Join Us for Connect & Play!

(Various Locations)

Join Us for Connect & Play!

(Various Locations)

These groups are for families (with a loved one ranging from newborn to 6 years old) looking to connect with other families out in the community, closer to home! 

Connect & Play is an opportunity for parents/caregivers to grow your community, while your little ones play! Events will take place at different locations, days and times to accommodate families with various schedules!

Upcoming Events:

• Saturday, March 2nd from 10:30 – 11:30 am: Busy Bean Play Café
• Sunday, March 24th from 11:00am – 12:00 pm: Rough and Bumble KC
• Sunday, April 14th from 3:00 – 4:30 pm: Down Syndrome Innovations
• Saturday, April 27th from 10:00 – 11:30 am: Northland Early Education Center
• Thursday, May 2nd from 5:00 – 6:30 pm: My Play Cafe Lee Summit

*Connect & Play is FREE for families! This is made possible our donors from the KC Step Up Walk, our Grantors and our Community Partners!*

Join Us for Special Olympics:
Young Athletes

(For ages 4 – 7)

In partnership with Special Olympics, Young Athletes is designed to promote the development of an active lifestyle through play for children between the ages of 4 and 7.

• Schedule: Thursdays from 4:15 - 5 pm
• 8 Sessions: 2/29 3/7, 3/28, 4/4, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16

Self-advocates will engage in a variety of activities and games alongside their peers targeted towards gross motor and social skill development. The first and final sessions are required.

*This service is FREE (donor-funded) thanks to our donors from the Step Up Walk, our Grantors, and our Community Partners!*

DS-ASD Connection is a virtual gathering of caregivers to discuss resources, strategies, community supports, and challenges related to a child or adult’s current or potential dual-diagnosis of Down syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Dates of Service: 2/14, 3/6, 4/10

This group is facilitated by Down Syndrome Innovations staff, and we will occasionally invite special guests with expertise in this area.  This is a complimentary caregiver education opportunity, provided in addition to the individualized services we provide directly for individuals with DS-ASD for the purpose of skill-development, improving self-regulation and behavior, and increasing independence.

*This service is FREE (donor-funded) thanks to our donors from the Step Up Walk, our Grantors, and our Community Partners!*

Do you or other family members have trouble understanding your child? Are you concerned about limited vocabulary or language delays? Does your child use an alternative or augmentative communication system? Communication challenges can impact every aspect of independence, safety, and learning. We are here to support your family!

Our Speech Language Pathologist, Katie Craddock, will provide an in-depth seminar supporting and honoring total communication for your family and loved ones with Down syndrome. Katie is skilled at providing practical supports to promote communication within your home and community. Katie has 14 years of experience as a SLP in the education, healthcare, and long-term care settings. Her areas of interest include augmentative and alternative means of communication (AAC), social/emotional communication, literacy, self-advocacy, and transition. 

“ I have a passion for working with individuals of all ages to build expressive, receptive, and social language skills—I believe that learning is a lifelong process,” says Katie.

*This Educational Seminar is FREE (donor-funded) thanks to our donors from the Step Up Walk, our Grantors, and our Community Partners!*

SAVE THE DATE: May 28th!

Join the Down Syndrome Innovations Therapy Team to learn how the developmental domains and learning characteristics of Down syndrome can influence potty training.

Our Therapy Team will identify general evidence-based potty-training strategies and discuss alternative strategies that can be individualized to meet each family’s needs.

*This Educational Seminar is FREE (donor-funded) thanks to our donors from the Step Up Walk, our Grantors, and our Community Partners!*

At Down Syndrome Innovations, our Team understands that vision affects every area of development across the lifespan. Individuals with Down syndrome are at a higher risk for a range of vision conditions that may affect the development of their visual skills. Lisa will provide education about functional vision and common eye conditions associated with Down Syndrome, as well as strategies to work with the educational and medical systems.

Speaker Bio: Lisa Lind, M.S. Ed., LSCSW, TVI, COMS, is a licensed clinical social worker and teacher of the visually impaired with several decades of experience serving families with children with Down syndrome and visual impairment. She has presented regionally and nationally on the impact of vision with people with the Down syndrome diagnosis and offered expert strategies to maximize their potential across home, school, and community. Lisa has contributed to the mission of Down Syndrome Innovations through training of our staff; advising on new program design; meeting with families and offering resources and supports; and volunteering at our annual fundraisers.

Please Note: Attendees are also welcome to join us prior to the presentation between 6:00 – 6:30 pm to connect with other caregivers, review available resources, and enjoy light refreshments.

*This Educational Seminar is FREE (donor-funded) thanks to our donors from the Step Up Walk, our Grantors, and our Community Partners!*

Join Us for TWO Celebrations in Honor of World Down Syndrome Day!

THAT'S RIGHT, TWO CELEBRATIONS IS BETTER THAN ONE! We want to elevate and celebrate your loved one with Down syndrome and make it count this year, which is why we have 2 opportunities for you to join in the celebration! 

*These events are FREE (donor-funded) thanks to our sponsors, donors and our Community Partners!*

Our 2024 Caregiver Conference about Life Transitions last weekend was a hit! 

Thank you for coming out and immersing yourselves in a day of educations, resources and connection with other families! Special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, KU ADRC, and our other sponsors for helping to ensure we could offer this all-day Conference for FREE!