Summer Camp Taruwara—Weeks of Endless Creativity and Unforgettable Moment

"Life Skills Classes at Taruwara Primary are not about chores—they are about growth. They prepare children to face real-life situations with resilience, creativity, and confidence." At Taruwara Primary, we believe education should prepare children not only for academic success but also for everyday life. That’s why we introduced Life Skills Classes for our upper primary students—a special program where children learn practical, hands-on lessons that will help them grow into responsible, independent, and confident individuals. Many parents may remember the first time they washed a car, ironed their clothes, or managed their own shopping. These seemingly simple experiences actually stay with us, teaching discipline, care, and responsibility. Through Life Skills, we want our students to have the same opportunities, guided carefully in a supportive and fun learning environment. Ironing Clothes with Confidence Ironing is often considered an adult responsibility, but our students are excited to give it a try. With guidance from teachers, they learn how to handle the iron safely, smooth out wrinkles, and take their time to do the job well. The sense of satisfaction on their faces when they see neatly pressed clothes is priceless. Beyond the technical skill, ironing teaches patience, precision, and the importance of presentation. Washing Vehicles with Care Another day, the students head outside to wash vehicles. Buckets, sponges, and soap turn into tools of teamwork. Children quickly learn that washing a vehicle is more than just splashing water—it requires attention to detail and patience. This activity also sparks conversations about taking care of belongings and the effort that goes into maintaining things we use every day. It’s a fun, physical task that leaves students smiling at their shiny finished work. Shopping at the Bookstore Life Skills aren’t limited to chores at home or school. Our students also experience the real-world practice of shopping, such as visiting a bookstore with a budget in hand. For many, this is the first time they’ve had to make choices on what to buy while considering both needs and wants. They learn how to interact politely with shopkeepers, calculate costs, and make responsible decisions. The joy of leaving the store with a book they’ve chosen themselves is a bonus that strengthens both confidence and independence. Learning to Clean the Sink and Kitchen One of the first lessons takes place in the kitchen, where students practice cleaning the sink and keeping the area tidy. At first, some students giggle as they put on gloves and get ready to scrub, but soon they realize it’s not just about cleaning. It’s about taking pride in maintaining a space where everyone can work and feel comfortable. By learning this, children develop habits of hygiene, orderliness, and respect for shared environments. The Bigger Picture: Why Life Skills Matter Through these experiences, we want our students to realize that life is full of small responsibilities that matter. Cleaning, washing, ironing, and shopping might look simple, but they are stepping stones toward independence. More importantly, these activities teach values: caring for shared spaces, respecting belongings, managing money wisely, and feeling proud of a job well done. Life Skills Classes at Taruwara Primary are not about chores—they are about growth. They prepare children to face real-life situations with resilience, creativity, and confidence. Our hope is that, through these lessons, students not only gain practical knowledge but also carry with them the deeper understanding that independence and responsibility are keys to shaping a meaningful life. A Shared Journey with Parents We believe these lessons become even more powerful when reinforced at home. Parents can encourage their children to practice simple daily tasks, celebrate their efforts, and give them opportunities to take on small responsibilities. Together, school and family can nurture children who are not only academically capable, but also independent, caring, and ready for the future.

The other day we successfully completed our first attempt to hold an Output Day. Output Day, as the name suggests, is a day to output what students have been inputting. We have been preparing our presentations and bulletin boards for that day. The primary class students with their teacher prepare 3 booths. They are assigned to each booth with their teacher. There was a booth for science and thematic, English with art, and mathematics. The children in each booth are tasked with presenting their projects and things they have learned so far at Taruwara. The teachers are just as nervous as their students, some of them feeling very tense before the event starts. However, they manage to overcome their tension and nervousness to welcome all the parents and kindergarten children. Some of the students who were not very good at public speaking gained her confidence by seeing her teachers, mothers, and younger students who were trying their best. Her teammates were also motivated by her efforts.  After the three-hour event, the children and teachers were exhausted, but despite the short preparation period and the fact that it was their first experience, they were able to pull it off, which was a very valuable experience for all of us. During the reflection time, we were able to hear comments such as, "We can do this better next time! I want to do something like this!” and other positive things. We wondered if this was also the result of the daily circle time and reflection session. On that day, the kindergarten children also had an opportunity to do activities together with their parents, and everyone seemed very happy to see the children's responses and reactions, which they do not get to see every day. We were also very anxious about the parents' opinions after coming to observe the elementary school presentation, but we were very grateful for their warm and supportive attitude toward the children throughout the event, even if some of them could not speak well. Good job kids!! We are so proud of you all. Documentation: Our math class team ready for presentation about how to build a tent Our science class team ready for the presentation Warmest welcome from primary students to attending parents Primary school children showcase their cooking skills in front of the attending parents. They prepare the same menu, rice balls, just like they did during the previous project camp. During the experiments, the kindergarten children are particularly fascinated and interested in the activity Demonstration on setting up a tent from primary children with parents from kindergarten Parents and their kids Building a tent with math team Showcase their life skill that they got from their previous project Presentation from science team to mix-class parents and children The parents and kindergarten children are getting ready to make lemonade according to the instructions from the English class team. We are extremely grateful that the attending parents are very supportive of our elementary school children.

Ask any child who has been to one of our holiday camps what they remember most, and you'll get a different answer every time. One will tell you about the moment their clay bowl actually held water. Another will describe the exact shade of orange they mixed themselves. Someone else will say it was the campfire — the songs, the smell of smoke, the stars. And a few might just say, "I made a really good friend." That variety is exactly the point. At Taruwara, our holiday camp runs every term break and semester break throughout the year, and no two camps are ever the same. Each one comes with a fresh theme, a new set of activities, and a whole lot of room for something unexpected and wonderful to happen. A little bit of everything—on purpose Our holiday camp is open to children from toddler age all the way through primary school, so when we plan each camp, we think carefully about what makes a week truly worthwhile for a child — not just fun in the moment, but something they carry with them. Every activity is designed to be engaging and hands-on, but there's always something quietly being learnt: patience, creativity, curiosity, confidence, the ability to try something new without being afraid to get it wrong. Over the years, we've covered a wide range of themes. Here's a little taste of what camp life at Taruwara can look like: Art & craft Painting, clay, collage, origami, and fashion design — getting creative with whatever materials the theme calls for. Science experiments Mixing, measuring, watching things bubble and change — science that feels more like magic than a lesson. Cooking class Little hands in the kitchen, learning to follow a recipe, and the joy of eating something you made yourself. Coding & tech For primary students, fun introductions to coding through games, puzzles, and creative digital challenges. Give back, get out! Getting out into the community, caring for the environment, and understanding why it matters. Active & outdoors Fun PE activities and games out in our school yard — exploring nature, moving together, and burning off some energy along the way. We also love tying camp activities to special days on the calendar. Camps that fall around Nyepi celebrated with an ogoh-ogoh parade and other activities that also explored the meaning of stillness and gratitude. Christmas camps fill up with festive crafts, giving, and a generous dose of silly fun. Every cultural moment is an opportunity for children to learn something about the world they live in. The yard, the friendships, the freedom One thing that makes camp at Taruwara a little different is the space itself. Our large outdoor yard becomes the heart of camp life — a place where children run, play, breathe, and simply be kids. There's something about open space that loosens children up. Walls come down. A child who's shy in the classroom suddenly finds themselves in the middle of a game, laughing with someone they just met. And that happens a lot. Camp brings together children from different backgrounds, different ages, different everything — and somehow, within a day or two, they're inseparable. We've seen toddlers shadow older students like little shadows. We've seen primary kids take younger ones under their wing without being asked. Friendships form here that sometimes last well beyond the school year. "Every camp, the memorable moment is different. But there's always one. There's always a moment you didn't plan for that ends up being the best part of the week." March 2026: when the camp became an art gallery Our most recent camp, held on 23–27 March, was themed around art and craft, and it was every bit as colorful as it sounds. Students spent the week mixing paints, drawing the school landscape, hunting for natural materials, sculpting clay, folding origami, and on Thursday, designing and parading their own paper costumes in a full Fashion Show that had everyone cheering. By Friday afternoon, the school looked like a proper gallery. Every surface had something on it: clay pieces with careful painted details, nature collages, landscape paintings, origami figures. The children didn't want to leave — which is always a good sign. Whether it's a week of cooking, a day out in the community, an afternoon of outdoor games in our yard, or five days of paint and clay, what stays the same every single camp is the intention behind it. We want children to arrive curious and leave with something new: a skill, a memory, a friend, or simply the knowledge that trying new things is always worth it. Coming up next Summer Holiday Camp 2026 Starting on 23 June 2026 A new theme, new activities, and the same great energy. We'll be sharing more details soon — keep an on the school newsletter or ask at the front office. If your child has been asking about camp, this is the one not to miss.