What is Virtual Recreation?

The Wheaton Park District staff has created a collection of recreation activities, videos, and resources for residents, members, and participants to enjoy in a virtual, safe, and/or socially distanced way. As we continue to move through the Restore Illinois Phased Reopening Plan you will find our offerings and resources will expand to adapt and grow with the new normal experienced not only in the field of Parks and Recreation, but across the community.

Fall Programming

Fall Program Registration

Registration now open
Programs start 9/15

Fall Enrichment Registration

Registration open 9/4
Programs start 9/15

VIDEOS

Early Childhood & Preschool

Crafts, activities, and storytime for our youngest residents

View Videos

Active Adult & Senior

Never stop learning, no matter your age

View Videos

Fitness

Learn moves and techniques to build a custom workout for you

View Videos

Athletics

Learn, stay active, and fine-tune your skills

View Videos

Varied Interest

Learn something new

View Videos

Nature & Animals

Experience the great outdoors and animal adventures from home

View Videos

History, Science & More!

History, Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and more!

View Videos

Virtual Field Trips

Visit us from the comfort of your home

View Videos

RESOURCES

STAY CONNECTED

Call, Video Chat, or Write a Letter

+ Connect with others! Reach out to a friend or relative you haven’t spoken to in a while to check-in. These are healthy ways to maintain relationships even while practicing social distancing.

Dine at Arrowhead Golf Club

+ Request a dining reservation online or by phone at 630-653-5800 from 11A-5P. Takeout and delivery orders are also available.

View a virtual tour of Arrowhead Banquet Facility: Part 1 | Part 2

Visit a Wheaton Park District Facility

Park district facilities are open with social distancing/safety guidelines.

Subscribe and Listen to Our Podcast

Tune into ‘A Talk in the Park’, a podcast created by the Wheaton Park District, hosted by Amy Seklecki and Mark Dolphin.

Support Local Businesses

Visit our local business organizations and partners:

+ Downtown Wheaton Association

+ Wheaton Chamber of Commerce

Community Resources

+ WDSRA

+ CUSD 200

+ Wheaton Public Library

+ Conservation Foundation

+ People’s Resource Center

+ SCARCE

+ DuPage Forest Preserve

STAY HEALTHY

Exercise Your Brain

+ Senior Brain Games

+ Explore DuPage County Historical Museum Archives

+ Digital Escape Rooms for Kids and Families

Stay Nourished

+ Delish – 30-Minute Meal Recipes

+ Entrée Kitchen (fees apply) – Delicious, shopped and prepped meals

+ Tips & Resources from DuPage Medical Group:

5 Ways to Boost Your Immune System Through Your Gut – By Vishal Desai, MD
Serving Sizes & What They Actually Look Like – By DMG Nutrition Services
Simple and Sustainable Tips for Becoming Healthier – By Lara Hamilton RDN, CDE
A Guide to Nutrient Density – By Lara Hamilton RDN, CDE

Practice Self-Care

+ Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.

+ Make sure you take time throughout the day to unplug from your electronic devices–this can help lower your stress levels.

+ Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and make time to unwind.

+ Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.

+ Work on Mindfulness – Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. Practicing mindfulness involves breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress.

+ Tips & Resources from DuPage Medical Group:

Stress in your Body: How Stress Can Manifest as Physical Symptoms
Mindful Breathing: Deep Breathing For Your Health – By Christopher Ochoa, MD

More Tips to Improve Your Health

From DuPage Medical Group

How to Improve the Air Quality of Your Home – By Andrey Leonov, MD
Growing Old Gracefully: Steps You Can Take Now That Will Keep You Feeling Your Best as You Age
6 Steps for Preventing Falls For Seniors – By Laura Marzulli, PT, Sarah Doll, MPT, DPT
Top Apps for Health: Technology to help take control of your health in a fun, personalized and engaging way
6 Tips for Disinfecting Your Mobile Phone: How to Keep Your Electronics Germ-Free
Scheduling an Appointment with DuPage Medical Group

STAY ACTIVE

Indoor & Outdoor Exercise

+ For Kids:

Tips & Resources from DuPage Medical Group:
- Creative Ways to Stay Active during the School Year – By Priscilla Carvalho, MD
- Summer Activities to Develop Motor Skills – By Martin Borenstein, MD
Cosmic Kids
GoNoodle

+ Parks Plus Fitness Center Workouts: Videos | Printables: 10 Equipment-Free Workouts (PDF), Beginner Free Weight Workout (PDF), Intermediate Free Weight Workout (PDF), Advanced Free Weight Workout (PDF)

+ Athletic Resources

+ Visit a local park – Our parks are free and still open to the public. Don’t forget to tag us on social media. #WheatonParks | Location Map (PDF)

+ Walk/run around your neighborhood and say hi (from a distance) to all of your neighbors who are getting outside too.

+ Track your miles with Nike Run Club – remember to stay in your neighborhood and practice social distancing.

+ Tips & Resources from DuPage Medical Group

Out With The Old: Refreshing Your Athletic Gear – When to refresh and replace your athletic gear to stay fresh and healthy – By Gaurav Vajaria, DPM, FACFAS
Variety and Recovery: Keys to Exercise Success – By Shawn Patel, MD
Fitness for Your Feet: Tips to get your feet in shape – By Diana Tabor, DPM, AACFAS

STAY EDUCATED

Early Childhood & Preschool

+ Scholastic Teachables: printable teaching tools, hands on lessons, etc.

+ Lakeshore Learning: Free-resources

+ Natural Start: Parent’s Guide to Nature Play

Active Adult / Senior

+ Cooking:

Cooking for one during quarantine 14-day meal plan from One Dish Kitchen

+ Excel:

10 Best Excel Tips for Beginners video tutorial from Teacher’s Tech
Excel Formulas and Functions video tutorial from Kevin Stratvert

+ ZOOM:

How to Use Zoom instructions from AARP
How to Join a ZOOM Meeting instructions from Technology for Seniors Made Easy

Fitness

+ Parks Plus Fitness Center:

On YouTube: Videos
Printables: 10 Equipment-Free Workouts (PDF) | Free Weight Workouts: Beginner (PDF), Intermediate (PDF), Advanced (PDF)

+ Martial Arts with Illinois Shotokan Karate: Video

Athletics

+ Basketball

TrainForHoops: Basketball Training Program
DAGS Basketball Training: Video
Elite Skills Training by Damin Altizer: Video
Tyler Relph’s Hoop Dynamic: Video

+ Soccer

Future Pros: Videos
Street Kickers: streetkickers.de
IYSA: Videos
Soccer Shots: Videos

+ Tennis

JM Tennis: Videos
Daily Tennis Lesson: Videos

+ Lacrosse

New Wave Lacrosse: Videos

+ Baseball

Ultimate Baseball Training: Videos

Varied Interests

+ Best Travel Podcasts of 2020: https://bit.ly/2Bpl3IP

Nature and Animals

+ Merlin | All About Birds: Bird IDApp/website

+ Kids to Parks-National Park Trust: Family Resources

+ Nature Play

– Natural Start: Parent’s Guide to Nature Play
– PBS: How to Explore the Outdoors with Your Kids
– State of Minnesota: Nature Play at Home
– Tinkergarten: Outdoor Activities

+ At Home Animal Enrichment — a great way to entertain your pets at home just as the zookeepers do for the animals at the zoo. Always supervise your pet while it interacts with the enrichment. The links below contain some ideas for enriching your pets. Use them as a starting point and put your creativity to work to make your pet’s day!

– Hogle Zoo – Enrichment for Dogs and Cats
– Preventative Vet – Enrichment for Dogs
– Best Friends – Enrichment for Cats
– Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital – Enrichment for Birds

History & STEM

+ Wheaton Historic Commission: Videos

+ Naper Settlement: Resources

+ Library of Congress: Resources

+ National Archives: Resources

+ PBS: Resources

+ National Geographic: Citizen Science Opportunities are fun and educational activities you can do at home with your family. There are a variety of citizen science opportunities to match your interests. If you have questions about citizen science, please contact Cosley Zoo’s education department at education@cosleyzoo.org.

+ FrogWatch USA: Listen for frogs and report data and you’ll provide researchers with valuable information about the distribution of frogs and toads. Observations take only three minutes! Cosley Zoo has a local chapter of this program, which is an initiative of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

+ Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network: Observation and help land managers determine best practices for protecting a butterfly habitat.

+ Project Budburst: Submit data about seasonal changes in plants, and you’ll give scientists tools to learn about how plants react to a changing climate.

+ Project Squirrel: Provide information on squirrels living near you, whether you live in the city, country, or suburbs. As scientists receive information on the changes in squirrel populations, they can use that data to make predictions about changes in the numbers of other plants and animals in an area.

+ Ebird: Observe birds and enter information into the e-bird website or free app. You can also learn about recent bird sightings near you, find local hotspots and public areas which are frequently visited by birdwatchers.

+ iNaturalist: It’s easier than ever to be a citizen scientist with this free app. Simply take a photo of what you see and then quickly upload it as an observation. The app will keep track of your findings and let you get help identifying them.

+ Scistarter.org: Over 2,700 citizen science projects for your family to choose from!