Starting in 2002, Planet Earth Playscapes has teamed up with Half the Sky Foundation (HTS) to create environmental playscapes for children in orphanages in China! In fall 2002 our first construction took place at orphanages in Chuzhou and Chongqing (the largest city in the world with 30 million people!).

In Winter 2002, Jenny Bowen of HTS contacted Rusty Keeler to add natural, developmentally appropriate outdoor spaces to the work that HTS has already been doing to the inside of the orphanages.

Before he knew it, Rusty was in China!
In March, he visited five different orphanages, investigating materials, culture and environment — The sights, sounds, smells and tastes of China!

He and his wife then went back for the entire month of September and along with 10 American Volunteers (including his Habitat-for Humanity-ing parents) built the first 2 Chinese Planet Earth Playscapes!

China 2004

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