The sun is bright. The temperature is well above 90. And the humidity is outrageous.

Yes it is summer again.

While many may find summer a time of unbearable heat, school children are never discouraged by the temperatures.

For them, summer is a time of freedom and fun.

Freedom from the routine a school day dictates. And the fun offered by the a myriad of summer activities.

For children here those activities include sports like baseball, basketball and kickball, playing games such as Connect 4 and dominos and swimming.

For Jasmine Primm and Varnecia Phipps, both 12, shopping for new clothes is a favorite summer activity. Summer gives the girls a chance to buy and wear clothes other than their school uniforms.

“I like going on shopping trips with my mom because I get to buy the clothes that I want,” Phipps said.

Primm agreed that clothes are more fun in the summer.

“I get to wear clothes that are different from my school uniform,” Primm said.

Both are attending the summer program at Prince Street Community Center.

At Prince Street, a variety of trips and activities are planned before the summer program starts. The children will go to movies, bowling and visit the different parks in the area.

They also attend Vacation Bible School and do educational work including writing in journals.

Many of Phipp’s and Primm’s counterparts at the Adams County Christian School Child Care summer program are happy when the final school bell rings because they are able to swim everyday.

“Swimming is my favorite,” Teressa Michelle O’Brien said.

The eight-year-old enjoys swimming because she is learning new tricks.

“I get to jump off the diving board now,” O’Brien said. “I can do a somersault under water too.”

Like O’Brien, Jessica Payne, 10, looks forward to going swimming each day but also likes the fact that during the summer she doesn’t have to worry about doing any school work.

“I like to swim and play with my friends and go to the movies,” Payne said.

Plus, you don’t have to do any work.”

Payne isn’t the only one who enjoys a summer free from school work. Nine-year-old Ryan Burnette said one of his favorite parts of summer is the lack of homework.

“There is not as much pressure and stuff,” Burnette said. “You don’t have to do any homework.”

Markecianna McArthur, 10, said that while it is nice to be out of school she still enjoys doing some work at Prince Street.

“I like going to the library and checking out the books,” McArthur said. “We do some of the same work we do at school here but it is more fun here.”

Summer time also allows children to see friends that might not be in the same grade during the school year.

Zoey McCranie is one of those. She likes playing with her sister every day at ACCS.

“I get to see my sister every day and she is nice to me when we play together,” McCranie said.

Primm also enjoys seeing children that aren’t her age. She has made friends with 11-month-old Tristan McNealy, who calls her by name when she comes in.

“I like being around the babies, a lot,” Primm said.

Whether the activity of choice is reading, swimming or simply playing outside, Sonya Davis, assistant director for Prince Street Community Center, the key is making sure the children have an activity that entertains them.

“You have to keep the children busy and on somwhat of a schedule” Davis said. “If they aren’t entertained and busy they can start getting in trouble.”