Clayton News Daily

Photo by Hugh Osteen

Thirty-eight Clayton County children spent Monday playing games, watching movies, making arts and crafts, and going for a swim, while school was out for a teacher work day.

The Clayton County Parks and Recreation Department hosted "Actividay" events at its three recreation centers to give local youths an opportunity to stay active while they had a day off from school.

"We do this to give kids something that provides them with opportunities to be active, and to make new friends," said Shacole Pearman, the program coordinator at the Jim Huie Recreation Center in Jonesboro, which hosted 25 "Actividay" participants.

Pearman said the "Actividay" events, held whenever schools give students a day off during the week, are helpful for parents, because they give them a place to send their children while they go to work. "It gives parents the comfort of knowing their children are spending the day doing fun activities in a safe environment," she said.

Children who attended events at the Jim Huie Recreation Center got to swim, color pictures, see the movie, "District 51," at a dollar theater in Fayetteville, play games, such as kickball and basketball, run torch relays, and sing a rap version of popular nursery rhymes.

"I liked it, because we got to do a lot of fun things," said Hampton resident, Yonique Purvis, 11.

"We had some fun activities to do," added Jonesboro's Nicholas Jackson, 8. "I liked playing basketball, and I also liked that we went outside to play kickball."

Riverdale resident, Kyle Ferrell, 11, said he enjoyed the break from school, because it provided him with "more play time ... I get to socialize more, and I get to be more active."