Deaf and hard of hearing kids in West Michigan are important to us. We want to ensure they have basic tools to become independent young adults. We are still building up the youth program, but we currently offer the following:
Parent & Toddler ASL class
Kids Kamp (summer)
Signing Santa (winter)
Activities and skill building classes (year-round)
Parent & Toddler ASL classes
Parent and Toddler ASL classes run 8 weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays for one hour each. The toddler may be between 18 months to 3 1/2 years old, and may be deaf, hard of hearing or hearing. The benefits of taking this class include bonding between the parent & toddler, meeting other parents, the ability for the toddler to communicate and develop their vocabulary before they enter school!
If you are interested, please contact DHHS at 616-732-7358.
Kids Kamp
Kids Kamp is a day camp hosted by Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services. Kids Kamp runs in the beginning of July for two weeks, three mornings a week from 9 a.m. – noon at DHHS.
Deaf, hard of hearing and hearing children between ages 3 and 10 may attend Kamp. They learn about deafness, sign language, and build social skills with other peers, while enjoying arts & crafts, games, snacks and meeting the surprise “Visitor of the Day!” and learning about what they do.
We hope you can bring your child to 2011 Kids Kamp! The cost is $40 per child or $80 per household (between 2-4 children). Contact DHHS for more information and/or to register.
Signing Santa
Santa Claus makes a special visit to Grand Rapids’ Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services once every December! He visits with kids who know sign language and asks them if they have been good and what they want for Christmas. Milk, cookies, and pictures are included. Free admission and donations are welcome.
Reserve your calendar for Santa when he makes his next appearance on December 10, 2011 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.!