Virtual Rec Center logo

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 virtually. Offerings and resources will expand to adapt and grow to meet the needs of our community.

Browse Online Resources and Materials by Topic:

Stuff for Kids

Virtual and Remote Programming

Programs Offered by Wheaton Park District

Resources

Indoor Activities
Fitness Activities
Additional Fitness Resources
Looking for outdoor activities for kids?
Outdoor Activities
Educational Tools
Additional Educational Resources
Story Time with Wheaton Park District
Ride the Train at DuPage County Historical Museum
Yoga with Cosmic Kids
How-To Videos by GoNoodle

Get Fit + Stay Fit

Resources

Fitness Options from Parks Plus Fitness

Parks Plus Fitness is currently open to members and offers group fitness classes. Visit parksplusfitness.com for more information.

Fitness Where You Are
Illinois Shotokan Online Workouts
Fitness Apps & Tech
  • Nike Run Club – Get it for iOS or Android | Track your run pace, location, distance, elevation, heart rate and more.
  • C25K – Get it for iOS or Android | App uses the Couch to 5K running plan to help users progress toward a 5K run.

Build Athletic Skills

Videos

Drills with Wheaton Park District Athletic Leagues & Staff

Baseball
Lacrosse
Basketball
Soccer
Tennis

Programming

Programs Offered by Wheaton Park District Athletics

Click on program guide covers to be taken to the program guide viewer window. To search for specific programs, click the magnifying glass icon in the top right corner of the viewer.

Athletics My Game Your Game Our Game Athletics Department logo

Health & Wellness

Resources

Recipes & Nutrition

  • Delish – 30-Minute Meal Recipes

  • One Dish Kitchen – Cooking for one during quarantine, a 14-day meal plan

  • Entrée Kitchen – Delicious, shopped and prepped meals (fees apply)
  • MyPlate – USDA Choose My Plate program offers tips for making healthy meal choices
Tips from DuPage Medical Group
Practice Self-Care
  • Unplug – Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media; unplug from electronic devices to help lower stress levels.

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

  • 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.
  • 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.

Educational Enrichment

Programming

Browse Program Publications
Browse Our Websites
lincolnmarsh.org

Lincoln Marsh

Virtual Nature in your Classroom
Field Trip Opportunities
Scout Programs

For more information or to ask about custom programs to meet your educational needs, call 630-871-2810 or email.

lincolnmarsh.org

DuPage County Historical Museum

Virtual Field Trips
In-Person Museum Tours

For more information or to ask about custom programs to meet your educational needs, call 630-510-4941 or email.

lincolnmarsh.org

Cosley Zoo

In-Person:
Armadillo Adventure | Bookworms

Remote:
Virtual Scout Badges | Zoo to You Outreach

For more information or educational opportunities, please email.

Resources

Tutorials & Educational Content
Tech
Free Online Courses & More
History
Brain Games

Videos

Looking for more educational content for kids?

Animals & Nature

Programming

Animal & Nature Programs Offered by Wheaton Park District

Videos

Watch the animals at Cosley Zoo

Visit Cosley Zoo in-person – plan your trip

Experience nature at Lincoln Marsh

Visit Lincoln Marsh and find your way using a Trail Map

Activities

At-Home Animal Enrichment

By providing Cosley Zoo’s animals with enrichment, we are encouraging them to exhibit choice and control in their environment, participate in physical activity, and exhibit natural behaviors. Enrichment is a crucial component of Cosley Zoo’s animal wellness program and is just as important to an animal’s health as the proper diet or veterinary care.

Just as the zoo’s animals benefit from enrichment, so will your own pets at home! Before giving any enrichment item to your animal, make sure it is safe (having no loose parts that can come off and be swallowed, for example) and always supervise the animal 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!

Cows sniffing unknown object at Cosley Zoo
Be a Citizen Scientist
  • 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 [email protected].
  • 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. Visit cosleyzoo.org for details.
  • 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!

Get Outdoors

Activities
Browse parks, facilities, and playgrounds with ease using the interactive map below.

Select the Park, Playground, or Facility tab/button to search for a location type, then click a map pin or location from the list to see details.

Virtual To-Do List

Activities

Podcasts
A Talk in the Park Podcast graphic
Entertainment
Crafts

Video Tours

Wheaton Park District Facilities

Watch videos below or go to Park & Facility Tours to view drone tours of select facilities.

Other Tours

Stay Local

Resources

Community Resources

Western DuPage Special Recreation Association

wdsra.org

WDSRA’s mission, the development of individuals through recreation, makes it possible for more than 4,500 individuals served to grow personally, connect with their community and discover their potential.

WDSRA is an award-winning organization and has been providing recreational and social opportunities to individuals of all ages with disabilities since 1976. WDSRA is a cooperative extension of nine park districts serving the communities of Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Naperville, Roselle, Warrenville, West Chicago, Wheaton and Winfield.

Wheaton School District 200

facebook.com/district200

District 200 is located in DuPage County and primarily serves the communities of Wheaton and Warrenville, as well as portions of Carol Stream, Winfield, West Chicago, and adjacent unincorporated areas. The district operates a total of 23 facilities:

1 Early Childhood Center
13 Elementary Schools
4 Middle Schools
2 High Schools
1 Transition Program
2 Operational Centers – School Service Center and Woodland

Wheaton Public Library

facebook.com/wheatonlibrary

Originally founded in 1891, Wheaton Public Library overlooks beautiful Adams Park in downtown Wheaton and features friendly service, up to date collections, several public computers, ample parking, a full-service café, and free programs for all ages. WPL was voted Large Business of the Year in the Best of Wheaton awards for 2016 and 2018.

Conservation Foundation

facebook.com/TheConservationFoundation

The Conservation Foundation is a non-profit land and river protection organization founded in 1972. The support of more than 3,500 members and 500 volunteers helps the organization carry out its mission to preserve and restore open space and natural lands, protect rivers and watersheds, and promote stewardship of the environment in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties, Illinois.

VIEW: Conservation Foundation volunteer advisory council’s compiled list of Best Places for Nature Rx (PDF)

People’s Resource Center

https://www.peoplesrc.org/

Mission

People’s Resource Center community exists to respond to basic human needs, promote dignity and justice, and create a future of hope and opportunity for the residents of DuPage County, Illinois through discovering and sharing personal and community resources.

SCARCE

facebook.com/SCARCEecoed

Mission

To help people discover how easy it can be to make a meaningful difference for our kids, for our environment, for our future…and often for all three at once.

About

School and Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education (SCARCE) is an environmental education non-profit and resource center. SCARCE provides educational programs for anyone from age 2-92, provides books and supplies to schools and non-profits, works with schools, businesses, municipalities, park districts, libraries, scout groups, garden clubs, senior centers, and more to provide engaging environmental education programs.

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

facebook.com/DuPageForest

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is a nationally recognized conservation agency that envisions a community in which all citizens share a connection with nature and an appreciation for cultural history. Their purpose is to acquire, preserve, protect and restore the natural resources in DuPage County while providing opportunities for people to connect with nature.

Find Local Businesses & Amenities

Visit local business organizations and partner sites:

Downtown Wheaton Association

Wheaton Chamber of Commerce

Looking for local outdoor recreation?
Dine at Arrowhead Golf Club
Tented patio at Arrowhead

Request a dining reservation online or by phone at 630-653-5800. Takeout and delivery orders are also available.

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