Indonesia
Jakarta
In Jakarta, children pay the price as outdoor playgrounds become dangerously hot during the day due to the lack of cover from heat. Experts urge rethinking of design and materials to keep youngsters safe.
Feeling the heat: The main play structure at Embung Jagakarsa open green space in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta stands tall under direct sunlight with no shade above and around it, as seen on Aug. 10, 2026. (JP/Miriam Bahagijo)
It was still 10 a.m. at Embung Jagakarsa open green space in Jagakarsa district, South Jakarta, but the temperature had already reached 30 degrees Celsius. The yellow-and-blue play structure stood tall in the middle of the playground under the sweltering sun, making the structure’s surface too hot to touch.On the morning of Aug. 10, a little girl took off her shoes before entering the playground in the area, but put them on again less than a minute later while muttering, “Hot! Hot! Hot!” A mother half-shouted to her toddler who was riding a two-wheeled bicycle, reminding him to put on his hat as the sunlight was intense.
