National Children’s Day with Railways: Educational and Fun Activities with KAI

Every year on 23 July, Indonesia celebrates National Children’s Day (Hari Anak Nasional / HAN) as a reminder of the importance of protecting, respecting, and fulfilling children’s rights. Celebrating this meaningful occasion through positive activities with children is one way to create lasting memories. In line with this, KAI organized various engaging activities across its operational areas to commemorate HAN this year.

Educational Activities on National Children’s Day 2023

In Operational Area (Daop) 5 Purwokerto, KAI together with the Indonesian Railway Employees’ Wives Association (PIKKA) invited children with intellectual disabilities from SLB C Yakut Purwokerto (a special needs school) to ride the Kamandaka train, traveling the Purwokerto–Cilacap route (round trip), accompanied by their parents. The excitement and happiness of the children were clearly visible despite their limitations.

“KAI fully supports this activity. Taking children with intellectual disabilities on a train ride serves as an educational experience about railways, especially for children with special needs,” said KAI Vice President of Public Relations, Joni Martinus.

Meanwhile, in other regions such as Daop 6, a traditional toy exhibition was held at the Solo Balapan Station hall. The exhibition featured various traditional games such as dakon, spinning tops, slingshots, marbles, bekelan, kites, stilts (egrang), and others. Passengers, especially children, were invited to try these traditional games while waiting for their trains. At the end of the event, these toys were also distributed to passengers at Solo Balapan Station.

Gift distribution activities for children were also held in several other regions, including Divre I at Medan Station, Divre IV at Tanjungkarang Station, Daop 2 onboard Argo Parahyangan Train, Daop 3 at Cirebon Station, Daop 4 at Semarang Tawang Bank Jateng Station, and Daop 8 at SD Negeri Banjarwungu 1 in Sidoarjo.

These activities were not only part of the National Children’s Day celebration but also a form of appreciation for loyal passengers who choose trains as their long-distance travel mode with their children. The series of events held both at stations and on trains demonstrate KAI’s commitment to providing friendly services and showing care for passengers, especially children.

In addition, to ensure comfort for child passengers at stations, KAI provides children’s play areas at several stations, including Gambir, Pasar Senen, Cirebon, Semarang Tawang Bank Jateng, Semarang Poncol, Tegal, Ngrombo, Purwokerto, Kroya, Yogyakarta, Lempuyangan, Solo Balapan, Purwosari, Surabaya Gubeng, Surabaya Pasarturi, Jember, Ketapang, Padang, Pulau Aie, Minangkabau International Airport Station, and Kertapati Station.

For mothers traveling with infants, KAI also provides lactation rooms to ensure comfort while breastfeeding at stations.

“We hope children feel comfortable at stations and on trains, so that in the future they can develop a love for railways, help protect them as shared public facilities, and eventually some of them may become future leaders who contribute to the development of Indonesia’s railway system,” Joni concluded.