Couve Scoop April 2026

Meet Wild Wonder, A New Local Sensory Play Company for Kids  

A new mom-owned sensory play experience company, Wild Wonder, is hosting their first pop-up event on April 12 at Hockinson Park from 1-2:30pm. Wild Wonder offers gentle, nature-inspired sensory play experiences designed to slow childhood down, inviting kids to explore freely. They craft all the activities from all-natural, non-toxic, dye-free and taste-safe materials that are inspired by the PNW.  

“We don’t want Wild Wonder to be just another kids’ play activity,” said founders Bree Keel and Meghan Stearns. “We want to be known as an environment where parents find rest, children find space to explore and families find reconnection. Present-day parenting culture can often feel rushed and overstimulating. We hope to be a place that slows everything down and feels deeply restful. We’ve felt the loneliness of motherhood. We hope that Wild Wonder can also become a place where mothers can find their tribe, too.” 

Founders Keel and Stearns are two Vancouver-area best friends, and each have two kids, all 5 years old or younger. “A short time ago, we found ourselves burnt out, overwhelmed and feeling alone in motherhood.  During that season, we unexpectedly discovered how nature and sensory play could slow everything down and restore connection between us and our kiddos in a simple, gentle way,” they said. “We started setting up sensory play experiences for our own kids, their friends and at our kid’s birthday parties, and we started to see the magic in these invitations to play. That’s when we knew this was something we wanted to share beyond our own homes, and that is how Wild Wonder was born.” 

Their goal for their first year in business is to host monthly pop-up events for kids and caregivers to play together. They will have multiple stations featuring different sensory activities for play. They currently cater to 1-8 year olds, but they hope to offer a 0-1 year sensory experience soon, too.  

“We have a huge passion for growing the business into something that can employ other moms, too,” said Keel and Stearns. “We love the idea of giving kiddos a special place just for them at events like weddings, family reunions, church events, Mommy or Daddy-gatherings, etc., as well as partnering with our local business community to have a special place for kiddos at family-friendly business events, etc.” 

Costs for their events are $25 for the first child and $15 for additional siblings. 

Two Rivers Heritage Museum Reopens This Spring  

The Two Rivers Heritage Museum (TRHM) in Washougal reopened to visitors last month following its annual winter closure for maintenance, preservation work and exhibit enhancements. The museum, which boosts more than 6,000 square feet of displays, is open Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. through October. 

A highlight of the reopening is a new exhibit featuring selections from the museum’s extensive Barbie doll collection, originally donated as part of the Barbara Heriford Estate in 1991. The entire collection includes nearly 60 boxed dolls and 20 accessory sets. Items were carefully chosen to illustrate Barbie’s evolution over the decades. 

Museum Director Julianne Lawrence hopes the exhibit sparks personal memories. “I grew up playing with Barbies,” she said. “I hope visitors feel that same nostalgia and appreciation for the creativity toys inspired.” 

All displayed dolls remain in their original packaging, which helps preserve them and adds historical context. 

The museum has also refreshed several additional exhibits, including: 

·        A striking aerial photo of the Camas paper mill 

·        A children’s corner featuring antique toys 

·        Updated labeling in the hallway photo gallery 

·        A display on the 1947 3rd Street Bridge fire featured in Life Magazine 

·        A new standing case for recently donated Native American artifacts from the Ough family 

Located at 1 Durgan Street in downtown Washougal, across from the Pendleton Woolen Mill, the museum is operated by volunteers from the Camas-Washougal Historical Society. The museum features photographs, artifacts and stories that preserve the rich history of the region’s people, businesses and industries. 

Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for students and free for children under 5 and all society members. Group tours are available by appointment. Call 360-835-8742 to schedule. 

The society is always seeking volunteers and new members to help support local history preservation. More information is available at www.2rhm.com. 

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Available for Local Families in Clark County, Strengthens Literacy Skills for Young Children 

A new study on shared book reading showed that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library significantly strengthened early literacy skills for children globally, reinforcing the power of shared reading in the earliest years of life.   

“We are incredibly excited about the release of this landmark study and what it reinforces for families right here in Washington,” said Brooke Fisher-Clark, the executive director of the Imagination Library of Washington.  

Families in Vancouver and across Clark County can enroll their children in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library easily online at imaginationlibrary.com or imaginationlibrarywashington.org. The program is open to all children from birth to age five and is completely free. Parents and caregivers simply enter their child’s information and mailing address, and once enrolled, their child will receive an age-appropriate book in the mail every month until their fifth birthday. 

“In Clark County, the program is made possible through our outstanding local partner, Supporting Early Learning and Families (SELF), led by Executive Director Debbie Ham. Families in Vancouver and surrounding communities are currently eligible to enroll, and today, thousands of children in Clark County are building their own home libraries, strengthening early literacy skills and developing a love of reading long before they ever step into a classroom,” said Fisher-Clark. 

“We encourage every family with young children to sign up and to share this opportunity with friends, neighbors, childcare providers and community groups,” she said. “These monthly books not only help prepare children for kindergarten, they also create meaningful moments for families to read together, bond and build a lifelong foundation for learning.” 

The study was authored by Dr. Claire Galea, Head of Research at United Way Australia, and analyzed data from more than 86,000 caregivers across the world. Results were compared with responses from over 18,000 caregivers who were on the program compared to over 37,000 whose children were not in the program. The study found that across all countries evaluated, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is linked to stronger early literacy outcomes and richer reading experiences at home, helping close early literacy gaps. In the U.S., children were 11 times more like to be interested in books and 15 times more likely to join in shared reading compared to children not in the program. 

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was created over 30 years ago in honor of her father, who could not read or write. Today, the program mails more than 3 million books each month. To sign up to receive the books and to get more information, visit imaginationlibrary.com. 

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