Playgrounds in Bahrain almost deserted due to summer heat

TDT | Manama                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Zahra Ayaz  

Children’s parks and football fields in Bahrain are almost empty as people are unable to leave their homes in the sweltering heat. With record-breaking temperatures this summer, it doesn’t take long for playground equipment to heat up.

While most playgrounds are shaded, some areas are in direct sunlight, which causes concerns. However, when the sun goes down a bit in the evening, a few of the most popular indoor entertainment centres become crowded and continue until late hours.

The indoor play area in Bahrain is an air-conditioned utopia until the cooler days of winter; however, theme parks, playgrounds, water parks, and fairgrounds are enjoyable year-round. Pearl Matthias, a housewife, told The Daily Tribune that although her kid enjoys playing in the park and going down the slides, she feels impotent to take him outside in the heat.

"Now that the schools are closed, my kid complains that he is bored. I generally give him my phone all day, and on the weekends, we take him to places like Chakazoolu or Magic Island, all located inside malls, so he stays cool."

Mohammed Danish, an Indian national, has always looked forward to playing football with his friends after work. He says, "Most playgrounds are empty, and fewer people are playing now. We had to make reservations in advance and wait in a long line to play football in the winter. Still, now people prefer to sit at home in the air conditioning."

However, we love being outdoors, either in summer or winter. Rather than hitting the gym, we carry on our session with a couple of badminton and football matches before driving home," said Danish.

According to a report by Matta, safety surfacing solutions for playgrounds and commercial areas highlight that the best way to prevent playground equipment and surfacing from getting too hot is to provide adequate shading using natural or built shade structures.

The report says if sunlight is intense enough to overheat playground equipment or surfacing, then it will also cause damage to children who are also exposed to it. "By the time an individual is 20 years old, they have probably already had 80% of the sun damage they will receive during their lifetime."

The risk of developing skin cancer later in life strongly relates to childhood UV exposure. "Providing adequate sun protection for children in playgrounds is a safety essential that will also prevent potential issues with hot equipment and surfaces."