NATCHEZ — A hot summer day spent playing outside with family and cooling off inside with video games was great, but the children at the North Natchez Park Thursday said they are ready to start school.

Shacurious Broadus, who will enter first grade at Frazier Primary School, got ready for school with a family trip to Walmart for school supplies.

Her favorite new item is her pink color box.

“I’m happy,” Shacurious said about her feelings about starting school. Classes at the Natchez public schools start Thursday.

Delisa Polk, Shacurious’ cousin, said she is excited to start school, but he has mixed feelings.

“I’m half and half,” Delisa said.

Shacurious and Delisa came to North Natchez Park with Shacurious’ dad and their siblings.

One new thing Adrian Broadus said will be different this year in at Morgantown Elementary School is the school dances, when asked if he will dance, he shyly shrugged his shoulders.

“I only dance in front of my family,” Adrian said.

“He’s terrified of the girls,” Adrian’s cousin Delisa Polk said from her post on a swing.

Delisa said she has been outside nearly every day this summer.

“I’m surprised I haven’t got too hot,” she said.

Christopher Broadus is excited to move on to second grade, so he can read the books that were too difficult for first graders.

“It’s going to be different,” Christopher said.

Christopher said he is most excited about the coloring pencils he bought for school this year.

Adrian said he has only one regret about starting school.

“I wish summer was going to last longer because I wanted to go to Blue Bayou (Water Park),” Adrian said.

But the oldest of the group, Damerius Polk reminded Adrian his mom promised to take everyone bowling to make up for missing out on Blue Bayou.

Adrian Broadus, the father and uncle of swing set crew, said his children, nieces and nephews get along well sometimes, “But not all the time,” he laughed.

As a bus driver for Durham School Services, Broadus has been playing the stay-at-home dad role this summer because he is on summer vacation too.

“It works out perfectly,” Broadus said.

“But I’ll be glad to start back.”

In addition to the Natchez public schools, Cathedral School also starts Thursday.

Trinity Episcopal Day School and Adams County Christian School will start Monday, Aug. 9.

The Concordia Parish schools will start school Aug. 12.