Screaming, giggling, clinking of baseballs on metal bats and the thumping of basketballs are sounds that fill the air now that youth are out on summer vacation.

With most Lawrence County school out of session, children are free to do what they want all hours of the day.

Cody Blackburn, 12, will spend the first few weeks of his summer vacation playing baseball. Blackburn plays for the Yankees, the local Little League team, not the pro league in New York.

"I want the baseball team to go to state," Blackburn said. "I want to get first place in the league."

Even though he plays for the Yankees, Blackburn said he is a Red Sox fan. He said this summer he will go to a few Red's games.

Teammate Brandon Barker is less concerned about the game than all the new found free time he is not wasting.

"It's great because it feels great to just get up Monday and play video games," 10-year-old Barker said. "I get up early and go to people's houses."

The boys on this team are not all staying home this summer, many including Blackburn are going to the beach.

Five-year-old Levi McCarty is also leaving for vacation, but he is going to the Smokey Mountains.

"I'm going to see sharks, turtles, fish, hammerheads and stingrays," Levi McCarty, 5, said.

One might think he is mistaken, but McCarty said he is going to Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tenn.

When he comes home he will return to his normal outdoor activities such as swimming and biking.

"I'm going to swim. I'm a really good swimmer," McCarty said."I'm going to ride my bike a lot."

Tanner Easterling, 6, is also an avid bike rider.

"I just want to ride my bike around the park," Easterling said.

His summer will not be completely devoted to biking though.

"I will go swimming and ride the four-wheeler," Easterling said.

Whether they are playing baseball, riding bikes or swimming, youth have been let loose for three months of summer freedom.