June 7, and we're looking for a few more amazing volunteers to help make this event a success.

Volunteer opportunities include:
🏁 Assisting with event check-in
♠️ Staffing checkpoints during the Poker Run Adventure
🎟️ Selling raffle tickets at the Car Club of Rochester

Whether you can help for part of the event or the whole day, your support helps us continue providing free programs and spreading acceptance for individuals with Down syndrome in our community.

Interested in volunteering? We'd love to have you on the team!
📧 Email Haley at [email protected] for more information or to sign up.

Together, we can drive acceptance forward! ❤️💛🖤

🇺🇸 Today, we remember and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. ❤️🤍💙

This Memorial Day, we are grateful for the heroes who gave so much so communities can continue building a world of acceptance, kindness, and opportunity for all.

Please note that GiGi’s Playhouse Rochester will be closed today in observance of Memorial Day, but we look forward to welcoming everyone back tomorrow! 🇺🇸✨

🧪✨ New Program Alert at GiGi’s Playhouse Rochester ✨🧪

We are so excited to introduce STEM Lab Kids this summer at the Playhouse! 🌟 Join us on Tuesdays at 5 PM for a fun, hands-on program designed for kids ages 8–12 to explore the world of science, technology, engineering, and math.

This exciting new program helps participants build confidence while growing important developmental skills through interactive experiments, creative challenges, and problem-solving activities. 🔬⚙️💡

Please note: STEM Lab is an enrollment-based program, so registration will look a little different than our regular calendar sign-ups. To enroll, head to our calendar, click on STEM Lab Kids, and you’ll find the application link there!

STEM Lab Kids encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and learning in a fun and supportive environment where individuals can explore STEM concepts while making new friends and discovering just how much they can do. 💙

Spots are limited, so be sure to check it out and apply today!

Last chance to change a life this summer!​

Applications for our 1:1 Literacy and Math tutoring programs close tomorrow. Become a tutor and help an individual with Down syndrome build confidence, gain independence, and master essential skills... all in just one hour a week!​

https://gigisplayhouse.org/rochester/volunteer/

Last chance to register; enrollment for the summer session of our 1:1 Literacy and Math tutoring program closes in 2 days!​

Give your loved one with Down syndrome the tools to build confidence, strengthen literacy and math skills, and grow in independence. ​

​The learning they gain today can last a lifetime.​

​Don't miss out. Register for the summer session today! Head to: https://gigisplayhouse.tfaforms.net/4719675?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_term=facebook&utm_content=21c2b0b2-4f4f-4ed3-a4f5-f7029e279260&utm_campaign=summer1to1&utm_medium=Social

Just 3 days left to apply for the summer session!​

​Right now, across the GiGi's Playhouse network, only about half of our participants get matched with a tutor. You can change that by becoming a 1:1 Literacy or Math tutor! ​

Help individuals with Down syndrome build confidence, master essential skills, and gain independence...all in just one hour a week.​
https://gigisplayhouse.org/rochester/volunteer/

Big things are happening for our upcoming Drive for GiGi’s! 🚗💙

This morning, our board member James and participant Chris had the chance to share all about this special event on local news, helping spread the word about GiGi’s Playhouse Rochester. Chris was an absolute natural on camera, so professional, confident, and did an amazing job representing our Playhouse community. We are so proud! 👏✨

Want to check it out? You can find the FOX Rochester segment here! https://foxrochester.com/news/good-day-rochester/gigis-fundraiser-organizing-the-drive-2026 🎥 And if you missed them this morning, you’ll have another chance to catch James and Chris on Channel 9 this Monday morning between 5:00 and 7:00 AM as they continue sharing all about Drive for GiGi’s!

Our annual Drive for GiGi’s is right around the corner, and we can’t wait to bring our community together for a day of amazing cars, fun, and support for our participants and families. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now on the GiGi’s Playhouse Rochester website, so reserve your spot today!

We hope to see you there! 💙🏁