The aptly named Not Your Garden Variety (NYGV) Theater in Chico is geared for children and teens with autism. Currently running as a six-week summer program, participants ages 4 to 17 learn new ways to express and interpret emotions, build friendships, and strengthen skills needed for group participation.
For children with autism, significant milestones can be achieved through role-playing, performing arts, music, sensory exploration, and collaborating with peers.
As participants engage in pretend play with peers, they gain an increased sense of body language awareness. Each actor develops a sense of personal accomplishment and self-confidence, and all participate in a final production in front of a live audience.
NYGV Theater takes place at Little Red Hen’s Lifespan Center, located in Chico. A hub of activity and resources, the center’s mission is to promote lifelong access and opportunities for persons within the autism spectrum, and their families, so they can be fully included and participating members of their communities.
In partnership with Far Northern Reginal Center, the Lifespan Center achieves its goals through public awareness, education and research related to autism, serving over 100 children with autism each year.
“The Lifespan Center is Amanda’s favorite place to go outside of home,” says Gagnon. “The theater program specifically is one that she looks forward to every summer.”
Erika Birkholm, senior director of Little Red Hen, says, “We had over 20 children and teens in our Wizard of Oz production last summer. We had a non-verbal young man play Oz using an iPad to speak his lines. Our littlest kids played the flying monkeys, and the older groups wrote jokes to incorporate into the script. We really made this our own and adapted it to our group. It was a very fun, collaborative production that we are all very proud of.”
This summer NYGV Theater embarks on its third year. Registration and program dates will be announced soon. In association with Far Northern, there is no cost for students participating. For more information visit http://www.LittleRedHen.org or call (530) 897-0300.
Posted in: Special Needs
Comment Policy: All viewpoints are welcome, but comments should remain relevant. Personal attacks, profanity, and aggressive behavior are not allowed. No spam, advertising, or promoting of products/services. Please, only use your real name and limit the amount of links submitted in your comment.
You Might Also Like...
Homeschooling a Child with Special Needs
Homeschooling a child with special needs Teaching a child with special needs at home can seem overwhelming, whether it’s assisting them with their virtual classroom, helping with independent studies or […]
Creating a Sensory Space at Home
Our brains are designed to produce and regulate responses to our body’s sensory experiences (sight, smell, touch, hear, and taste). For individuals with developmental disorders such as autism, the way […]
Rare Genes Day – Raising Awareness in the North State
Rare Disease Day — also known as Rare Genes Day — is a globally coordinated movement that takes place around the last day of February, and will be celebrated with […]
Strengthen Your Relationship When Raising a Child with Special Needs
Raising a child with special needs is equally difficult and rewarding. The daily challenges of parenting a child with special needs can be taxing, leaving parents feeling physically, emotionally, and […]