A story of curiosity, failed experiments, and real-world learning at Taruwara Primary School.
How three Taruwara students turned a simple question into a real product
At Taruwara Primary School, learning doesn’t happen only through textbooks or inside classrooms.
Throughout the year, our students take part in projects, and what makes these projects special is that the ideas come from the children themselves. Our teachers don’t simply tell students what to do. They spark curiosity, encourage questions, and help children find their own paths of inquiry. And children’s interests are wonderfully diverse!
Today, we’d like to share one of these projects: a story about three girls, a big idea, and three months of learning, experimenting, and discovering.
It All Started with a Question
Kasy, Sierra, and Kohana had become fascinated with cosmetics. They’re still primary school students, but their curiosity quickly turned into something bigger.
“What if we made our own cosmetics?”
“And what if we sold them to parents at a school event?”
One idea led to another, and before long, the girls had made their decision.
They were going to create their very own lip gloss!
But there was one small problem. How do you actually make lip gloss?
Learning Together, Teachers and Students
At Taruwara, we dedicate time every week to project-based learning, giving students the chance to explore their interests and turn their ideas into reality.
During these sessions, teachers work alongside the children, not as instructors who already have all the answers, but as partners in the learning process.
After all, our teachers had never made lip gloss either!
There was so much that neither the children nor the teachers knew. And that was perfectly fine, because at Taruwara, we believe that learning begins with curiosity, not with knowing all the answers. So they researched, discussed, experimented, and learned through trial and error.
When Things Don’t Go as Planned
As an eco-conscious school, Taruwara encourages children to think about the environment and make responsible choices. The girls wanted their lip gloss to be made from natural ingredients, with beautiful natural colors too.
“How about using dragon fruit?”
It sounded like a wonderful idea! They experimented with dragon fruit to create a natural color but, soon discovered a problem: the fruit spoiled, and the product didn’t last.
Back to the drawing board!
They tried different approaches, discussed what had gone wrong, and kept searching for better solutions. Sometimes their experiments worked. Sometimes they didn’t. But every unsuccessful attempt gave them a new question, a new discovery, and another chance to learn.
Taking Learning Beyond the Classroom
To deepen their understanding, the girls visited a factory that produces natural cosmetics. There, they observed the production process, learned from people with real experience, and even tried some of the techniques themselves.
What had started as a conversation between friends was becoming a genuine learning experience, one that connected science, creativity, environmental awareness, and entrepreneurship. The girls shared responsibilities, listened to one another’s ideas, and solved problems as a team.
They weren’t just learning how to make lip gloss. They were learning how to collaborate, communicate, think critically, and keep going when things got difficult.
Three Months Later… Their First Product!
After three months of research, experimentation, discussion, and plenty of trial and error, their lip gloss was finally ready!
But the learning didn’t stop there. The girls decided on their own selling price and prepared to sell at Taruwara’s school anniversary celebration. Their handmade lip gloss was gone. SOLD OUT! They were happy and also thanks to all parents for their support for all the Taruwara kids at the school event.
An idea that began with a simple “What if…?” had become something real, something they created together through their own curiosity, effort, and determination.
More Than Just Lip Gloss
To some people, this might look like a small project about making cosmetics. To us, it shows what happens when children are trusted with their own ideas.
Look at what these three girls did along the way. They tested natural ingredients and learned why some of them don’t last (science). They decided on a price for their product (math). They prepared to sell to real customers at a real event (entrepreneurship). They worked through a failed experiment together instead of giving up (resilience). And they did it all while thinking about the environment.
This is what we mean by holistic education: caring not only about what children know, but about who they are becoming. Most importantly, these girls discovered the joy of finding out what they are capable of.
At Taruwara, we don’t just teach children what to think. We encourage them to think for themselves.
And sometimes, that journey begins with something as simple as three girls wanting to make lip gloss.
Congratulations, Kasy, Sierra, and Kohana! We are so proud of your creativity, teamwork, and determination. We can’t wait to see what you’ll come up with next!
Want to see project-based learning in action? Book a school tour with us!
