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To minimize the spread of COVID-19, the City will be reducing service levels to essential services only. All City Hall offices are closed, except the main customer service counter (which is now open Monday-Friday from 8AM-5PM), Development Services, and the Permit Counter which is also open 8AM-5PM. See the Essential Services guide under the News Section for more details.

City Hall » Departments/Divisions » Parks and Recreation

Virtual Recreation Center

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Welcome to the City of Lincoln's Virtual Recreation and Resource Center! This is your one stop shop for virtual recreation and all things fun! 

We know that these are very trying times and we are committed to bringing our community the resources they need to stay active and engaged. 

Be sure to visit this page often as well as follow us on Facebook and Instagram for new updates and ideas to help keep you and your family entertained and informed. Please note that we do not endorse nor receive funds to advertise any of the third party sites or services listed on this page. Many of these sites and activities are our Kids Kamp favorites!  

Have an Idea-01 

Do you have another resource you would love to share? Please e-mail them to recreation@lincolnca.gov! We would love to hear what you're doing! 

We hope you enjoy this time with your kiddos!! 

Staying Active

Staying Active during this time is so important. Here are a few activities you can do both indoor and outdoor! Don't forget your social distancing! 

Outdoors

Indoors

Stay Connected

Staying connected during these times is going to be important. We are humans and as humans, we need to stay connected emotionally. Here are a few things you can do to stay connected while social distancing.

  • Call a friend or relative you haven’t spoken to in a while to check in.
  • Write a letter.
  • Facetime.
  • Support a local restaurant - Many restaurants are still open for take out or delivery orders.  
  • Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
  • Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep. 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.
Stay Creative

 

This is our favorite. Whether you have kids at home or you're a kid at heart, Here are some resources and activity sheets that you can watch and print from home with limited supplies! 

Maze Printables:

Coloring Pages:

I SPY Printables:

Word Searches:

Connect the Dots: 

Classic Games: 

Crafts, Science & Experiments: 

 

YouTube Channels:

Instagram/Facebook: 

Need Daily Schedule Ideas?

Wide Open School is an amazing resource to help plan out your days to keep children busy. Choose your child's age and a list of resource is provided for you! Head on over to http://wideopenschool.org for more information. 

Here is just a few things to get you started!  We will be posting more information daily...So stay tuned! Also, thank you to our friends at the City of Watsonville Parks and Recreation for the Virtual Recreation idea! We hope that you find these resources helpful! 

Take a virtual trip...

visit some cool places

 

Zoos 

Aquariums

Museums

  • Visit one of many museums around the world through their virtual tours.
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art - A wonderful way to get kids engaged in the world of art.  
  • Artsology - Helps kids learn to appreciate the arts by providing them with the opportunity to play games, conduct investigations, and explore different forms of art.
  • Smithsonian Zoos and Museums - No need to travel to one of the Smithsonian’s zoos or museums — this website brings your child everything from live video of the National Zoo to the Smithsonian Learning Lab right to your screen.  
  • There are a variety of resources for exploring museums such as Google Arts and Culture. A collaboration with more than 1,200 leading museums and archives, this app represents an amazing storehouse of monumental artwork. Choices include Street View virtual tours and Art Zoom guided tours. You can also explore many institutions through individual links.

    Boston Children’s Museum
    The Boston Children’s Museum’s virtual tours let kids explore all three floors with exhibits ranging from the Japanese House to Explore-a-Saurus.

    The Metropolitan Museum
    New York’s iconic Metropolitan Museum virtual tour showcases 26 online galleries. Exhibits include the Art of Music Through Time and a New Look at Vermeer.

    The Smithsonian
    The Smithsonian’s virtual experiences allow you to take self-guided tours room-by-room through past, permanent, and current exhibits. For the ultimate fossil virtual field trip, have your kids check out the Hall of Fossils and the Fossil Lab.

    The Louvre
    The Louvre in Paris also offers many virtual exhibit tours, including its Egyptian Antiquities collection and the remains of the Louvre’s moat, built in 1190 AD to protect Paris from Viking attacks via the Seine River.

  • More Museums

  • https://millionmilesecrets.com/guides/travel-from-home-virtual-museums-and-galleries-tour/

Parks

 

Other Virtual Field Trips

  • Are you interested in doing a lot of exploring, but don’t often have the opportunity? Title Max has put together an extensive lists of virtual field trips all over the world.  These are fun and wonderful websites that will show you different parts of the world, famous landmarks, beautiful works of art, historic marvels, science adventures and so much more! Thank you to the Gomez Family for suggesting such a wonderful resource! 

     

https://www.titlemax.com/articles/road-trip-from-home-virtual-field-trips/

    Travel the World

    In this day and age, it is easier than ever to travel the world without leaving home.

     

    Biomes Virtual Field Trip Options

    Are your kids ready to explore biomes all over the planet in search of biodiversity? From the vast coral reefs of Palau to the deserts and grasslands of Africa and the mindboggling biodiversity of Peru’s coastal ecosystems, there are fantastic virtual options. 

     

    The Nature Conservancy

    The Nature Conservancy has created 11 excellent virtual field trips that will change how your kids view the natural world. Each field trip lasts approximately 45 minutes.

    Great Lakes Now

    If you’re looking for an exploration of ecosystems a little closer to home, check out the virtual field trip from Great Lakes Now. This tour explores three topics in brief five-minute-long videos: coastal wetlands, algae, and lake sturgeon.

    The US Geological Survey
    For kids interested in geology and volcanoes, there’s also the US Geological Survey’s interactive volcano map. It allows kids to click on and learn about any volcano located in the US.

    Stellarium Web


    Stellarium Web lets kids take astronomy virtual field trips where they get to explore more than 60,000 stars and try their hand at locating planets. They’ll also enjoy the opportunity to watch eclipses and sunrises. What’s more, when you enter your location, your kids will see constellations visible in your area’s night sky.

    Access Mars
    What’s one of the best things about virtual field trips? The chance to explore places where no human has ever set foot. Such is the case with the virtual field trip to Mars by Access Mars. It allows your children to explore the real surface of Mars based on images recorded by Nasa’s Curiosity rover.

    Explore American History

    With these online field trip options, your kids will step back in time, learning firsthand about American history and the people and ideas that shaped our nation.

     

    Virtual Field Trip of the Mayflower and Plimoth Plantation
    The Scholastic virtual Mayflower trip allows kids to learn more about the Mayflower’s journey to the New World and the colonists aboard. Through four 20- to 30-minute-long videos, they’ll explore daily life in a pilgrim village, the lifeways of the indigenous Wampanoag tribe, and preparations for the first Thanksgiving.

    Virtual Field Trips: Underground Railroad
    On this trip along the Underground Railroad, children will travel back in time to the year 1860. They’ll witness a young slave’s flight from a Kentucky plantation to freedom in Canada following the Underground Railroad. In the process, they’ll learn more about the lives of slaves, the dangers of the Underground Railroad, and the brave abolitionists who helped runaways achieve freedom.

    Gettysburg Battlefield Virtual Tour
    Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, is home to one of the most scenic and historic Civil War sites in the country. This 360-degree Gettysburg virtual field trip lets kids follow in the footsteps of soldiers, exploring famous places such as Little Round Top and Cemetery Ridge.

    Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty
    Let your kids go on an Ellis Island virtual field trip to explore the former immigration inspection station in New York Harbor, home to the Statue of Liberty. America’s busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 to 1954, the station processed approximately 12 million immigrants.

    The Statue of Liberty
    Besides a field trip to Ellis Island, your kids will also enjoy this virtual field trip Statue of Liberty option. They’ll learn more about the statue, dedicated on October 28, 1886 and its role as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy.

    Mount Rushmore Virtual Field Trip
    Amidst South Dakota’s rugged Black Hills sits one of the nation’s most iconic monuments, Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Showcasing four of America’s most prominent presidents—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt—this virtual exploration lets kids view the monument from multiple angles.

    Uncover Iconic Destinations Around the World

    Your kids can explore some of the world’s most incredible landscapes and monuments from the comfort of your living room through virtual field trips, too.

    Son Doong Cave
    National Geographic has created an interactive map that lets you explore the world’s largest cave, Son Doong Cave in Vietnam. The map immerses you in the full experience of the cave, so make sure your computer’s sound is on.

    Easter Island
    Your kids can also explore the secrets of Easter Island through Nova’s virtual tour, which provides the inside scoop on the island’s impressive megaliths.

    The Great Wall of China
    The Great Wall of China represents a series of fortifications built across the historical northern borders of China beginning in the 7th century BC. For a closer look at the ancient site, check out this virtual tour with three viewing options: the watchtower, winter, and Jinshanling to Simatai.

    Machu Picchu
    There’s also an incredible Machu Picchu virtual field trip. Quite possibly, one of the most amazing urban creations of the Inca Empire, kids will explore its giant walls, ramps, and terraces cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. They’ll also enjoy breathtaking views.

    Egypt Virtual Field Trip
    The Discovering Egypt website lets kids dive into an exploration of Ancient Egypt. Kids will explore hieroglyphs, pyramids and temples, kings and queens, gods and mummies, and much more.


     


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