Cosley Zoo
add photosBe sure to stop by Cosley Zoo this summer and visit our babies in the barn! Each spring our ewes (sheep) and does (goats) give birth to lambs and kids. This year we welcomed three lambs and four kid goats! The youngsters are quite rambunctious within a few short hours of being born. With their spindly legs and furry bodies, these cuties are something you don’t want to miss!
HOURS: Jan.-Mar.: Daily 9 am-4 pm
Apr.-Oct.: Daily, 9 am-5 pm
Nov.: Daily, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
After Thanksgiving
through December 23:
Daily, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Dec. 1-30: Daily, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Christmas Eve: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
New Years Eve: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
13 Reviews for Cosley Zoo
25
50 families found this helpful
"Great for small kids"
This is a great day out for the "still-napping" crowd. You don't have to head into the city to hit up one of the big zoos, you can take the little ones here for a few hours of petting and walking. My son especially loves the caboose and has to take a picture on it every time we go! Make sure to check out the special events too. We did an Easter Egg hunt one Easter and had a great time!
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It's helpful0 families found this helpful
"Fun Day"
My sister lives in Wheaton and we took our families to Cosley Zoo over the summer. It is a perfect place for small children who love to see the animals but can't handle a long day at a big zoo. Plus, as many others have said the Zoo is free or at least really cheap if you do not live in Wheaton. We brought a picnic lunch and it was a perfect sunny day! Also, be sure to check out their website for special events.
0 families found this helpful
"Cosley Zoo-"
This small zoo is actually more like a farm. It has ducks, raccoons, deer, farm animals & a train caboose. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy a fun, free activity. This is perfect for small children. It is stroller and wheelchair accessible. Donations are accepted to pay for the animals care and there is a gift shop and snack bar.
'11
1 family found this helpful
"The 10-minute Zoo"
I call this the 10 minute zoo because if you were to walk around with stopping only a few seconds per exhibit, it would probably only take ten minutes to get around. However, we spend much more time there.
When the boys were under three and both walking, I went almost everyday around 3:00 in the afternoon. I found this to be the perfect time of day. I felt very comfortable with them wandering in the center of the zoo. There is a large concrete birds nest and a small sand box in the center of the zoo.
Cosley Zoo has made two recent improvements. One was the much needed parking lot expansion and the other was converting the caboose into an interactive activity area. However, I think that my boys liked it better when it was just a caboose that they could run through and yell in. Now, they have to wait their turn for the puzzles and such.
This place is free, stroller friendly, and has clean bathrooms and a gift shop. There are a few treats to buy and food in the summer, but that is not the draw. You can bring your own too and there is plenty of seating.
0 families found this helpful
"Simple Basic Family Fun"
This Zoo is perfect for a little family time get away, it's small but very nice and clean without the pressures of a huge place and a token shop in every distance to bait your tiny ones. It has a pinic grove area to sit and eat, a place to buy some snacks and treats, best part it's free to visit. My kids love the farm and horses.
0 families found this helpful
"free family fun!"
This zoo is perfect for young children. When my twins were preschoolers, we came all the time. The duck pond, big train car for climbing, and animals are awesome. Pack a lunch and eat in the picnic area. My only complaint is the parking -- be prepared to walk as the parking lot often fills up early. But this place is fun and FREE, what more can you ask for?
1 family found this helpful
"Happy Mom"
The Cosley Zoo in Wheaton is awesome and FREE! The Zoo is a great place to picnic in the warm months and during the Christmas season, Cosley's Festival of Lights is a must for any family. The Zoo holds many different events throughout the year, which are either FREE or at a low cost.
0 families found this helpful
"Cosley Zoo"
Cosley Zoo, is very fun for my baby boy because he love animals. also i can take my son any day for no cost. plus you can do birthday partys! i love it. you know i love too. especially Hollowen time we as first time parents get to take our son picture on top of pumkin. its very beautiful to see other kids too. with they parents.
0 families found this helpful
"Free and Simple"
We live a few blocks from Cosley Zoo and love it. It is a free zoo that has very basic animals like a coyote, cows, horses, roosters, birds and more. The zoo is small and you can walk around and see everything in about an hour but it is peaceful and nice to get out. It is also set in a very foresty area which is nice scenery. We go at least once a month and since my kids are under 3 they don't know the difference and are excited.
1 family found this helpful
"small scale fun"
This is a cute little zoo that focuses mainly on farm animals. You can probably get through the whole zoo in 45 minutes. There is a cute little concession stand to buy food and picnic grounds if you bring your own lunch. The only complaint I have is the small parking lot. I've had to wait 20 minutes for a parking space because the tiny lot was full.
0 families found this helpful
"Love the Vintage Train"
This small zoo operated by the Wheaton Park District is a pleasant place to pass a few hours. Bring your own lunch and sit at the picnic tables in a partially shaded area next to a vintage train car that kids can play in. You can wheel the stroller along a paved walkway next to a duck pond and go into a barn filled with horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and other farm animals. The zoo also displays some native Illinois wildlife, such as foxes, coyotes, deer, owls, and hawks. The re-created train station houses exhibits, a gift shop, and restrooms.
1 family found this helpful
"Small but does the trick"
If you're really looking for something different to do with the kids but don't want to spend the money, check out this free zoo in Wheaton. You can usually get through the whole thing in about an hour or so. They have fun events throughout the year, so either check their website for scheduling or pick up a brochure when you're there. You can feed the ducks "in season", and there's also a great little outdoor sandlot area for the kids to play in. I always make sure I have a few buckets and shovels for the boys so they can stop and dig while I sit back and take a breather.
1 family found this helpful
"Great free activity"
We have been here a handful of times in the past year. this is a small free 'zoo'. it doesn't take long to walk around but there is an area that the kids can feed the ducks. they have small birds, goats, pigs, deer, fox etc... the parking lot fills up very quickly. worth a trip if you are looking for something to occupy about an hour.
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