On this page, you will find out about giftedness and how to support gifted children, local resources, information for various service providers and enrichment.
Is my child gifted? Click here to find out more.
Gifted? How to get support - overview.
Evaluations+Testing
For Neuropsychological, IQ and Academic testing, please click HERE.
Let’s Start Local! (see also, on Facebook)
There is a village! If you are a parent of a gifted child in Chicago or an educator for gifted children, we strongly recommend that you connect with two organizations as they aggregate area resources:
Chicago Gifted Community Center
A non-profit organization, created by parents of gifted children, with the mission to facilitate educational and emotional support for gifted children and their families. The organization holds a number of events of academic, intellectual and emotional interest for families, children, and parents and aggregates area resources and events.
Illinois Association for Gifted Children
The Illinois Association for Gifted Children empowers educators, families and communities by advancing effective practices, programs and policies to promote the development of gifted and talented children throughout Illinois. The Association has a number of legislative initiatives in Illinois to improve the quality of education.
Chicago Area Mensa - Community for IQ130+. Mostly focused on adults.
Davidson Young Scholars: There is a Davidson Chicago Group that connects exclusively on Facebook, you may contact us if you are in Davidson and you don’t know how to be added and are utterly lost. We do get together in person once in a while. You must then also join Facebook, a sacrifice for your child’s well-being.
Enrichment - General
Ideas, which include after school, summer, and weekend opportunities for the gifted of various ages: (wait, isn’t this competition to the programming that you offer? Yes but that’s just fine. Each of these offers different options and different locations. It’s great to have a fit for a variety of needs and constraints. We look at these organizations as partners and collaborators. There is so little out there for the gifted that every little bit helps)
Online: Mensa for Kids
STEAM Enrichment in the City of Chicago
Math Circles of Chicago - this is 5th grade and up. We will found an elementary level math circle at MAGE. Check our page often for updates on this topic.
City Colleges of Chicago has free, that’s right, free college courses for high school students – and you don’t have to be gifted. http://www.ccc.edu/departments/Pages/Early-College.aspx
http://www.themakermom.com -she’s got you covered for most things, however you could check out the various specific categories below:
Homeschooler opportunities (not specifically gifted)
http://www.illuminat-ed.com - Naperville/Fox valley area
Student Science Labs and Coding:
Kids Science Labs - after school and weekend science-themed classes.
STEAM Annual Events:
Fermilab holds a number of events year round of interest to children interested in science
CHITAG
Maker Faire
Suburban gifted schools may also have events open to the public.
Maker Spaces: (we will have one along with classes, soon)
o Harold Washington Library – it’s free!
o Adler Planetarium and Chicago Children’s museum both have one
o There are a slew of private ones out there as well, just google them. Bit space is one that is specific for kids.
Gifted-Specific Classes and Camps
Homeschooler:
http://www.illuminat-ed.com - Naperville/Fox valley area
After school or weekend: (these are not tutoring services)
Summer Camps:
College of DuPage Youth Academy
National Society for the Gifted and Talented (NSGT) runs their Summer Institute for the Gifted at two locations in Chicago, Northeastern University and University of Chicago.
Suburban gifted schools may have options for non-enrolled students
Obviously, the various Chicago Museums, which we will not list here, all have classes and workshops that could be of interest.
Support Services
For support with specific issues, from people that understand gifted, beyond those listed in evaluations
Social workers:
Gifted Learning Center is a social emotional resource that provides healing experiences for gifted children in a small group, intellectually stimulating environment. It is essentially a therapeutic school with a social and emotional focus.
A wonderful resource for parents raising gifted children is SENG. SENG is an organization that focuses, among other things, on supporting the social and emotional needs of gifted children and their families.
An additional SENG resource is Sheryl Stroller: https://www.stollerparentcoaching.org/. Please check our events page often to learn of upcoming workshops with Sheryl.
Special Interest: Highly, Profoundly Gifted and or 2E
HG/EG/PG: Well hello you needle-in-a-hay-stack, you. MAGE is here because of you. We specialize in PG. However you will not find many resources here. That’s because there aren’t many to begin with.
Davidson Institute: Of specific interest is a free gifted support service called Davidson Young Scholars, for children ages 5-18 with IQ above 145.
PG Retreat (2023 meets in so close! In Ohio! IQ over 175? Join free and be understood! Well, the retreat is not free but has some fin aid). Has year round virtual events as well.
Private Schools and the Profoundly Gifted - an article about school options.
On Facebook:
Verified to be gifted/or to have gifted kids groups:
PGR (add 2+ years to your child’s age for to DYS PSAT/SAT requirements if you don’t know if you’d qualify and you don’t have evidence of IQ 175+ due to local testing limitations or 2e), Davidson YS (145+) all have secret groups. In those groups, all members are verified. They are very very active and if you qualify you should go there right away. More Davidson YS more info on Private Groups.
There are many separate groups including regional groups and special interest groups, for example, 2E, Radically Accelerated, Anxiety, etc. (must qualify and join Davidson or you won't be let in),
There is a Davidson Chicago Group, you may contact us if you are in Davidson and you don’t know how to be added and are utterly lost. We get together in person once in a while.
PG Medical Mysteries Private Discussion Group (yes that’s another common weird PG thing, you’ll only be let in if you are in PGR)
Unverified:
Illinois Gifted (Parent, Educator, Provider Advocacy, Connect, Support)
Hoagies’ Gifted Highly Profoundly Gifted Group
Homeschool/Online Schooling with Gifted/2e Students
PG Poppies
2E
2E Newsletter - this is a wonderful collection of resources and information.
See also: On Facebook section
Gifted Research:
Gifted Research and Outreach - Promoting a Comprehensive and Accurate Understanding of Giftedness Through Research and Outreach.
(If you are aware of a resource that we should add here, please email us.)