The children’s floor at Vancouver Community Library stocks books for young readers. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian) Photo For many, the first week of April is known as a harbinger of spring. But for Clark County parents, it’s known simply as spring break. Life in Clark County isn’t as cheap as it once was, making it harder for families staying locally to do fun things. At $50 a trip, gone are the days when I take my kids to lunch each day over break, let alone to trampoline parks and movie theaters. That leaves free outings like parks, beaches and hikes to pad out a Clark County staycation. Sadly, weather reports for spring break are anticipating that oh-so-classic Northwest spring rain to pour all week.

What is a parent to do? Well, do I have a list for you. Here are five free (or nearly free) indoor outings in Clark County. Vancouver Community Library 901 C St., Vancouver Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Monday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday Cost: Free The downtown library, as it’s known colloquially, is another one of those classic Vancouver stay-at-home parent strongholds. But this destination library has something for everyone. The robust children’s section on the second floor includes a large children’s play area with stations for imaginative play, including a small pretend store, as well as a coloring station. At the end of the second floor is an area for tweens with computers and more coloring.

If you venture here and end up taking home a book, remember you can return it to any FVRLibraries branch. The teen area, tucked into the northeast corner of the first floor, offers several gaming consoles, board games, art supplies and many teen-focused books. Note: This area is for actual teens though. Don’t let your 11-year-old wander here in search of Nintendo Switch time. Be aware, Vancouver Community Library is packed in the mornings. I went there around lunchtime on a weekday recently and it was still crowded with families. If you hope to encounter less traffic, plan to come in the afternoon. Water Resources Education Center 4600 S.E. Columbia Way, Vancouver Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (Closed Saturday and Sunday) Cost: Free This Vancouver treasure is popular with the stay-at-home mom set, but it’s really geared toward older kids.

Max Hoskins, 5, center, shows off his bat mask while reading a book with Rowena Hoskins, left, and Opal Hoskins, 3, right. The Hoskins were among the attendees at the Vancouver Water Resources Education Center's "Creatures of the Night" event in 2019. (Steve Dipaola for The Columbian) Photo Walking in, you’re immediately greeted by a taxidermy mount of nutria. Yep, not a beaver. Nutria. (Those teeth! Yikes!) My Halloween-loving toddler seemed to enjoy the several cool animal skeletons on display. The bull frog was his favorite. As you walk through the exhibit, you can check out the adorable baby salmon and less adorable, but equally important, adult lamprey. For adults, fascinating displays detail local flood history. You can read that while the kids attempt the many brain-teaser stations set up behind you. At the end of the exhibit are some hands-on stations, teaching kids how much energy it takes to power various types of light bulbs and what it feels like to walk in a wetland.

A blue heron stands guard on the auto tour road in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. (The Columbian files) Photo If you’re going with older kids, I highly recommend you make this an early afternoon activity to miss the little ones visiting in the morning. I went at noon on a rainy day recently and my toddler and I largely had the place to ourselves. Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Auto Tour 1071 S. Hillhurst Road, Ridgefield Hours: 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., sunrise to sunset Cost: $3 I never hear anyone talk about taking the auto tour at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge yet it must be popular because I passed at least half a dozen cars there on a recent weekday afternoon. Spring break, even when it’s rainy, is a great time to check out wildlife as it’s not too hot or too cold for the animals. Be sure to bring some binoculars for the kids. There’s a bathroom at the entrance to the auto route. It’s there at the entrance you’ll need to pay a $3 day use fee, unless you already have a full-year pass.

As you are sticking your fee in the box, snap a picture of the QR code to your left, which takes you to an audio tour to listen to on your drive. Drive slowly around the loop, using your car as your own personal wildlife blind. There are also some pull-offs along the way if you see a critter you’d like to watch for a while. I’ll be honest. I’ve paid a lot more to do wildlife drives with my kids. They always love it. And this one is so much cheaper, just as awesome and closer to home. If you don’t live in Ridgefield, be sure to allow a little extra time to get there because there’s a long detour taking you to the downtown area while Pioneer Street is closed for several months due to construction.

Child-Centric Art Exhibit at Ridgefield Community Library 210 N. Main Ave., Ridgefield Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; closed Sunday. Cost: Free Art galleries can be great indoor outings, especially for older kids who appreciate artistic inspiration. Many of Clark County’s art galleries, however, are closed during the first week of April as they prepare for new exhibits. (Plan to attend First Friday in Camas or downtown Vancouver if you want to check those out.) However, the Ridgefield Art Association is hosting an exhibit specifically geared toward children at the Ridgefield Community Library through April 24. As you walk into the library, you’ll see artwork lining the library’s main walls, as well as the community room. The exhibit includes nearly 30 works made with various media. Fifteen were created by Ridgefield youth, ranging in age from second grade to high school. All really channel a child’s experience.

The plane belonging to Leah Hing, the first U.S.-born Chinese American pilot, moves to its new location as part of Pearson Air Museum's permanent exhibits. (Contributed by The Historic Trust) Photo I thoroughly enjoyed this exhibit on a recent weekday afternoon. As a bonus, there’s a great children’s area in the library with stuffed animals and a puppet show stage, as well as an area for teens. Those not in Ridgefield already will need to be mindful of the aforementioned detour. But downtown Ridgefield is worth it, in my humble opinion. If the rain breaks, take a walk through the historic area. There’s a food cart pod and local restaurants if you want to splurge and a public park for picnicking if you want to stick to your budget. Pearson Air Museum 1115 E. Fifth St. in Vancouver Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (Closed Monday and Sunday) Cost: Free If your kids love machines or airplanes, this Vancouver gem is the place for them. The lobby has a small replica cockpit for kids to play in as well as some aviation-themed toys and books before entering the actual museum.

Visitors are then greeted by an enthusiastic volunteer who will give a short introduction to the museum and its history and then let visitors roam freely. The museum displays a variety of aircraft that actually flew out of Pearson Field during the early 20th century, and details wild stories about pilots and flights. Patrons can watch a video history of the early days at Pearson near the back of the museum. And kids can complete an activity to earn a much-coveted Junior Ranger badge. If you manage to visit when it’s not rainy, you can also take a free self-guided tour of the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site’s Vancouver Barracks Parade Ground. It can be found on the National Parks Service app or at the Fort Vancouver Visitor’s Center. For gamers, the Pokemon Go mobile game is also very popular with walkers at the historic site. If you decide to splurge and see the historic fort replica, kids under 16 can get in for free. Adult admission is $10.