Mr Joel van Bentum | Principal   

Fun and Playfulness

Last year the college participated in a student flourishing survey. We surveyed all our students from year 7 to 12 and this was part of a larger survey that covered over 22,000 students across Australia. This survey was conducted in partnership with the Harvard University Human flourishing project, Research Schools International and Christian Schools Australia. The overall study is a contribution to the much larger and longitudinal human flourishing project.

One of the key things that was measured was around the practices that support and impact flourishing. The top three things that have a positive impact on flourishing when engaged in at least once a month were;

• Laughing with others (22% increase)
• A sense of playfulness (17% increase)
• Activities that strengthen social relationships (11%)

This research affirms the need for families, communities and schools to consider ways we can build these kinds of practices into our days and weeks to support the flourish and growth of our children and students.

Our lives are so busy and there is such pressure to schedule time and provide opportunities for our children that it can seem like we have no time to pause and play.

I think the research provides an opportunity to reflect on our family practices and consider ways that we can build laughter, play and social interaction into our family structures.

Every family is different so this will look different in all our contexts, but it could include,

• Playing some board games together
• Going on a bushwalk
• Sunday lunch as a family
• Cooking together
• Dancing
• Going to the park as a family

Social cohesion and belonging begin in the family so making space for laughter, play and social time is a high value investment and could make a bigger difference in our children’s lives than scheduling another activity that we a rushing to get to.