PELHAM – Loud laughs and excited screams filled the air at Pelham Ridge Elementary School as children played a game in the gymnasium on Tuesday, June 12.

Pelham City Schools’ summer day camp program kicked off on May 29 and will end Aug. 3. About 50 children are participating in the program, which is for incoming kindergarten through sixth grade students, said John Vincent, PCS coordinator of after school and summer school programs.

Students attend the program Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Vincent said the students are divided by age ground and participate in outdoor activities, board games and educational computer games and arts and crafts during the program. Vincent said the students get to play water-related games outside when the weather permits and are treated to a field trip once a week.

On Wednesday, June 13, the students visited the Birmingham Zoo. Fields trips to the Botanical Gardens, McWane Science Center, to go bowling, to the movies and skating are scheduled for the summer.

Incoming second grader Tatum Bowie, 7, said her favorite part of camp is playing in the gym with her friends.

“I hate when I have to go home because this is a very fun place,” she said.

Incoming first grader Rhett Bell, 6, said he likes everything about camp and was looking forward to going on the field trip to the zoo.

The camp also offers an opportunity for incoming kindergarten students to learn about what it’s like to go to school every day.

Although registration has ended, Vincent said parents can still put children on the waitlist. The cost of camp is $135 per week, which includes field trips. Registration costs $20.